Yet another question for the BR brain trust...so I have a MH rod rated for 1/4-3/4 oz lures. I’m wanting to get into spinnerbaits and chatterbaits this year and was planning on going with 1/2oz for both of these but just saw another thread talking about actual weights and it sounds like the spinnerbait weight is measured mainly by the lead on it. So it doesn’t include all the hardware. This makes me worry it would overpower the rod. I also assume it’s similar for the chatterbaits. I feel like I’ve heard the most about 1/2oz spinnerbaits so that’s what I was going to get but should I go down to 3/8? Should I get a stouter rod?

I would definitely prefer 3/8oz baits on that rod. For 1/2oz spinnerbaits and chatterbaits, I generally use a rod rated from 1/4 to 1oz. 3/8oz works on either. Something else to consider is you can throw a spinnerbait with no trailer or just a trailer hook, but with a chatterbait you'll always have additional weight from a trailer, often a Keitech. So a 1/2oz chatterbait plus a trailer could easily exceed 3/4oz. Even a 3/8oz with a 3.8" Keitech would be nearing 3/4oz. A trailerless 1/2oz spinnerbait should still be under 3/4oz, but a slightly stouter rod would still be preferred for that although not required. Your cheapest bet would be to start at 3/8oz before buying a new rod. If you're pretty sure that these are presentations you're going to stick with then perhaps a stouter rod is worth it. On a side note, that stouter rod can also throw a senko with a 1/4oz weight pretty well and 3/8 and 1/2oz jigs, 4.8" Keitechs on swimbait hooks and a whole slew of other stuff and is probably one of the most useful rods you will ever own.

Beginner Spinnerbait and Chatterbait Questions

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February 9, 20215 yr

Super User

Something else not mentioned is the reel that you have on the rod. I realize the question that the OP had was directly related to just the rod, but chatterbaits and spinnerbaits can often be reeled in quite differently. I usually reel a spinnerbait in faster (depending on the weight and blades) whereas I often reel in a chatterbait slower. You certainly can reel both of them in at a faster or slower pace, but the slower pace of a chatterbait is often an advantage over a spinnerbait in colder water. Using a fast reel might inhibit this.

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February 11, 20215 yr

Super User

The last two bass I caught last year was on a 6' medium action rod rated for 1/4 to 5/8 ounce lures. I was throwing a 1/2 ounce War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbait without a trailer. I was using 12# mono. Guess I'm doing it all wrong. I have never bought a gram scale to try to get an exact weight on everything I use.

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Beginner Spinnerbait and Chatterbait Questions

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