Chatterbaits

[Cranketybait0315]

I know people love these things but I just don’t see the love for them.  I rarely catch anything off these things.  Granted I just started really using them this year and I’ve thrown every color and trailer combination I have seen others use at them and yeah, I will catch one occasionally on them, but not to the extent that I’d call them great lures.  The lakes I fish are extremely clear.  Maybe I’m doing something wrong.  Maybe I should use colored blades instead of metallic ones given that spinnerbaits also don’t seem to work very good in the lakes I fish mostly either.  I’ve tried “hopping” them with a craw trailer.  I’ve tried with paddle tail trailers and slow retrieve with a pop or pause every so often.  I’ve tried fast retrieving them.  
 

any ideas on what I should do or what I may be doing wrong?  I really want to like these baits but they have got to produce better than this if that’s going to happen.

[Functional]

For about 2 years I was like you and could count the fish on one hand I've caught with a chatterbait. Was trying mostly zoom paddle tails because that was the success I was having on spinners.

 

This year I tried downsizing to the mini max and used the zoom split tail trailer and Keitech easy shiners and have been hammering them compared to my spinners. Throwing the zoom paddle tail in the same color as the split tails/keitechs and it kills the bite. I'd play with a less aggressive trailer like the split tail. 

 

Still figuring out when to throw the chatter vs spinner but anything with wood I'm opting for a spinner because the chatterbaits seem like they search out the wood just to get hung up. If the bites slow I slow roll a spinnerbait, otherwise I'm throwing the chatterbait now.

[A-Jay]

No way to know for sure.

I fish clear water as well, mostly for smallies.

Took me almost 2 full seasons to get my first fish on a vibrating jig.

Like you, I thought I had tried every conceivable color & trailer combo in my quest.

Turns out, it wasn't about that.

It was & will always be about being at the right place, at the right time and doing the right thing.

Over the past several seasons now, a 3/8 oz Green Pumpkin Jackhammer with a Green Pumpkin Zako trailer has accounted for More trophy class brown bass than just about anything else I throw.

Just needed to figure out how & when to fish it and there's no set time frame or even limit on how long that takes.  The fish told me when I got it right; they always do. 

My advice is, keep fishing it, perhaps slow it down a bit, especially if you're using a reel with a gear ratio of 7 or above. 

I do best when I fish the bait with the rod & not the reel.

https://youtu.be/o9xew3tWuuU?t=1014

https://youtu.be/zIqCmH_52IQ?t=387

Good Luck

A-Jay

 

[gimruis]

Its possible that the combination of clear water and pressure have reduced bites with it.  Like many lures, when the fish see it a lot, they often become conditioned to it and getting them to bite becomes more difficult.  Clear water can often compound this problem.  I've experienced this problem first hand with topwater lures over the last several years.  Its like pulling teeth getting a fish to bite a topwater lure now.

 

In the area I fish, I think spinnerbaits have made a come back because a lot of people switched over to a chatterbait instead.  I use both.  But I will say that they generally produce better in stained or murky water because they tend to give off some vibration.

[Bankc]

I'm far from a chatterbait expert.  In fact, I kind of hate the things.  But I think I've figured out the formula that works for me (and of course I first heard about it here).

 

Chatterbait => grass

 

Spinnerbait => wood and anything else but grass.

 

Others will argue where that "anything else" belongs.  That's personal preference.  But I think every bite I've ever gotten off a chatterbait has been in or just outside of some kind of vegetation.  So I won't even touch one if there's not some kind of vegetation around.  

[Cranketybait0315]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

Its possible that the combination of clear water and pressure have reduced bites with it.  Like many lures, when the fish see it a lot, they often become conditioned to it and getting them to bite becomes more difficult.  Clear water can often compound this problem.  I've experienced this problem first hand with topwater lures over the last several years.  Its like pulling teeth getting a fish to bite a topwater lure now.

 

In the area I fish, I think spinnerbaits have made a come back because a lot of people switched over to a chatterbait instead.  I use both.  But I will say that they generally produce better in stained or murky water because they tend to give off some vibration.

