What Makes For A Good Chatter Bait Rod ?

[ChrisD46]

Perhaps no other application elicits as many opinions as does what are the necessary characteristics that make for a good chatter bait rod ? ... Some like a shorter 6'10 to 7'  bait cast rod while others like a longer 7'2" to 7'6"  bait cast rod . Then there are those who like a MH / F profile while others prefer a MH / Mod F profile for their chatter bait rod . Some feel a rod similar to a cranking rod  that enables a bit of a delay helps with chatter bait hook ups and keeps the bass pinned more while others prefer a stiffer , faster jig type rod to use for their chatter bait fishing . * Which camp are you in and why ?  

[MN Fisher]

MH/F - heavier power allows me to cast the larger chatters with trailers, the fast action allows me to drive the heavy, single hook home easier. My 7' Aird-X MH/F is rated 1/4oz to 1oz, so I can use almost the entire range of weights available with the one rod.

[Bird]

I use a 6'10 MH moderate Lews tournament speed stick, also throws spinnerbaits. 

[waymont]

6.5' or 7' Loomis MH  Fast MBR. Does it all.

[Teal]

Old school here.  Powell 723. Its an extra fast.  Occasionally I'll toss em on a powell 714 xf or 744 Dobyns extreme rod.  It's a single hook bait, with the braid and floro set up, it almost sets the hook itself.   The only issue I've ever had was on straight braid using vibrating jig or spinner bait that has a stout hook, I've had to modify my hook set and gently sweep the rod, cuz Instead of a good puncturing hook set, it's like the hook sliced a big gash in the fishes mouth.  I'm sure I've lost a couple fish over the years but overall a very small percentage.  I've only had this issue using straight braid and even then not  too often.  

[Teal]

I had one tied on my new Tatua 6'10 MH fast this morning.  50lb Daiwa J braid, 15 lb Assassin Floro.  I think it was the chatter bait Z.  

 

 

With all that said, its what I'm used to... however my girlfriend wanted a cutie rod not too long ago and the only quality rods I could find in a cute color that she liked  is couple Duckett inshore rods.  She has 2 7' MH.  They are both like a moderate taper, spooled with 15lb floro and we have both caught spinner bait fish on them and I do think the mod and Mod fast tapers are perfectly fine with them. I can tell a difference of where the rod bends.  The only thing I like better than my set ups is the way her two rods load up with a 3/8 ounce bait.  Very effortless.  With the same reels I can probably cast them a little further with hers.  

 

 

[JediAmoeba]

I use both.  They both have their place and purpose.  

[jbsoonerfan]

6'10 MH F Shimano Zodias, pulls double duty with spinnerbaits as well.

[Logan S]

I use 2 rods for bladed jigs, they are both mod-fast/regular actions - MH power - 7'1" and 7'2" - Graphite...I use flouro for line.  I use this style setup because I've found it to be better suited to the shallow water, thick grass method of bladed jig fishing which is how I'm fishing them 90+% of the time.  The little extra rebound makes a difference in how the bait pops in and out of the grass during the retrieve. 

 

IMO there is a difference between the two rod styles, but it's one of the more nuanced rod selection choices....I don't think you NEED to have one or the other to be successful, but if you fish bladed jigs a lot it's nice to specialize your rod for it.  

 

I know a lot of people compare the Mod-Fast style rods to cranking rods, but IMO a good chatter rod isn't really an ideal cranking rod except for squarebills with heavier wire trebles....A true/typical cranking rod is generally a bit too soft to be a good chatter rod for me.  

[FryDog62]

I think the first choice you have to make is graphite vs. glass.  Second, fast action vs. moderate.

 

To me, glass just feels thick, it’s heavier and lacks sensitivity - I like to feel the weeds when retrieving and rip free if necessary.  Since I use graphite, I like a more forgiving action and softer tip so I use a moderate-fast action rod.
 

I think it’s important to use a line with stretch (mono/fluoro/co-poly) when using a graphite rod... to let the rod load slowly.  Braid can also tear the hook free too easily IMO if you use a fast rod, especially if the fish isn’t hooked very well. 
 

I use a graphite 7’2” MH moderate-fast iRod Stone Cold bladed jig rod, and 10 lb Sufix Advance mono (14 lb fluoro equivalent).  Very happy with the set up.  

[walleyecrazy]

My ideal chatterbait rod for most situations is a 7’3” MH mod fast used in conjunction with 15-17lb fluoro. I like having a little more bend in the rod during retrieve than a fast action would give me. I am currently using a Dobyns Sierra 734c which funny enough is labeled as a heavy power fast action, but is actually more equal to a MH power mod fast action. The only time I usually go to a fast action rod is if I’m fishing around a ton of grass where the fast action helps me to better rip the bait through any grass I contact. 

[OnthePotomac]

I also fish them on a 7' MH fast tip rod and only use 3/8 oz since the average river depth where I fish is 6' or less depending on the tide.

