I got a gift certificate and they were on sale so I picked up a Jackhammer and a pack of Zman Razor Shadz for trailers but when I got them in the razor shadz look really big and bulky and long so I dont know how well they would do. What's everyone running for trailers? I see the Yamamoto Zako that Brett Hite designed to be a trailer for it and have seen people use paddletails. But what's everyone having the most success with?

I use nothing but the Zako anymore.

You’re gonna have to cycle through a few to see what works best for you. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

The Zako has been killing it for me ~ 

A-Jay

I will second the Zako.  Other honorable mentions are the blade minnow by strike king or the zman razor minnow.

Z A K O !!

 

Also get some dipping dye for it they go crazy over spike it chartreuse garlic. 

The zakos weight and bulk are what really set it apart I think - you can bomb casts to the other side of the moon and it gives it a really good feedback to the rod/line.  The others really dont do that but look ok in the water.

Reaction innovations skinny or little dippers

I use Keitech 3.8 Swing Impact Fats.  

I have been doing really well with a Rage Bug.

3.3 and 3.8 fat swing impacts are my go to. I'll either rig it upside down with the paddle on, or chop the paddle off and put it on upright.

I've used the razor shads and was honestly not very impressed. I've yet to use a zako...I'm not afraid of the price I just don't throw bladed jigs much. My best bait so far has been a 4 inch plain ol zoom fluke. I also like the looks of the big bite baits swimon and have heard several guys say great things about them.

Back to the zako I have no doubt they will catch fish. Gary yamamoto is known for two thing...his baits are pricey and not super durable...and they catch fish when nothing else does. I don't think he makes a bait that doesn't catch em. Kinda like keitech... The paddle tails are soft and not durable...so there has to be another reason every pro is throwing them.

I think that just about any soft plastic that isn’t inhibiting the action of a chatter bait would work. Pike seem to love these things and the small ones are just ripping my trailers to shreds. A chatter bait with a zako or razor shad is effective...but if the tail is missing, not so much. I may actually start using my chatterbaits without a trailer.

 

I see that some people are using a soft crayfish creature as a trailer now too. That might be worth a try in brown bass country as crayfish are the primary forage around here.

I've tried all different styles be it creature, craw or minnow and always end up back at the old school split tail trailer. The tails put out a crazy amount of animation without interfering with the action of the lure itself, then again, they were designed as a trailer so it stands to reason. 

I prefer a slim trailer. 

 

I ve been using zoom split tail grubs. Spinnerbait/chatterbait trailers.

Zako most of the time.

 

But here are some sleepers and some hints/tips on when and where to deploy them.

 

Yamamoto D-Shad. The heft of the D-shad will help keep the bait down, and the thin do noting tail gets more bites for me in cold water.

 

Yamamoto 5" double tail grub. My favorite trailer for doing a "pump and drop" retrieve.

 

Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver. It BARELY fits on a Jackhammer hook, but it does fit. I'll thread this on flat side up and down, NOT sideways like some people like to do with beaver style baits on bladed jigs.....For good reason. ALL bladed jigs have "lift" to them, the Jackhammer does the best at staying down, BUT sometimes I want it up...like when the grass is almost topped out and super thick. This smallie beaver flat side down, on a 3/8oz Jackhammer allows the bait to plane out and almost wake right under the surface over the grass without having to reel too fast, or hold the rod at super high/weirdo angles. A Zako or anything else allows it to stay down in the grass too deep in this instance, and in the thickness of grass I'm talking about....that's an exercise in frustration. Using a full size 4.20" Sweet Beaver adds too much heft as well....the smallie beaver really shines in this little niche' role.

Z-Man DieZel Minnowz (4")

Race Menace (rigged vertically)

Yamamoto Zako

Strike King Rage Tail Craw

 

Big and bulky isn't a big deal on the back of a bladed jig. I don't use the Jackhammer but some of my favorite bladed jig trailers are;

 

Havoc Pit Boss and Devil's Spear (both 4"), rigged vertically.

Rage Menace 4" rigged vertically.

Keitech Fat Impact 3.8 and 4.8.

Zman Razor Shad and Diesel Minnow.

2/3 of a 5" stick worm.

Big Bite Baits Swimon.

 

LFT magic shad and the Hawg Farmer thing that looks like a Keitech without a tail.

The rage menace looks like a good one.  I'm gonna try that

Ive got a pack of Rage Menace I bought for my regular chatterbaits I will try on the jackhammer for sure. I got a gift card for fathers day so I picked up a pack of Zakos in Electric Shad. They look amazing, color and shape. But $8 a pack and they dont last long, not sure I would spend my actual money.

 

So I'm going to do a test with the Zako, Razor Shadz, and Rage Menace, Barkley Powerswimmer, and SK Rage Swimmer. 

 

Maybe I should do my first you tube fishing video!?!?!

2 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

I got a gift card for fathers day so I picked up a pack of Zakos in Electric Shad. They look amazing, color and shape. But $8 a pack and they dont last long, not sure I would spend my actual money.

 

 

Personally, I don't seem to have much of an issue with my chatterbait trailers getting torn up quickly. They usually stay in place while fighting the fish. Unlike Texas-rigs, etc. You could always put a dab of super glue on it if it helps to keep it from sliding down. 

I've been using zako and doing really well. Only other I tried was a Pearl white super fluke to pair with white chatter. That also worked, went with that because I didnt have a white zako. 

I just started using the Zako. 

Rage menace, rage bug, rage craw

Impact

Skinny dipper

Fluke

Kietech easy shine r

Middle baits dbomb

 

Hog Farmer Spunk Shad for me. 

 

They might get cut up from pike, but normally last pretty long.