Chatterbait / Bladed Jig

[Matt_9]

Michigan fisherman here for some location context - I had zero success with the Chatterbait / Bladed Jig last season and am curious if anyone in has any tips for it.  I enjoy fishing the bait because it's so versatile and I like the ability to "feel" the bottom with it.  

 

I did my research and fished it as many ways as I could think of aside from straight burning it back to the boat.  I varied my speeds, retrieves, colors and trailers and all that based on conditions & water clarity.  I've watched videos, read articles and all the like... 

 

I guess I'm just curious if I am missing something big because I really enjoy fishing them, but not putting any fish in the boat can put a damper on it.

 

Thank you for any advice or input!  

 

-M9

[GreenGhostMan]

I also tried the chatterbait for the first time last season and I didn't have any luck on them either.  I'm in Kentucky. Caught fish on spinnerbaits though. 

[roadwarrior]

My #1 presentation for the last two years. This is how Big O taught me to fish the Rage Blade back when

he had just built the prototypes:

 

On that first outing we rigged a Rage Tail Eeliminator http://www.ragetail.com/news/color-charts/rage-eeliminator-color-selection/ for the trailer, but over time I have found the Structure Bug http://www.strikeking.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=662&Itemid=1061 more to my liking. I specifically like white on white.

 

So, as to technique:  Look for structure and cover where you might otherwise fish a spinnerbait or crankbait.

Cast out and let the lure fall to the bottom on slack line. The moment you hit bottom begin a slow retrieve

ideally occasionally ticking the bottom. When you hit ANYTHING pop the bait and let it fall on slack line.

That's it!

 

 

[Scarborough817]

okay a few questions for you

1. what setup are you fishing it on?
2. how clear is the water you're fishing?
3. how pressured is the water you're fishing?

[corn-on-the-rob]

RW pretty much covers it, but I will add a few things that I think may be over looked.

 

First off, I know people tend to shy away from chatters unless the water is stained or dirty, but that is a mistake. Yes, a CB is great in muddy water but it is an amazing tool in very clear waters as well.

 

A swim jig, chatterbait, and spinnerbait do exhibit similar properties, but never assume that by throwing only one of them in a given situation that you are covering all your bases. Sometimes it doesn't matter which one you throw, sometimes it's all that matters.

 

Yes, a large part of the chatter allure is its immense vibration, but don't let popular opinion tell you that it isn't as flashy as a spinnerbait, because it certainly is in many situations.

 

While you can throw one just about anywhere, I always reach for mine in this situation:

 

Do you ever fish a lake or area that seems like it actually has too many good things to fish? 10 million laydowns, great looking weed beds that stretch as far as the eye can see? Throw a chatter bait and cover water. Though I cover water in this case, I prefer to slow roll on a steady retrieve that allows me to just tick across the given cover. The design of the chatter bait allows the vibration, flash, and decent sized profile to draw/call in fish from significant distances. This is important since there is so much cover, that you have to find the good cover. The slow-roll/steady retrieve allows them to detect and lock on while they close the distance. You don't have to place your casts super close together since this presentation covers a large chunk of water with each cast.

[Choporoz]

4 minutes ago, corn-on-the-rob said:

 great looking weed beds that stretch as far as the eye can see? Throw a chatter bait and cover water. Though I cover water in this case, I prefer to slow roll on a steady retrieve that allows me to just tick across the given cover. The design of the chatter bait allows the vibration, flash, and decent sized profile to draw/call in fish from significant distances. This is important since there is so much cover, that you have to find the good cover.

I yo-yo it 'open' water or through laydowns, but ^ is where it really shines for me.  When there's thick weeds that come up to 12-24" from the surface - the kind of grass that's difficult to work horizontally .....bladed jigs across the top of the grass will bring them up.

[bigfruits]

I usually fish it over grass or slow roll it on the bottom.