That’s just it.  Nobody really fishes these lakes much so it can’t really be pressure.

 

I guess I just haven’t found the right combination or maybe it just isn’t the right time of year for them in these particular lakes.  They are biting natural color jerkbaits and even crankbaits pretty good.  Heck I am even having luck on natural colored jigs with crawfish trailers.  I just can’t get them to hit the chatterbaits much for some reason.   I really wonder if the metal blade colors might be too much flash in these ultra clear waters.  I might try to darken one of the blades with a sharpie and test it.  Can’t hurt.  Can easily clean it off if it doesn’t work.

[gimruis]

1 minute ago, Cranketybait0315 said:

I really wonder if the metal blade colors might be too much flash in these ultra clear waters.

Zman makes a chatterbait called the Stealthblade.  Its a smaller, polycarbonate blade.  I have one but I didn't care for it because I could barely feel the vibration of it.  Maybe this is something for you to try.  Or as @Functional stated, the smaller version called the Mini Max might be effective too.

[Pat Brown]

I started tossing them in June and July around rip rap last year and consistently stuck the biggest fish on every trip doing that and it gave me a ton of confidence in the technique.

 

I like it when it's windy!

[Cranketybait0315]

I’ll give the mini versions a try and see if that’s it.  I’ve been using the original z-mans in the various weights they come in.  Maybe they are just too big to properly mimic what the bass are feeding off of in these lakes now (though both these lakes have huge blue gill and shell crackers)

 

It may just take me awhile to learn exactly how to fish them.  Took me awhile to learn lipless crankbaits but I finally did. 

[Functional]

If you already have paddle tails I'd take one and rig it weightless or on a very light 1/16 or 1/8oz belly weighted swimbait hook and fish it like a chatterbait or even a jerkbait slowly. If you get more strikes it should give a good indication if they are looking for something less "noisy" or not. If so either keep doing that or maybe try a stealthblade from z-man, although my hunch is if a willow bladded spinner isnt doing it I dont thing a stealthblade would do it either. Just a guess...willows slow rolled are pretty subtle compared to chatterbaits and colorados/indianas. 

 

I also agree with slowing up your retrieve to barely quick enough to keep it from diving. 

[TN bassmaster]

im ashamed to admit it but i have never landed a fish on a chatter bait! i have lost one but thats it!

 

[MN Fisher]

Both on chatterbaits

 

[J.Vincent]

Generally speaking, When Bass prefer Crawfish or Bluegill I want a Vibrating Jig. When Bass prefer Baitfish, I want a SpinnerBait. The cover situation doesn’t matter as much in my approach.

 

[gimruis]

15 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Both on chatterbaits

The "pre F-9 era"

[Zcoker]

Just because a bait gets a lot of hype doesn't mean it is the end all bait for ALL situations. Gotta find out what works best for the body or water fished and stick with it, perfect it, if you will. Often times, the conditions will dictate what bait to use. One day the chatterbait may be the bomb, the next day the spinnerbait rules...and so on. Chatterbaits are great baits, no doubt, and have earned a solid reputation, just like the spinnerbait did. Yet they all have their limitations. Sometimes, even, they all have their own lifespan. Just keep it loaded in your arsenal and all will be well. Don't have to force yourself to like it, either. Find out what works best for the given situation, perfect it, maybe even create your own unique combination or even your own unique bait! Don't rely on all the media hype to steer your fishing. My 2 pennies. 

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, Cranketybait0315 said:

I know people love these things but I just don’t see the love for them.  I rarely catch anything off these things.  Granted I just started really using them this year and I’ve thrown every color and trailer combination I have seen others use at them and yeah, I will catch one occasionally on them, but not to the extent that I’d call them great lures.  The lakes I fish are extremely clear.  Maybe I’m doing something wrong.  Maybe I should use colored blades instead of metallic ones given that spinnerbaits also don’t seem to work very good in the lakes I fish mostly either.  I’ve tried “hopping” them with a craw trailer.  I’ve tried with paddle tail trailers and slow retrieve with a pop or pause every so often.  I’ve tried fast retrieving them.  
 

any ideas on what I should do or what I may be doing wrong?  I really want to like these baits but they have got to produce better than this if that’s going to happen.

