So as I’m on the bladed jig journey this year. What are some good cold water trailers? Like low to upper 40 degrees.

I have good luck with jigs having a very low action trailer in cold water.

Do I mimick that with fluke/straight tail trailer? Or something like a rage menace or bug that has some kick to it? Where it’s a cast and retrieve bait I’m not sure what route to try first.

I throw a spunk shad year round.

1 minute ago, casts_by_fly said:

I throw a spunk shad year round.

I was hoping you would chime in. Thanks man!

45 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

I was hoping you would chime in. Thanks man!

Or Zako.

Just now, RRocket said:

Or Zako.

I was looking at those when I grabbed a EVO at the store lol.

I love the bladed jig but I don't make a ton of adjustments to the trailers. During spring I use any paddletail I happen to have. Once the bluegill start to spawn I use anything flappy (usually a shortened Rage Craw because they are cheap at Walmart and work great) but I put it on sideways like a fishes tail. Late summer/fall I just turn the Rage Craw flat.

I change the jig itself as much as the trailer. In cold water the most important thing to me is a bladed jig that I can roll as slooooowly as possible, and that bladed jig is the @Siebert Outdoors Fogy. For extra-tough fishing I use a Fogy with the "Turbo" blade (used to be called the Bubble Blade). I've gone from skunk to good day by switching to that blade.

Siebert Outdoors LLC

Fogy

The Fogy is a classic blade bait known for its powerful thump and proven fish-catching ability. Designed with a football jig head , the Fogy produces more vibration than many other blade baits, while

Dudes, seriously. We've had about dozen or so threads like this. They all ask what trailer to use. They all end up the same: EVERYTHING works! There's another thread like this going on right now.

C'mon guys, how many times do you need to keep asking what trailer to use on a chatterbait?? It's getting comical.

14 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Dudes, seriously.

I'm outta here

19 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Dudes, seriously. We've had about dozen or so threads like this. They all ask what trailer to use. They all end up the same: EVERYTHING works! There's another thread like this going on right now.

C'mon guys, how many times do you need to keep asking what trailer to use on a bladed jig?? It's getting comical.

Well I apologize as I worded it differently pertaining to cold water and action. So I apologize for the inconvenience. This is the only fishing interaction some of us get and the only place to ask any questions.

Spunk Shad is hard to beat. Stroll Shad works well too for a more finesse presentation. Kamakazi Shad looks nice when it warms a little as does the zako for me.

Thanks everyone. If anyone has the ability feel free to delete this topic I tried and can’t figure out how to

No need to delete it, but every now and then blow dust off that old search function.

1 hour ago, Joedodge said:

Thanks everyone. If anyone has the ability feel free to delete this topic I tried and can’t figure out how to

A nice bonus with the Spunk Shad and Zako is these can be fished as individual baits.

Spunk Shad works well strolling, weightless, on a Neko. It's extremely versatile and is far more than just a trailer.

And I use the Zako Neko rigged sideways.

In the beginning of my bass fishing journey I had a lot success using my home made bladed jig ( can’t say chatter bait or zman will kick my door in 😂jk)

with just a simple 2-4 inch twister tail grub. I just matched the twister tail color to the skirt. I believe I only used 3 colors white, black, and basically a watermelon pepper.

I caught multiple 4 lbs bass in 45 degree water mid march here in Michigan. using twister tails on my home made bladed baits

Now I kinda just use paddle tails.

For less articulate bladed jig trailer try the berkley powerstinger

Has a nice shad profile and look, but doesn't wiggle like the zako or other traditional trailers. The honeycomb pattern in the back half of the bait is rigid enough in cold water that it doesn'tmove much

I use a zako but I am starting to incorporate the crush city mooch minnows and freeloaders into my trailer assortment.

12 hours ago, Joedodge said:

So as I’m on the bladed jig journey this year. What are some good cold water trailers? Like low to upper 40 degrees.

I have good luck with jigs having a very low action trailer in cold water.

Do I mimick that with fluke/straight tail trailer? Or something like a rage menace or bug that has some kick to it? Where it’s a cast and retrieve bait I’m not sure what route to try first.

A Rage Menace is about all I use.

To say the Freeloader is good is an understatement. I hesitated using the Crush City stuff last year and gave in this year and I'm hooked. It's all good. I caught 10, up to this 4-10, post frontal in shallow water on an Evo with Freeloader here in SC. Water is low 50s or so and skies were high. Keep slinging it, get a trailer you like and fish! More importantly, find a rod you can feel the vibrations and detect light strikes. I'm using a 7'5 Curado MH with a 151MGL and 15lb Invizx.

7 minutes ago, Drew03cmc said:

To say the Freeloader is good is an understatement. I hesitated using the Crush City stuff last year and gave in this year and I'm hooked. It's all good. I caught 10, up to this 4-10, post frontal in shallow water on an Evo with Freeloader here in SC. Water is low 50s or so and skies were high. Keep slinging it, get a trailer you like and fish! More importantly, find a rod you can feel the vibrations and detect light strikes. I'm using a 7'5 Curado MH with a 151MGL and 15lb Invizx.

Got a pack of those to try actually!!

14 hours ago, Joedodge said:

So as I’m on the bladed jig journey this year. What are some good cold water trailers? Like low to upper 40 degrees.

I have good luck with jigs having a very low action trailer in cold water.

Do I mimick that with fluke/straight tail trailer? Or something like a rage menace or bug that has some kick to it? Where it’s a cast and retrieve bait I’m not sure what route to try first.

beast coast blade runner is tough to beat. really shines on both ends of the spectrum--really cold/really hot. Zman Chattershad is also really solid. Biggest thing about a bladed jig in cold water for me is how you fish it. slow pumping, yoyo, fishing it with your rod are all ways ive described how i fish it with success. bottom contact is always key for me in the winter, despite how much of a nervous wreck it can make you slow rolling a 18 dollar bait lol

I've had good success on about every trailer I use during warmer months, in colder water also.

Menace style baits are always a good option.

Craws work

Paddletails

Spunk Shads and Freeloaders

2/3 of a 5" stick worm is a another great trailer that I used to use a lot but haven't lately because it's not "cool", or trendy I guess. I caught a ton of big bass on it in the past, I should really break it out again. I guess I did win a little tournament using one as a trailer a couple falls ago, just didn't catch any real big ones on it.

49 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've had good success on about every trailer I use during warmer months, in colder water also.

Menace style baits are always a good option.

Craws work

Paddletails

Spunk Shads and Freeloaders

2/3 of a 5" stick worm is a another great trailer that I used to use a lot but haven't lately because it's not "cool", or trendy I guess. I caught a ton of big bass on it in the past, I should really break it out again. I guess I did win a little tournament using one as a trailer a couple falls ago, just didn't catch any real big ones on it.

Thanks for the info! And man those are some great catches! I’ve never really tried the red spring time deal. I may need to give that a try actually

2 hours ago, Joedodge said:

I may need to give that a try actually

This is where you’re going wrong. There is no “may”. You NEED to!

On 2/23/2026 at 9:19 PM, Glenn said:

No need to delete it, but every now and then blow dust off that old search function.

Where IS the search button, I still cant find it, lol

31 minutes ago, Harold H said:

Where IS the search button, I still cant find it, lol

Top right corner of the page. Mine is right above my name, kind of blends in a little bit though.