What do you use to decide? Is it warmer water? The time of year? What makes you switch from a chunk to a jig trailer with more action? What do you switch to? Chunk? Paddle tail? Grub? Double tail grub?! 

When water gets over 75 degrees.

Tom

PS, hook the chunk flat side down.

Warmer water/time of year. Basically 55 or colder it’s a dead action for me. Anything warmer and it’s something with some kick. Rage plastics are winners for a more lively trailer. 

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

When water gets over 75 degrees.

Tom

PS, hook the chunk flat side down.

Why’s that? I’ve always threaded them on thick side down and flat side in 

3 minutes ago, 10,000 lakes Bassin said:

Warmer water/time of year. Basically 55 or colder it’s a dead action for me. Anything warmer and it’s something with some kick. Rage plastics are winners for a more lively trailer. 

I think it’s time to switch to some more action then 

Soft plastic ( #11 frog) chunk glides better with more tail movements flat side down.

Also nose hook the chunk. If you want to save them put a wooden tooth pick through the chunk nose sideways trim and hook behind the tooth pick.
Tom

 

I’ve never been a cold weather jig fisherman, probably to my detriment. But I know when it starts hitting 55-60 and the largemouth start moving shallower they start to get more aggressive. And that’s also about when I start throwing a jig. I also don’t use anything but higher motion trailers on jigs (also probably to my detriment).

I don't use a lot of chunks as jig trailers. Personal preference. The biggest considerations for me in selecting a jig trailer are desired rate of fall and water clarity. Water temperature and what I am doing with the jig (swimming, dragging, hopping, skipping, or any combination of the above) are additional considerations. In general, I may prefer a higher action trailer like a rage craw or zoom z craw in dirtier water or when I want the same size jig to fall slower. I may choose a trailer with less action in cleaner water or when I want the same size jig to fall faster. 

 

A lot of the time, I simply try both. A trailer with little action and a trailer with more action. The fish may have a preference on a given day.

44 minutes ago, WRB said:

Soft plastic ( #11 frog) chunk glides better with more tail movements flat side down.

Also nose hook the chunk. If you want to save them put a wooden tooth pick through the chunk nose sideways trim and hook behind the tooth pick.
Tom

 

Thank you that makes complete sense!!! Ehhhh I’m not sold on nose hooking personally I don’t like how the jig isn’t as compact  

16 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

I’ve never been a cold weather jig fisherman, probably to my detriment. But I know when it starts hitting 55-60 and the largemouth start moving shallower they start to get more aggressive. And that’s also about when I start throwing a jig. I also don’t use anything but higher motion trailers on jigs (also probably to my detriment).

I agree on the temps!! See I’m the opposite only use chunks. So I’m probably hurting myself there lol

The “chunk” is a copy of the #11 pork frog that was nose hooked like all pork jig trailers.

Tom

13 minutes ago, WRB said:

The “chunk” is a copy of the #11 pork frog that was nose hooked like all pork jig trailers.

Tom

thats what I have read. I use the zoom

super chunk 

66-68

20 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

35 minutes ago, WRB said:

The “chunk” is a copy of the #11 pork frog that was nose hooked like all pork jig trailers.

Tom

thats what I have read. I use the zoom

super chunk 

U J Big Daddy knock off.

Tom

I pretty much only use chunks when the water is below 50 and even then I really don't use them much.

 

I use swimbaits or craws 90% of the time regardless of season or conditions etc.

 

I've caught Giants on jigs with chunk trailers but it's a much shorter list that Giants with swimbaits or craws on the back.  And it's not really for any lack of trying.

 

Speed Craw/Mag Speed Craw/Rage Menace/Rage Craw/Mayor/Largo Shad/Rage Swimmer etc pretty much get it done 365 days a year and cover profiles small to big.

 

Caught a 7.35 lber in 41° water on a 1 oz jig with a mag speed craw trailer in 1 foot of water on a sunny wind blown bank the day before Christmas Eve last year.  There's no rules.

 

As others have said profile and rate of fall and location of the cast are probably more important than what the trailer is actually doing.

 

Chunks are cool when you want a bigger profile with a dead action  that falls really fast straight down.

31 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I pretty much only use chunks when the water is below 50 and even then I really don't use them much.

 

I use swimbaits or craws 90% of the time regardless of season or conditions etc.

 

I've caught Giants on jigs with chunk trailers but it's a much shorter list that Giants with swimbaits or craws on the back.  And it's not really for any lack of trying.

 

Speed Craw/Mag Speed Craw/Rage Menace/Rage Craw/Mayor/Largo Shad/Rage Swimmer etc pretty much get it done 365 days a year and cover profiles small to big.

 

Caught a 7.35 lber in 41° water on a 1 oz jig with a mag speed craw trailer in 1 foot of water on a sunny wind blown bank the day before Christmas Eve last year.  There's no rules.

