Ive been seeing some posts about using bladed jigs (particularly stealth and mini max chatterbaits) for smallmouth and im wondering what your favorite trailers are. Im fishing rocky rivers so im assuming a craw style one would be better. Ive never really fished chatterbaits but i can see where theh could really stand out in dirty water situations.

I like a white skirt with a white Rage Structure Bug trailer.

Ive been seeing some posts about using bladed jigs (particularly stealth and mini max chatterbaits) for smallmouth and im wondering what your favorite trailers are. Im fishing rocky rivers so im assuming a craw style one would be better. Ive never really fished chatterbaits but i can see where theh could really stand out in dirty water situations.

I didn't use one in a river, but I've used them before in lakes for smallmouth.  I put a strike king rage tail menace on it for a trailer.  I had more bites when it was overcast or choppy.  Sunny and flat did not yield any bites.

Rage swimmer

Rage Swimmer or Kietech Impact 2.8/3.3's for swimbaits - the baby Rage Craw or Menace can be a good craw trailer too for Smallmouth!  

I’ve done better without the trailer 

10 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve done better without the trailer 

 

Never fished one without a trailer. I'll give it a try.

I fish chatterbait in rivers.  Trailer is really important.  Use one that is discret and not too much for the chatterbait action.  The trailer can make or brake a chatterbait.  Sometimes you are better with none than one that is too obstrusive. 

 

I like white.

30 minutes ago, Reel said:

I fish chatterbait in rivers.  Trailer is really important.  Use one that is discret and not too much for the chatterbait action.  The trailer can make or brake a chatterbait.  Sometimes you are better with none than one that is too obstrusive. 

 

I like white.

Are u saying some trailers can be too big and kill vibration?

25 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

Are u saying some trailers can be too big and kill vibration?

Not so much the vibration of the blade but the undulation of the body.  Some trailers have enough resistance to flatten out the wobble of the body.  You want the trailer to basically get out of the way on a chatterbait.  The zako does that.  A rage menace is pretty good at that.  A simple split tail trailer is good for that too.  I haven't fished the spunk shad but that's an option.  Things with appendages dampen the action.

3 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Not so much the vibration of the blade but the undulation of the body.  Some trailers have enough resistance to flatten out the wobble of the body.  You want the trailer to basically get out of the way on a chatterbait.  The zako does that.  A rage menace is pretty good at that.  A simple split tail trailer is good for that too.  I haven't fished the spunk shad but that's an option.  Things with appendages dampen the action.

Thank you. That makes sense.

Split tail

3.5” Hog Farmer Spunk Shad when going for smallmouth with a Mini Max, the bigger sizes when targeting largemouth with a Jackhammer

swim senko

 

19 hours ago, Turtle Angler said:

3.5” Hog Farmer Spunk Shad when going for smallmouth with a Mini Max, the bigger sizes when targeting largemouth with a Jackhammer

These rock.  Also Rage Craws, or Yamamato Zakos!

HogFarmer 4.5" Spunkshad, Yamamato Zako, or Rage Craw on a full-sized Jackhammer.

Mini-Max gets smaller versions of all the above.

Green pumpkin, Chart/white, Golden Shiner colors on the JH and MM.

I have a few smaller/lighter blades jigs and for skirts and trailers I used rabbit zonkers. Great action and tough as heck

On 7/28/2023 at 9:15 PM, PaulVE64 said:

I have a few smaller/lighter blades jigs and for skirts and trailers I used rabbit zonkers. Great action and tough as heck

Yes, i have done this. I like to throw marabou in. It does flow nice.

A simple $4 actual blade bait in 1/2 and 3/4 oz.  Silver Buddy and Gold ones.  These are also giant slayers on St.Clair in early/mid May.  For what it's worth 

On 9/26/2023 at 8:12 PM, Jig Specialist said:

A simple $4 actual blade bait in 1/2 and 3/4 oz.  Silver Buddy and Gold ones.  These are also giant slayers on St.Clair in early/mid May.  For what it's worth 

Have some throw them alittle in the early- early spring. Probably should try them more at other times of year

3/8 Jack Hammer green-pumpkin shad color with a 4.5" spunk shad trailer yesterday morning.  19.25" and thick!  Full moon has them feeding at night I think, bite was slow, lucky to get this one.

On 7/12/2023 at 6:27 PM, Bdnoble84 said:

Ive been seeing some posts about using bladed jigs (particularly stealth and mini max chatterbaits) for smallmouth and im wondering what your favorite trailers are. Im fishing rocky rivers so im assuming a craw style one would be better. Ive never really fished chatterbaits but i can see where theh could really stand out in dirty water situations.

I use both the Mini Max and Stealth for smallmouth. Both I use the same trailer, 3.5" Spunk Shad.