Chatter Fluke!

[MikeWright]

Yesterday I wasn't having any luck as schools of bait fish (small whitish/silver fish with light blue/sometimes purple back, kind of resembles the sexy shad colored cranks) were getting exploded on everywhere, I mean everywhere!! I tried some cranks, a buzzbait, and fished a small white spinner a couple inches under the surface...no luck. I thought I would experiment and threw a 1/8 ounce white chatter zman, but instead of the z trailer I put on a (white ice) Swimming Fluke Jr. (Never used either lures let alone together) Tap, tap, tap, 3 fish later I realized I found the pattern and matched the hatch. I want to throw out a 3/8 Oz chatter today with a regular super fluke as a trailer, so do yall you think it would be a mistake to switch it up? All I caught were some 1-2 pounders yesterday and I'm thinking that with maybe a bigger profile I might attract a bigger bass. What do yall think about switching it up after having success with a smaller lure? And has anyone else thrown a chatter with a fluke as a trailer? Also could anybody recommend other modifications to the chatterbait that I could try out? Thanks in advance, and appreciate the advice!! And it's hot in Tx, so guys stay hydrated out there!!! Tight lines!!

[A-Jay]

If it ain't broke - don't fix it.

Elephants eat peanuts.

A-Jay

[MikeWright]

Makes sense!! Thanks for responding. Do you have any idea why they wouldn't bite on the spinner/cranks? Maybe it was the action of the blade that attracted them? 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, MikeWright said:

Makes sense!! Thanks for responding. Do you have any idea why they wouldn't bite on the spinner/cranks? Maybe it was the action of the blade that attracted them? 

I do not. 

I could say I do, and make up some "reason".  Something about the size of the bait, or the difference in vibration or maybe even where the bait rides in the water column.  And all of that sounds plausible and might make me feel like I know what's going on, but the reality is we'll never really know why bass do anything they do.  It's all guessing.  But that's the part I like. 

Either way, when I find something that works, I don't necessarily need to know why, no need to fight it.  Chances are, it may not last so just ride it out for as long as it does.

A-Jay

 

[IgotWood]

I tip my chatters with Otter Tails. They are a curly tail strip made by a charter capt in Connecticut for saltwater fishing. The small size tail works well for me on 1/4oz chatters. They are scented, and indestructible. They come in different colors, which is nice because you can put two different colored tails on your bait for some added contrast.

[MikeWright]

19 minutes ago, IgotWood said:

I tip my chatters with Otter Tails. They are a curly tail strip made by a charter capt in Connecticut for saltwater fishing. The small size tail works well for me on 1/4oz chatters. They are scented, and indestructible. They come in different colors, which is nice because you can put two different colored tails on your bait for some added contrast.

Sort of like a curly tail grub / worm?

@A-Jay thanks for the advice! I'm headed out now, got a late start, hopefully this heat doesn't kill me 

[IgotWood]

It's just a curly tail with no body. They work! Google search otter lures...his site come right up. I use either the tiny or short tail on the back of chatters (I'd have to look but I'm not home for a few days). They may seem a bit pricy, but you will fish the same tail for the entire season, unless you lose your while lure.

[Fishinthefish]

You think that lands fish, you should see a chatterbait with a keitech paddle tail on it

[MikeWright]

Jeez!!!! Just pulled up and the boys are splashing everywhere!! I thought the heat was going to hinder my chances (106°)!! Wish me luck guys!! BTW @Fishinthefish I wish we had Keitech at my local Academy or walmart!! Closest I could find were SK swimbaits  so went with the zoom flukes instead, I'll have to find a way to get some Keitechs to try them out!

Also, I'm fishing a cove right behind a marina here at Belton Lake in Texas.

54 minutes ago, IgotWood said:

It's just a curly tail with no body. They work! Google search otter lures...his site come right up. I use either the tiny or short tail on the back of chatters (I'd have to look but I'm not home for a few days). They may seem a bit pricy, but you will fish the same tail for the entire season, unless you lose your while lure.

Those are some huge stripers on his site!!

[IgotWood]

50 minutes ago, Fishinthefish said:

You think that lands fish, you should see a chatterbait with a keitech paddle tail on it

I actually order some Keitechs yesterday to put on a chatter.

[Big Swimbait]

The Lake Fork Live Magic Shad has been on my bladed jigs with & without skirts. Great combo.

