Best Chatterbait? And what is the best value Chatterbait?

[tcbass]

I had a chatterbait, not sure what brand, but before I could use it, I lost it somehow. Looking to try one. I've never used them before. 

1.)  What is the best Chatterbait?

2.)  What is the best value Chatterbait?

[Fishes in trees]

A few years ago I got some Gambler bladed jigs that I liked quite a bit.   They used a football head.    I used to fish the Booyah bladed jig quite a bit.   These days I've been  more focused on making my own out of various jig heads I have laying around the fishing shed and just buying the blades.  Next season I'm probably going back to the Gambler models, at least until I lose them all.

[MassYak85]

I haven't tried a lot of different ones. But my favorite so far has been the Revenge Viberator. It has a great head design, good skirt colors, screw lock if you want to rig weedless, and it has a tendency to randomly kick out to one side every so often (almost like a hunting action on a crankbait). 

[RichF]

Here's a list of all the vibrating jigs I've used: 

1. Phenix vibrator version 3 - my new fav, great vibration at all speeds, hook is a bit small but really good, comes in 3/4 oz

2. Original D&M Piranha - awesome bait, great running, good hook and trailer keeper, good luck finding them!

3. Z-Man project Z - great, tight vibration, good hook and really nice trailer keeper, not enough natural colored blades

4. Picasso shock blade - pretty good, nice hook, don't run great at slow speeds

5. Revenge vibrator - nice looking, nice running, not enough natural colored blades

6. SK pure poison - cheap, decent running, NO trailer keeper (unless they added one in the last few yrs)

7. Z-man original - decent running, crappy hook

8. Booyah boogie bait - least fav, runs really high in the water column

 

1-5 are roughly the same price ($7 to $9).  6-8 are around $5.  

[Rusty Shackleford]

Anyone try Karu?

[iabass8]

1 hour ago, Rusty Shackleford said:

Anyone try Karu?

You bet

karu vibrashocks are great.

phenix vibrator 3 is great.

favorites are custom mades.

had way too many quality control issues with project z to ever recommend them. 

zman chatterbaits are available almost everywhere but the skirt/hook/blade is junk.

[Montanaro]

ive had the viberators and didnt like them...they are very snaggy even when texas rigged...which the screwlock is not in line with hook point which makes the trailer sit at a weird angle.

 

For that price im buying the freedom chatterbaits...extremely snagproof and have an outstanding hunting  action. 

[Bluebasser86]

The Project Z is nice when I want a sharper vibration. I believe baits with more thump seem to attract the larger bites. I build my own so I can get all the qualities I like in one bait and in the color I need. When I started painting blades it opened up even more doors. They've been the hot ticket for me lately.

[Airman4754]

For me I use just regular Z-man's in wood and Rage Blades in grass/weeds. I run a huge grub trailer too. I don't catch very many fish on them, but when I do it's a keeper.

[YoTone]

Ive been liking the V&M Lightning blade. I wasnt thrilled at the Zmans hook sharpness. Plus, the V&M has a longer hook so its supposed to get less short strikes.

[CTGalloway21]

The Phenix 3 got discontinued as of September 30th.  If you like them, you better buy the rest of them off of T W.  I loaded up on D&M Piranha's when they got discontinued.  Have yet to find anything I currently like.  I guess the Project Z would be what I purchase when I run out of D&M.  

[tcbass]

What sizes do you guys like?

[Montanaro]

Depends on brand and style...some are shaped and designed in a way they rise in water column.

 

I usually go 3/8 but again that will run very shallow for some brands.

[Big Swimbait]

You can make 5 for about $15.00 from lurepartsonline.com. That's with the magnum blade & Starflash skirts

[camman]

Favorite is Bobby D's Grinders followed by the original D&M ones...glad I have a good supply of both!

[primetime]

Many of the models that I see on TW seem to be the same Jigs that Brand sells in the swim Jig or Casting Jig section-Flat Eye Arkie is popular since it only needs 1 split ring, but I would agree that ordering the parts yourself and making your own is not only more cost effective, but you can also experiment with them to get the action you want.

