Hey all, I recently been using Z-Mans Original chatterbaits a lot in 3/8oz and man I've been having a blast, but now my question is about trailers, can anybody recommend some good actual trailers for me? I've been using ripped paddle tail dingers and some old rage craws for now but I want something that's you know... an actual trailer for chatterbaits, 

 

Anybody got some suggestions? 

Zako. Best there is. 

For a fish imitation the Zako or an upside down swimbait.   But also, rage tail creature/craw baits are awesome.  

 

It depends a lot on how you want to use it but even twin tail curly grubs can work well.

Edited July 12, 20196 yr by JediAmoeba
Added picture of 5 I used today.

Depends. I like the strike king menace grubs and their blade minnow. The latter being very underrated.

I use something similar to the Zako segmented swimbait, paddletails, and this has been my favorite so far...doesn't add too much bulk or crazy extra vibration.  I trim the tails a bit personally. (or legs, looks like a giant cricket).  It's more bulky than some spinnerbait tails I bought, but less so than Zako/paddletails.

 

I use Razor Shadz almost exclusively.  I caught 27 on one yesterday and never had to change it out because they last forever.

Lake Fork Magic Shad 

Trimmed paddle tail swimbait 

Swim Senko

Boiled grass pigs

I fish chatterbaits a lot and have ditched every trailer except Rage Tail Bug.  White or dark.  No need for anything else. 

11 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

For a fish imitation the Zako or an upside down swimbait.   But also, rage tail creature/craw baits are awesome.  

 

It depends a lot on how you want to use it but even twin tail curly grubs can work well.

Why upside down with the swimbaits?

2 hours ago, CarpCasey said:

Why upside down with the swimbaits?

I can't take credit for it but Tactical had a video explaining it and after trying it out it was noticably better - I wouldn't say it was as different as stated in the video but it was enough to warrant changing.  

I've fished several trailers.

Some were better than others.

I've settled on two with a very occasional third thrown in.

 A Rage Bug (pictured) A Zako and the audible is a Swim Senko.

A-Jay

 

 

I use unsalted paddletail swimbaits. I like to leave the trailers on my baits if I can, and I don't want salt in my boxes rusting things up.

 

Check these things out. They're awesome trailers for swim jigs, bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits in the 3.5" size. Buy 10+ packs and get them at $0.16 apiece.

http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Spinnerbait-Trailers/Swim-Minnow.html

11 minutes ago, BassThumb said:

I use unsalted paddletail swimbaits. I like to leave the trailers on my baits if I can, and I don't want salt in my boxes rusting things up.

 

Check these things out. They're awesome trailers for swim jigs, bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits in the 3.5" size. Buy 10+ packs and get them at $0.16 apiece.

http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Spinnerbait-Trailers/Swim-Minnow.html

Thanks!  Those'll do the trick.  Awesome price.

Zoom Fat Albert or a Zoom Super Chunk. 

4 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

I can't take credit for it but Tactical had a video explaining it and after trying it out it was noticably better - I wouldn't say it was as different as stated in the video but it was enough to warrant changing.  

I remember that video now that you say that I'll have to re-watch it

19 hours ago, Megastink said:

Depends. I like the strike king menace grubs and their blade minnow. The latter being very underrated.

*The SK Blade Minnow is awesome ! ... I also like a Super Fluke , a grub and a craw ... Paddle Tails work better rigged upside down but I still believe they fight against the chatterbait action thus I like them much better on a swim jig .

Take a pitboss, rig is sideways.  You wont regret it!

I'm biased, but I like the Big Bite Kamikaze Swimon  

That Swimon looks pretty good to me.

23 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

I can't take credit for it but Tactical had a video explaining it and after trying it out it was noticably better - I wouldn't say it was as different as stated in the video but it was enough to warrant changing.  

According to T.B. it has to do with the water displacement of the chatterbait lip / coffin so when a paddle tail is rigged upside down the paddle has cleaner water to wiggle more naturally and not work against the chatterbait undesirably . Rigging a paddle tail upside down also helps the chatterbait stay down better (works similarly on a spinner bait too) .

Rage Menace or Havoc Pitboss rigged vertically, 3.8-5 inch swimbait, or 2/3 of a stickworm are my favorites. 

On July 12, 2019 at 9:00 AM, A-Jay said:

I've fished several trailers.

Some were better than others.

I've settled on two with a very occasional third thrown in.

 A Rage Bug (pictured) A Zako and the audible is a Swim Senko.

A-Jay

 

Lamiglas SR705R crankbait rod, cool!

Tom

I started with Zoom Fluke Jr for a chatterbiat trailer and never changed because it works.

Tom

So I got some b-vibe micro  finesse swimbaits to put on my 3/8 oz chatterbait.. was wondering if itd be good together?

It's January, so I'll forgive the "best" thing.

To me, I want the trailer to round out the size and profile of the bait, and not the action. I like a straight tail when imitating baitfish, and a creature with no or minimal action when I'm fishing it more like a jig. The issue with baits with their own action, is that they can interfere with and conflict with what the blade is doing. Are there swimbaits and rage tail things that will work well as a chatterbait trailers out of the package? Yes, but often they will limit the speed at which they work well. Of course with experience that is nothing a pair of scissors won't solve. I find a fluke, Fin-S-Fish or rat tail BA work well, as do the pit bosses and beavers of the world. When I want a small profile with a lot of hunting to fish fast or erratic, something like a larger of the old twin tail spinnerbait trailers, or something similar work great. I don't like a really soft trailer most times, so I find I throw some salt water ones on quite a bit. Oh, the upside down paddle tail is a thing, and if the tail gets bit off even better.