 

Water clarity isn't the be all end all for bladed jigs.  Sure, they fish great in dirtier water.  They also fish great in clear water.

 

Where in the country are you?  Smallmouth or largemouth?

 

I will fish them year round up here until the grass is so thick I can't fish them anymore.  Then I'll still often pitch them like a jig into holes at times.  The main thing for me with chatterbaits is grass.  I don't catch fish on them in just rock and we don't have enough wood to make a judgement.  Grass though is key, from scattered old grass in March and April to full formed strands in June.  Read everything about the pro's fishing lipless crankbaits in grass and just substitute a bladed jig.

 

Also, water conditions make a difference for me.  On the spectrum of flat water, light ripple, chop, waves that is my swim jig, bladed jig, spinnerbait progression.  For a bladed jig, I need something to 'dull' the water.  It can be stained water, darkness/low light, or a good chop if its sunny.  If its clear water, bright sun, and dead flat, I'm fishing a swim jig instead.

 

We have a heavy bluegill forage base, so my color schemes are in that line.  I've never caught a bass on a white or white and chartreuse CB.  

[softwateronly]

Most of the time on my clear water lake the swim jig // paddle tail out produces the chatterbait.  But I almost always try both because there are days, and I don’t know why, when the production flip flops, and when it does, the fish are usually above average in size. Erratic medium slow retrieve along the weed tops or bottom is usually the ticket. I also have more confidence in the black blade over silver or gold.  
 

scott

[Cranketybait0315]

49 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Water clarity isn't the be all end all for bladed jigs.  Sure, they fish great in dirtier water.  They also fish great in clear water.

 

Where in the country are you?  Smallmouth or largemouth?

 

I will fish them year round up here until the grass is so thick I can't fish them anymore.  Then I'll still often pitch them like a jig into holes at times.  The main thing for me with chatterbaits is grass.  I don't catch fish on them in just rock and we don't have enough wood to make a judgement.  Grass though is key, from scattered old grass in March and April to full formed strands in June.  Read everything about the pro's fishing lipless crankbaits in grass and just substitute a bladed jig.

 

Also, water conditions make a difference for me.  On the spectrum of flat water, light ripple, chop, waves that is my swim jig, bladed jig, spinnerbait progression.  For a bladed jig, I need something to 'dull' the water.  It can be stained water, darkness/low light, or a good chop if its sunny.  If its clear water, bright sun, and dead flat, I'm fishing a swim jig instead.

 

We have a heavy bluegill forage base, so my color schemes are in that line.  I've never caught a bass on a white or white and chartreuse CB.  

I’m in Mississippi.  The two lakes I fish one is about a 7 acre lake and the other is about an 60 acre lake.  Both private lakes.  Both have gin clear water (though the big lake did get yellowed due to pollen blooms earlier in the year but has since cleared back up).  
 

sad thing is, I took my wife with me earlier in February just fishing from the bank.  Tied on a chatterbait for her because she just likes a toss and reel bait over having to actually “work” a lure and damned if she didn’t catch a 7 pounder off it on the 3rd or 4th cast.  Didn’t catch anything else off it but at least it’s something.

 

I just wondered if maybe I was doing something wrong with my presentation. Just strange that a lot of people love these baits and so far, I’d much rather have a good jerkbait or crankbait.

[gimruis]

6 minutes ago, Cranketybait0315 said:

I’d much rather have a good jerkbait or crankbait

Some of the habitat I fish a chatterbait in would never work with a jerk bait or crank bait.  Its just way too weedy for treble hooks.  If you are fishing a CB in the same type of habitat as you are with those treble hooked lures, its too open IMO. 

 

Also, if you are catching fish with cranks or jerks, just keep using them.  If it aint broke, don't fix it.

[JediAmoeba]

My PB was caught on the very first jackhammer I ever bought back in 2019. Haven't looked back since. They are amazing at pulling big fish out of the average ones.

