On a jackhammer, would I put a Zako on the back to match the shape and profile of a bluegill, or would I use something more slender, like a spunk shad with a wider kick and more erratic action? Will bass in stained water see the bigger profile of the Zako, or the erratic wide kick of a Spunk Shad? How do I know when to mix and match these trailers?

pick your trailer based on the shape/size of the baitfish you have around and then listen to what the bass say from there.  I use zakos if I want a bigger profile and they are my default trailer for most of the year.  I swap to a rage menace if I want a shorter/taller looking profile like a bluegill.  

 

In stained water the fish are going on feel and sound as much or more than sight with a vibrating jig.  In stained water they will hear it coming from a mile away but only see it when its a couple feet away.  My personal opinion is that when they hear it coming they have probably already decided if they are going to eat it and as long as the shape is close enough they are going to eat it.  

I like a bigger profile in stained water.  It pushes more water and shows a bigger profile.  The chatterbait gives off enough vibration itself.   I don’t like a trailer that has a lot of its own action and fights against the chatter.  

I'm all about profile on a chatterbait. The blade adds plenty of action on its own.

I'm all about profile on a chatterbait. The blade adds plenty of action on its own.

I keep my used soft plastics, so on a black blue bladed jig, I use part of a junebug curly tail worm….. just a little more encouragement in case the vibration hasn’t made up his mind.  Although I have caught fish on a bare chatter bait …so go figure. Just keep trying different things until you find what works for you in your area.

On 3/13/2023 at 12:02 PM, casts_by_fly said:

I swap to a rage menace if I want a shorter/taller looking profile like a bluegill.  

This is the trailer I use when bluegill sunfish are a primary forage.