Bair Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Does anyone know who makes a chatterbait that is more compact than the one made by Z-Man? I recently went fishing and was frustrated with the hook-up ratio. Plenty of hits but the hook is too froggin large. Quote
logan9209 Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 I don't know. I got a black/blue from ZMAN and J Willis Rocker? It comes with 2 skirts, one with 2 frog legs (white and green skirt) and one that looks like a bunch of minnows (white skirt). The blade is painted on one side. Unfortunately the blade is just as big if not bigger. I do believe that ZMan makes a smaller version of it though. Could be wrong. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I have yet to get a strike on either one of them. Quote
royal0014 Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Seems to me that the Z's come in like 3 sizes. Which do you have? I have seen other brand chatters made like the Z's at wallyworld, couldn't tell you a brand for sure, but booyah comes to mind...... Quote
Tim Cianciola Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 i have good success with the white and the black/blue zman chatter. Quote
ClackerBuzz Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 i'm addicted to my z-man's. don't think the hook is the problem. any respectable fish (and even their children) can take that hook in. sounds like they just weren't committing to that particular bait that day. they were bumping or head bashing it to wound it. when that's the case i switch lures till i find one they will inhale instead of bump. if ur throwing a white/chartreuse change to a dark color z-man. then try moving to another reaction bait with blades/vibration like a spinnerbait. maybe a rattletrap. if that doesn't work try a non vibration reaction like swimjig. when trying a different lure, use the same color as the FIRST z-man you got bumps on b/c you want to build on what you know is semi-working till u can hook them good. good luck 1 Quote
Super User smalljaw67 Posted June 4, 2012 Super User Posted June 4, 2012 i'm addicted to my z-man's. don't think the hook is the problem. any respectable fish (and even their children) can take that hook in. sounds like they just weren't committing to that particular bait that day. they were bumping or head bashing it to wound it. when that's the case i switch lures till i find one they will inhale instead of bump. if ur throwing a white/chartreuse change to a dark color z-man. then try moving to another reaction bait with blades/vibration like a spinnerbait. maybe a rattletrap. if that doesn't work try a non vibration reaction like swimjig. when trying a different lure, use the same color as the FIRST z-man you got bumps on b/c you want to build on what you know is semi-working till u can hook them good. good luck It isn't the size but exactly what ClackerBuzz said, you were doing something right but the fish just didn't commit all the way, either a color change or a size change would have helped, even a size change up instead of down sometimes works. I have had fish do the same thing to a 1/4oz spinnerbait and I would go with a 1/2oz and they would go from hitting the blades and slapping at it to actually eating it so don't beafriad to go up in size, Quote
logan9209 Posted June 4, 2012 Posted June 4, 2012 Not to take away from the OP, but smalljaw67 you indirectly answered a question that was plaguing me this morning. It was real rainy this morning so I took out a quarter ounce chartruese and white spinner with a tandem gold willow. I had a bass bump it the first time out and the second time he followed it. I wasn't sure if it was the color or size. I wish I had 2 of every spinner I have because once downsized there's no going back. Actually buying more skirts would solve that problem. Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you and I love this website. Quote
Bair Posted June 6, 2012 Author Posted June 6, 2012 Seems to me that the Z's come in like 3 sizes. Which do you have? I have seen other brand chatters made like the Z's at wallyworld, couldn't tell you a brand for sure, but booyah comes to mind...... I have the regular 3/8 chatterbait, not the Pro version. Quote
Bair Posted June 6, 2012 Author Posted June 6, 2012 i'm addicted to my z-man's. don't think the hook is the problem. any respectable fish (and even their children) can take that hook in. sounds like they just weren't committing to that particular bait that day. they were bumping or head bashing it to wound it. when that's the case i switch lures till i find one they will inhale instead of bump. if ur throwing a white/chartreuse change to a dark color z-man. then try moving to another reaction bait with blades/vibration like a spinnerbait. maybe a rattletrap. if that doesn't work try a non vibration reaction like swimjig. when trying a different lure, use the same color as the FIRST z-man you got bumps on b/c you want to build on what you know is semi-working till u can hook them good. good luck Thanks for the advice. You think if I dropped or deadsticked the chatter right after they bump it or headbutt it would draw an "inhale"? Quote
NCbassmaster4Life Posted June 6, 2012 Posted June 6, 2012 Thanks for the advice. You think if I dropped or deadsticked the chatter right after they bump it or headbutt it would draw an "inhale"? Yes or even slow down the presentation, me personally, I pause, spin fast, and pause, slow reel. Quote
ClackerBuzz Posted June 6, 2012 Posted June 6, 2012 yup. experiment with all kinds of retrieves. my most productive is: reeling so slow that you can actually stop the blade from vibrating (keep rod tip high). after 5 ft give ur rod tip a twitch to turn blade vibration on for one second. turn off again and repeat. they destroy it when you turn the blade back on. i also burn it extremely fast just below surface 15ft off shore. or moderate slow and steady rhythm vibration just fast enough to keep it off bottom (like a spinnerbait but you can also add a periodic rip/quick vibration). followers like smashing it half way back in ur retrieve. stay on ur toes the whole retrieve and focus all the way back. i can't tell you how many times a girl nailed it 5ft from shore just as 'it was about to get away'. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted June 6, 2012 Global Moderator Posted June 6, 2012 A simple color change can make all the difference at times. I had fish doing the same thing with a chartruese with chartruese trailer, switched to a white with chartuese trailer and they started swallowing the thing. They're talking to you, you just have to listen to what they're saying Quote
Super User Crestliner2008 Posted June 6, 2012 Super User Posted June 6, 2012 Nothing wrong with those baits. Size up or size down; change color. Something is not quite right. I started making my own with blades (and skirts) from Netcraft and non-lead football head jigs I get online. They work just fine too. Quote
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