I like the Z-Man Original chatterbaits with the blade attached directly but the hooks are just not sharp. You can get them sharp but they do not hold up well from my experience. I actually think the Strike King Poison? is a good option since it is inexpensive, and comes in different sizes like 3/16 and has a thinner blade and a split ring inside the jig head which seems to give it a unique action, but I like to make my own and put them on either a ball head jig or swim jig bullet head with a flat eye. I like one split ring better than 2 for some reason. 

I also like to play around with blade sizes and also use mostly colored blades, black and gold 90% of the time. The Trailer you pick can give the bait completely different actions. A Fluke will make it move completely different than a Grub etc...I like the Project Z, I have not used it much but it looks and feels quality to me. 

I have issues with hook up ratios on swinging hooks when texas rigged, I like a swinging hook for leverage but I just rig the trailer open, Chatterbaits are good in weeds and many strikes come when ripping them out like a swim jig/Trap etc...I guess it depends on how you fish them. I use 1/16 Z-Man Minnow versions and then regular jigs in 1/8-1/2. I like a 1/4 oz with a heavy trailer since I can fish it really shallow, but 3/8 is what I use most of the time since I use the Rage Menace most of the time. I love that bait as a trailer, Swim Senko is my other choice, and then a Trick worm.

[chadmack282]

Does the SK pure poison want to raise in the water column as easy/fast as the SK rage blade ?

[Montanaro]

I do like dshad's as trailers...the tail whips and flutters side to side and is more finesse than boot tail.

I have no issues with a texas rigged chatterbait when using a soft rod...in fact my hookup ratio is excellent by just reeling into them and sweeping like a crankbait.  I also use a heavy pound mono/flouro and can still rip it out of grass and pads without much effort.

9 hours ago, chadmack282 said:

Does the SK pure poison want to raise in the water column as easy/fast as the SK rage blade ?

I doubt it.  The rage blade is essentially an upside down dive bill.  Regular blades dont have quite the same severe dynamics

[Torn Thumb]

I'm thinking of getting some of the siebert version (pogy I think) with an upcoming order. Has anyone tried them and how do they compare to some of the ones listed above?

[Scarborough817]

i personally use the siebert fogy for my 3/8oz and 1/2oz and z-man project z if i want to throw a 3/4oz

if i am fishing it over wood then i switch to a strike king rage blade. i am also going to place a nice order with mike soon 

9 hours ago, Torn Thumb said:

I'm thinking of getting some of the siebert version (pogy I think) with an upcoming order. Has anyone tried them and how do they compare to some of the ones listed above?

i like them a fair amount they are my main bladed jig they seem to vibrate really well at slow speeds which is what i love about them. working them over grass or around it that slow really works well for me.

[blckshirt98]

I'm a die hard believer in the original D&M Piranha chatterbaits, if you see any sold on eBay there's a good chance it was me that bought them!  But since hte D&Ms are no longer made I have tried a few other brands, Picasso Shock Blade, Strike King Rage Blade, ZMan Chatterbaits, Molix Lover.  The Rage Blade is built like a tank and maybe my favorite of the bunch, the Shock Blade I actually think it works better when fished slow because when I try to burn it it seems to want to roll on me.  The ZMans seem to get the best vibration at any speed, but the coffin blade is also the thinnest of them all.  The Molix Lover is a weird bait, not really a true bladed jig, more like a bladed crankbait hybrid.

[S. Sass]

I'm not a big chatterbait person I like my spinner baits but I do use chatterbaits on occasion.

Not all of mine but most are Zman brand. I have had no problems with them. They are available most anywhere and reasonably priced.

For the life of me I don't know how some of you think Zman has bad hooks. The ones I have come with Mustad UltraPoint hooks that have no issues at all with being way above the sharp necessary to hook a fish. It's like arguing Gillete is sharper than Schick. Either one is more than sharp enough to accomplish the job.

[bradco]

Bluebasser86 makes the best Chatterbaits I have ever used! Color selection is unreal

[Advantage]

36 minutes ago, bradco said:

Bluebasser86 makes the best Chatterbaits I have ever used! Color selection is unreal

Yup, have literally caught probably thousands by now off his bladed jigs. So many different skirt and blade colors...and he'll customize anything for you as well.

[Torn Thumb]

That thought occurred to me but I thought he said he didn't sell them, just made them for himself.