[MikeWright]

Well no luck so far...don't know why...lol. I guess you can tell I'm loopy from the heat!! Taking a sandwich break in the car.  The heat is hot but I gotta pull one in.  @A-Jay Had a 10 inch on that 1/4 Oz chatter and paddle tail and one that I got 10 feet from me and lost him, like you said don't change it? Lol lost him on a lay down...so I think I might pull the net from my trunk and try to get some of these shad I see, also there's tons of cats and gar swimming inches from the bank...so hopefully I link up with something over 16in whatever the species. We'll  see, tight lines!!

Sitting here eating my sandwich, they're taunting me busting out like killerwhales!!!

35 minutes ago, 1201vilbig said:

The Lake Fork Live Magic Shad has been on my bladed jigs with & without skirts. Great combo.

Hey my brothers live in Dallas, relatively close than I am (Centex)..but I was wondering if that was a public lake or would I have to pay for a guide to fish there? Lake Fork that is..

[IgotWood]

Try the fluke without any weight. Twitch it along the surface, or just under the surface and see if that generates a bite. From my experience striped bass fishing, when the fish are extremely picky, sometimes I'd throw something huge...something way bigger than what they're chasing. Sometimes you just need your bait to stick out like a sore thumb. Try something really big in a silly color.

[MikeWright]

I have a pack of flukes in albino and smoking shad, on the retrieve of a fluke weightlesss, how do you work it?

I see now you already told me..lol sorry...the heats got me in Texas. 

[A-Jay]

15 minutes ago, MikeWright said:

Well no luck so far...don't know why...lol. I guess you can tell I'm loopy from the heat!! Taking a sandwich break in the car.  The heat is hot but I gotta pull one in.  @A-Jay Had a 10 inch on that 1/4 Oz chatter and paddle tail and one that I got 10 feet from me and lost him, like you said don't change it? Lol lost him on a lay down...so I think I might pull the net from my trunk and try to get some of these shad I see, also there's tons of cats and gar swimming inches from the bank...so hopefully I link up with something over 16in whatever the species. We'll  see, tight lines!!

Sitting here eating my sandwich, they're taunting me busting out like killerwhales!!!

Hey my brothers live in Dallas, relatively close than I am (Centex)..but I was wondering if that was a public lake or would I have to pay for a guide to fish there? Lake Fork that is..

 Let's evaluate the situation rationally shall we ?

You're fishing in the AUGUST HEAT - in the Middle of the DAY, it's too Hot for you to visit the water for too long without escaping to your vehicle - How do you think the Bass feel - they live in it with out much escape !

Seriously though, I realize that we get on the water when we can, but there aren't too many "How to Catch Bass" articles that advise fishing in The Loopy Heat as a way to put a beat down on schools of Mutant Bass.

Go Home - come back later.

A-Jay

 

[MikeWright]

@A-JayCouldn't agree more, headed to dinner with my girls (fiance and daughter), gonna grab a chicken fried steak as big as the plate!!! Perhaps corn, green beans and some mashed taters!

Southern living

Maybe sneak a Shiner Bock past her 

[A-Jay]

46 minutes ago, MikeWright said:

@A-JayCouldn't agree more, headed to dinner with my girls (fiance and daughter), gonna grab a chicken fried steak as big as the plate!!! Perhaps corn, green beans and some mashed taters!

Southern living

Maybe sneak a Shiner Bock past her 

LOL ~

Perfect !

A-Jay

[Big Swimbait]

4 hours ago, MikeWright said:

Well no luck so far...don't know why...lol. I guess you can tell I'm loopy from the heat!! Taking a sandwich break in the car.  The heat is hot but I gotta pull one in.  @A-Jay Had a 10 inch on that 1/4 Oz chatter and paddle tail and one that I got 10 feet from me and lost him, like you said don't change it? Lol lost him on a lay down...so I think I might pull the net from my trunk and try to get some of these shad I see, also there's tons of cats and gar swimming inches from the bank...so hopefully I link up with something over 16in whatever the species. We'll  see, tight lines!!

Sitting here eating my sandwich, they're taunting me busting out like killerwhales!!!

Hey my brothers live in Dallas, relatively close than I am (Centex)..but I was wondering if that was a public lake or would I have to pay for a guide to fish there? Lake Fork that is..

Lake Fork is public. If you can, hire a guide your first few trips to learn the lake & the boat lanes.

[MikeWright]

1 hour ago, 1201vilbig said:

Lake Fork is public. If you can, hire a guide your first few trips to learn the lake & the boat lanes.

Oh no I wouldn't pay for a guide, not knowing is the exciting part 

[Airman4754]

I use Kalin 6" Mogambo grubs on my chatter baits and swim jigs. I don't catch as many overall as I used to, but the size of fish has increased greatly.