Chatterbait Questions

[FirstnameLastname]

Only had one chatterbait and lost it two casts in with no fish. What replacement should i buy? Zman baits, a safety pin type, colors? Also how can I best use it?

[Jtrout]

Pick a color that matches the bait fish in the waters you fish and get some swimbait trailers to match the chatterbait. Different chatter baits have different color blades gold chrome and black. I usually cast them out n twitch it while it's drops then rip it up you will feel the vibration then let it drop again and repeat that or try your own retrieve to see what the bass want.

[bankguy315]

look into the siebert outdoors fogy, they are a quality product and cheaper than Z-man by $2 or more.

[iabass8]

Karu VibraShock.

 

3/8oz

 

Shad or Black/Purple

 

Reel slow enough to feel blade move

 

Catch fish.

[einscodek]

im partial to the strike king

[doyle8218]

Seibert

TNT Baits Claymore

D&M Custom Baits Piranha

Z Man Chatterbait

[Hogsticker]

D&M ARE MY FAVORITES. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEC MEGABASS WILD HEADER

[Bluebasser86]

I make my own and haven't bought a bladed jig for several years so I can't comment on which bait but color I can try to help out with. I fish all mine with a very slow, steady retrieve, as slow as I can reel while keeping the blade moving.

For clear to stained water I like colors like crappie, sexy shad, and a color I call clearwater shad that is just a translucent skirt with flake in it. Also one like War Eagle's Coleslaw is a killer in clear water when it's cloudy.

For stained water colors like green pumpkin, black and blue, and bluegill are good.

When I get in muddy water I go with black and blue, firetiger, solid black, and black and chartreuse.

[Tim Kelly]

That bluegill colour looks tremendous!

[Zach Dunham]

I throw the Z-Man chatterbaits. Nothing specifically more amazing about them; it is just my choice. Color always depends on water clarity and forage but I usually prefer some kind of green that looks like a perch/bluegill. My favorite trailers are Optimum Double Diamond swim baits BY FAR.

[Mike2841]

Bluebasser those look awesome. Where do you get all the materials?

[Bluebasser86]

Bluebasser those look awesome. Where do you get all the materials?

I get the hooks from captianhookswarehouse.com, the blades, split rings, and snaps from Barlow's, and the skirt material from fishingskirts.com.

[Mike2841]

I get the hooks from captianhookswarehouse.com, the blades, split rings, and snaps from Barlow's, and the skirt material from fishingskirts.com.

Thanks

[blongfishing]

I make my own and haven't bought a bladed jig for several years so I can't comment on which bait but color I can try to help out with. I fish all mine with a very slow, steady retrieve, as slow as I can reel while keeping the blade moving.

For clear to stained water I like colors like crappie, sexy shad, and a color I call clearwater shad that is just a translucent skirt with flake in it. Also one like War Eagle's Coleslaw is a killer in clear water when it's cloudy.

For stained water colors like green pumpkin, black and blue, and bluegill are good.

When I get in muddy water I go with black and blue, firetiger, solid black, and black and chartreuse.

Those are NICE!!!

[dead end canal]

Great looking lures! I'm assuming the bend in the blade improves the action, right?

Is the exact amount of bend in the blade critical?

[Bluebasser86]

Great looking lures! I'm assuming the bend in the blade improves the action, right? Is the exact amount of bend in the blade critical?

It improves the action and can also decide how deep the bait will run, a bit like a crankbait. Basically, the sharper the bend the higher it will ride in the water column. 

[dead end canal]

Thank you

[Sam]

Don't forget to add a trailer and a trailer hook to your Chatterbait, no matter the brand.

 

Trailer is of your selection.

 

Trailer hook can be the same or one size smaller than the Chatterbait's hook.

 

Watch your casts. You can out throw your hooking power with a Chatterbait.

 

And check the barb's sharpness. You may have to sharpen the hooks on some brands.

 

Good luck and let us know how you do.

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Don't forget to add a trailer and a trailer hook to your Chatterbait, no matter the brand.

 

Trailer is of your selection.

 

Trailer hook can be the same or one size smaller than the Chatterbait's hook.

 

Watch your casts. You can out throw your hooking power with a Chatterbait.

 

And check the barb's sharpness. You may have to sharpen the hooks on some brands.

 

Good luck and let us know how you do.

I would have to disagree with this. Trailer yes, always. Trailer hook, never. Most of the time bass hit a bladed jig them seem to almost always get it really well and the trailer hook just makes them snag easier. 

 

With a good, sharp hook you shouldn't be outcasting your hooking range either. I can launch mine a long, long ways and more than a couple times have hooked fish as soon as I started cranking. If you buy the original Chatterbaits you can for sure outcast your hooking range though because those hooks are not very sharp at all.

[Mike2841]

I think zman must have changed the hooks they use, used a brand new one today (original) and it had a pretty sticky hook. That being said I don't know how long it will stay sharp but it seemed like pretty good quality

[FirstnameLastname]

That's some real good work,those homemade lures. How much does it cost to make those if you don't mind me asking. Also I would agree about trailer hooks when it comes to anything really, they snag more than they hook fish. Any recommendations for a choice of trailer though? Curly tale grub, pork rinds ?

[Bluebasser86]

That's some real good work,those homemade lures. How much does it cost to make those if you don't mind me asking. Also I would agree about trailer hooks when it comes to anything really, they snag more than they hook fish. Any recommendations for a choice of trailer though? Curly tale grub, pork rinds ?

I buy my supplies in bulk, which makes it much cheaper per bait. I can't remember the exact number but it's something like $1.20 per bait. A lot of work goes into each bait produced along with a lot of time by the time it's poured, sanded, painted, eye cleaned, baked, eyes added, skirt tied and cut, split ring/blade/snap added, and the blade is bent.