 

As others have said profile and rate of fall and location of the cast are probably more important than what the trailer is actually doing.

 

Chunks are cool when you want a bigger profile with a dead action  that falls really fast straight down.

Thank you!! That’s some good info and a good point!! I’m thinking about trying a trimmed up strike king rage bug next time since I have some. Also have rage menace and the missle baits mini chunk that have some good action 

I like the Strike King rage structure bug for a warm water trailer. Usually once I start seeing bass up shallow and the water is above 55. During the winter I use a Zoom super chunk or jr. chunk as situation dictates.

Your idea if action isn’t the same as a bass!

I have been fishing pork “chunks” with no “action” for over 6 decades and bass eat them year around. Sometimes life like movements triggers more strikes then faster moving appendages.

Example a Senko!

Tom

 

I like a chunk until well past post spawn, call it early summer. That's when I'll start stroking a jig and an action trailer slows the fall rate. Most of the cover on the lakes I fish is some form of vegetation, so I'll go to a beaver style trailer then for pitching, but if there's wood, a RageTail Craw can't be beat.

I stopped using chunks when I figured out how to thread half a d bomb onto a jig.  Seems to look better, work well and then I can just buy d bombs which also happen to be my favorite flipping bait year round also.  🤫🙂 

 

I've fished pork chunks.

 

They look incredible. 

 

You know what doesn't look like a pork chunk at all in the water?  A Zoom Super Chunk or Big Salty Chunk.

 

You know what does?  The last 3rd of a D bomb hung on the back.  🙂🙂🙂😉😉😉 

 

I'm not saying that the d bomb tails are 1:1 pork replica on a beaver body but I'm saying they're very very very close.

2 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I stopped using chunks when I figured out how to thread half a d bomb onto a jig.  Seems to look better, work well and then I can just buy d bombs which also happen to be my favorite flipping bait year round also.  🤫🙂

I actually chopped up a rage bug last night because I have some lol. I kinda like how it looked and added some

bulk  to a finesse jig. I also have some of the missle baits mini chunk trailers to try they have great looking action 

I guess I am in the minority, but I now normally prefer a chunk-style trailer with minimal action all year round. NetBait Paca chunk is my most used, because it has a very subtle action. Looks more natural in the water to me. 
 

Fish like this seem to love it

Just now, Jar11591 said:

I guess I am in the minority, but I now normally prefer a chunk-style trailer with minimal action all year round. NetBait Paca chunk is my most used, because it has a very subtle action. Looks more natural in the water to me. 

I hit some of those on sale on a random trip to one of the big name stores. I really wana try them too. I’m one of those guys once it’s on the end of the line that’s it for that trip lol. I don’t change much while fishing and only bring 1-2 rods usually so it takes me a while to test stuff lol

5 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

I guess I am in the minority, but I now normally prefer a chunk-style trailer with minimal action all year round. NetBait Paca chunk is my most used, because it has a very subtle action. Looks more natural in the water to me. 
 

Fish like this seem to love it

 

 

The paca chunks thump like a bladed jig to me but they're wicked cool.  Caught some hawgs on them but I only wish they were more durable - netbait in general went downhill when they infused everything with bait fuel - to me.

 

I tried the ribbon tail c Mac I think it was?  One of my staples pre bait fuel - every single one fell apart and caught nothing on casts.

 

Not sure why we need every plastic to be softer and more expensive now but man I miss the old Net Bait a lot.  Thankfully still have a few bags.

3 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

The paca chunks thump like a bladed jig to me but they're wicked cool.  Caught some hawgs on them but I only wish they were more durable - netbait in general went downhill when they infused everything with bait fuel - to me.

 

I tried the ribbon tail c Mac I think it was?  One of my staples pre bait fuel - every single one fell apart and caught nothing on casts.

 

Not sure why we need every plastic to be softer and more expensive now but man I miss the old Net Bait a lot.  Thankfully still have a few bags.

I noticed the claws have no meat attaching them lol. Figured they wouldn’t last long. Man the price of soft plastic baits is getting up there lol. I buy on sale. And if I really like it  I’ll stock up some. I’m no pro haha. Just enjoy fishing and tackle. Got a new buzz bait I’m currently deciding when to take out of the package. We are in the low 60s water temp and overcast every day lol

@Pat Brown yeah they certainly aren’t the most durable. The Paca craws are a great flippin bait too, but they are very fragile and the body is hollow so even if you don’t catch any fish, after enough casts the craw starts to slip off the hook and the body tears and flies off on a pitch. I’ve gotten away from other NetBait baits but the Paca Chunk for a jig trailer still slays em for me. The packs I have are several years old at this point so I hope when I have to restock they are the same quality. Sounds like that may not be the case though. 

I like chunks for cold water and when I want a faster fall or a bait that wont wrap up in the cover.  I really like double tails whenever I'm fishing the bottom.  I use craws and creatures when I was more action or a slower fall.