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, Cranketybait0315 said:

I really wonder if the metal blade colors might be too much flash in these ultra clear waters.

It's a reasonable idea to change directions here just to see what happens. Bass in my local spots don't like flash, whether on spinnerbaits or chatterbaits. This took me some time to figure out, but once I purposely bought and threw only black-blade chatters for the most part, everything changed.

 

As mentioned by @A-Jay, location is huge, but bait resistance is also a factor. Perhaps your bass have developed flash resistance? I believe mine have. Everyone I've crossed paths with at my local spots has either a typical chrome or gold bladed chatter bait tied on except for one guy who throws an orange big blade CB. AFAIK, I'm one of the few who throws black 99% of the time. Throwing a gold one purposely during twilight has paid off occasionally. Also, more than likely I'll be throwing a Project Z or project Z Weedless. Their mellower sound due to their head shape is another factor which distinguishes them from the typical chaos bass are accustomed to with bladed jigs.

[A-Jay]

25 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

It's a reasonable idea to change directions here just to see what happens. Bass in my local spots don't like flash, whether on spinnerbaits or chatterbaits. This took me some time to figure out, but once I purposely bought and threw only black-blade chatters for the most part, everything changed.

 

As mentioned by @A-Jay, location is huge, but bait resistance is also a factor. Perhaps your bass have developed flash resistance? I believe mine have. Everyone I've crossed paths with at my local spots has either a typical chrome or gold bladed chatter bait tied on except for one guy who throws an orange big blade CB. AFAIK, I'm one of the few who throws black 99% of the time. Throwing a gold one purposely during twilight has paid off occasionally. Also, more than likely I'll be throwing a Project Z or project Z Weedless. Their mellower sound due to their head shape is another factor which distinguishes them from the typical chaos bass are accustomed to with bladed jigs.

Painted Vibrating jig blades are easily my most productive. 

While I like to see the blade paint get chewed off by big bass,

once the silver 'flashing' starts, I hit it with either a black sharpie

or the black braided line pen to subdue it completely.

#noflashforme

A-Jay

 

[stratos4me]

The clear water is probably the problem. Try targeting mud lines on windswept banks or fish at night. Otherwise, consider a more subtle lure.

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

Some of the habitat I fish a chatterbait in would never work with a jerk bait or crank bait.  Its just way too weedy for treble hooks.  If you are fishing a CB in the same type of habitat as you are with those treble hooked lures, its too open IMO. 

 

Also, if you are catching fish with cranks or jerks, just keep using them.  If it aint broke, don't fix it.

Consider a swim jig.

[Fishin Dad]

I started fishing chatterbaits very early on, like when the original was available in 3/8 and 1/2 oz and that’s it.    I was relatively new to bass fishing (used to fish more walleyes) and read an article about these.  It was UNREAL!   Fish absolutely slaughtered this thing.  I could bring my younger daughters out and we would often triple up.  It was nuts.  That just instilled such confidence in that bait that it is still my go to bait.  Have one tied on every trip, usually two.   It has accounted for 9/10 biggest bass.  I do throw a lot of other baits now, but I really believe that a persons early success really helps with confidence and continued use.  

[gimruis]

2 minutes ago, Fishin Dad said:

Fish absolutely slaughtered this thing.

I really started fishing them regularly the first pandemic season (2020).  Prior to that, I had only occasionally used them with middling success.

 

2020 was literally the best fishing season I've ever had.  I caught 13 bass over 20 inches in length that season (both largies and smallmouth).  My average is about 2 or 3 that size/season.

 

A chatterbait played a big role in that amazing season.  It has not been nearly as effective since, but it still works at times.  Last October before the season ended I was on fire, but it was mostly with a spinnerbait.  The very last trip the water had cooled a few degrees, and the fish were swiping at the spinnerbait and missing, so I switched to a chatterbait and used a slower retrieve.  It was exactly what was needed to finish the season on a high note in 2022.

 

Unfortunately, pike love these things.  Mine get absolutely shredded when the pike are on the warpath.  I keep a lot of extra plastic trailers and skirts handy lol.