 

ive been liking Picasso blades with keitech fats - not that you asked

[2tall79]

Ive been fishing for bass for over 60 years and I'm pretty set in my ways.  My "mother" lake has some of the toughest fishing conditions you will find:  located in heart of large urban community and heavily fished, water clear enough that you can read the date on a dime in 30 feet of water,  heavy recreational traffic, and waterfront land owners with too much time and money on their hands that will pay to have someone literally "mow" the weeds out in front of their house to 20 feet deep.

Last spring I bought a couple Original chatterbaits and first time out decided on white and I left that ridiculous looking twin tail trailer on.  I started catching fish almost immediately.  Largemouth, smallmouth, even perch and google eyes. I tend to fish them much like a spinnerbait with a steady retrieve and will "kill" it next to objects.  Since then I've thrown the same bait in a variety of waters with varying degrees of success......but always have caught at least something.

I've branched out now and found that I like D&M Pirhanna II's a little better if only for their great colors..."Too Sexy"  being my favorite.

Everytime out now I have one rod dedicated to some form of bladed jig.

[Crankinit]

I slow roll over grass and around structure. I put a trailer on them and modify my blades with a pair of pliers. I put a slight curve into the leading edge of the blade, which seems to add to the wobble and appeal. 

[RichF]

I'd just blame it on the year.  I've had a lot of success with them since I started using them a few seasons ago.  Last year was different for some reason.  I seriously had such a hard time getting bit on.  Not sure why.  

 

99% of the time (for me) it's a reaction bite when I snap it outta the grass.  Very rarely do I get bit on a straight retrieve.  Keep at it.  You'll start getting them. 

[JLWoodman]

These post have it covered.  I was gonna say I got the best success letting it hit bottom and bringing it back up two to three feet, in and out on weed lines, to keep it simple and short.

Good luck and keep trying.

[Bankbeater]

Last year I started out catching some bass with a spinnerbait, but as the temp warmed up I started having better luck with a bladed jig.  Usually it is the other way around. 

[NHBull]

I use them instead of a spinner bait.

 

Clear water, windy conditions, on the bottom, ect.

 

One of the most versatile baits out there

 

[Scarborough817]

okay a chatterbait is one of my favourites to fish and through fishing it i can say i very much agree with Brett Hite. I think of it more as a squarebill or a rattle trap than a swim jig. I know people think this may be wrong but I fish it more so where I fish a squarebill or a rattle trap more than a spinnerbait or swim jig, let's look at 2 tournaments brett hite won on a chatterbait the FLW on okeechobee his main patterns were throwing a chatterbait and flipping, now when he throws a chatterbait it is on a fiberglass rod that is more like a cranking stick than a rod you would fish a jig on it's not a fast action it's a moderate glass rod.

 

now im going to compare what i have done i used to fish my chatterbaits on a MH/F rod but i have switched to a MH/M and since doing so i have felt as if i have much more control over the fish and a lot more sensitivity. to me i fish it like a squarebill or a crank where when you don't feel the vibration you pop it or try to clear the grass, in doing this i have found i hook up a lot more i haven't kept track but i caught maybe 5 chatterbait fish with my MH/F in a year and i have had days where i've caught 10 or more on my MH/M to me being able to feel that vibration is the key to a chatterbait i'm not a fan of fishing it on a jig rod i don't feel as much and i don't feel it gives the bait enough freedom and i feel like i loose fish because of it. 

 

Brett's other big win came at the bassmaster elite on seminole he fished the same setup and targeted pre spwan bass that were in grass beds, the key was fishing it like a rattle trap where you make contact with the grass and pop it free, there are a few interviews with him where he talks about why he uses what he does in more detail.

 

for me i think working it like a crank and not like a jig has proven much better but that's up to you if you want to do that

[Hawkeye21]

I use it similarly as a spinner.  Usually I just cast it out and reel it in.  I almost always have some kind of a trailer on it.

 

Sometimes I switch it up some and change speeds.  Sometimes I'll retrieve it like a yo-yo.

[blckshirt98]

I've always just casted it out and reeled it in, though I will vary the retrieve speed.  Never really bothered with yo-yo-ing it off the bottom because I figure there are better options for that.