[JediAmoeba]

Yinz and all your stout lines...I use 30 lb braid to a 10# leader.  I never have problems but I also only catch teeny tiny fish.  ?‍♂️

[long island basser]

Hammer 6’ 9” MH- mod/fast . 16 lb sunline sniper on a Lews tournament mb.

This setup has been great for the last 2 years + for me. Outstanding landing %.

 

[Mike L]

7’ Fenwick X series composite with 16# Sniper 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[DitchPanda]

I use the previous generation Berkley lightning shock 7ft medhvy modfast for bladed jigs, spinnerbaits and spooks

[Bluebasser86]

A rod with the right "tip", to really feel the vibration, enough backbone to drive the big, heavy hook home, and an even bend to fight heavy fish and keep them from ripping the hook out.

 

I personally use a 6' 9" H/F Hammer Micro/6.3 Tatula TW SV/15lb P-line.

[ChrisD46]

I appreciate the replies - I suppose the conditions you fish will have a lot to do with the choice of rod and line used with a chatter bait : I fish mostly highland reservoirs with chunk rock and clay bottoms void of much vegetation with man made Christmas trees and artificial structures planted in many places . Interesting to see new "chatter bait specific" rods being introduced  and see what features the rod has and the way they are being marketed . Seems to also be a trend in rods to have more "tip" than years past where I believe more rods were either F or XF rated with what seems like less tip than many of todays rods ... That , or rods are becoming more specialized  for cranking , chatter baits , jerk baits , etc. ?

[The Maestro]

25 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

I appreciate the replies - I suppose the conditions you fish will have a lot to do with the choice of rod and line used with a chatter bait : I fish mostly highland reservoirs with chunk rock and clay bottoms void of much vegetation with man made Christmas trees and artificial structures planted in many places . Interesting to see new "chatter bait specific" rods being introduced  and see what features the rod has and the way they are being marketed . Seems to also be a trend in rods to have more "tip" than years past where I believe more rods were either F or XF rated with what seems like less tip than many of todays rods ... That , or rods are becoming more specialized  for cranking , chatter baits , jerk baits , etc. ?

I've also noticed there seem to be fewer extra fast rods compared to 10 or so years ago. It wouldn't surprise me if this trend towards slower actions has more to do with less breakage issues and hence fewer warranty claims than it does anything else.

[Heartland]

I fish chatterbaits  on a MH/F rod.  They are a jig, with a thick single hook.  Before you can worry about keeping a fish pinned you must get a good hookset, often at distance.  Mod and Mod Fast rods do not have the same hook setting strengths as a fast or XF rod.    Moderate and moderate fast rods in my opinion are designed for fishing baits with thin wire trebble hooks, these hooks are the ones that rip out much easier. Having a rod that can aid in preventing thin wire hooks from tearing a hole and letting the hook come loose is an advantage when fishing these type baits.  I see no advantage to a parabolic rod with soft tip when fishing chatterbaits. 

[Allen Der]

2 hours ago, Heartland said:

I fish chatterbaits  on a MH/F rod.  They are a jig, with a thick single hook.  Before you can worry about keeping a fish pinned you must get a good hookset, often at distance.  Mod and Mod Fast rods do not have the same hook setting strengths as a fast or XF rod.    Moderate and moderate fast rods in my opinion are designed for fishing baits with thin wire trebble hooks, these hooks are the ones that rip out much easier. Having a rod that can aid in preventing thin wire hooks from tearing a hole and letting the hook come loose is an advantage when fishing these type baits.  I see no advantage to a parabolic rod with soft tip when fishing chatterbaits. 

You're leaving line stretch out of the equation. 12lb mono on a MH/F rod works well for me because the line has a good amount of stretch.  bump that up to 20lb mono/fluoro or braid and that's where a moderate fast comes into play.  Also a lot of these newer chatter rods are heavy power with the moderate action, the hookset is not an issue

[NHBull]

I currently us an older 6'8" GLX MH MBR with Braid and it works for me.

[Throwafrog]

Fishing a vibrating jig on too light a rod can get exhausting, they really pull against you, it feels like your fighting a small fish constantly lol 

 

My dobyns fury 704c seems pretty good to me. It says its heavy but the tip section seems like medium heavy with some backbone.  I do use 14lb mono, 

 

 for vibrating jigs and spinnerbaits i like mono 

[Heartland]

1 hour ago, Allen Der said:

You're leaving line stretch out of the equation. 12lb mono on a MH/F rod works well for me because the line has a good amount of stretch.  bump that up to 20lb mono/fluoro or braid and that's where a moderate fast comes into play.  Also a lot of these newer chatter rods are heavy power with the moderate action, the hookset is not an issue

I fish chatterbaits typically on 12lb FC or Co-Poly, I don't see line stretch or rod flex as any added benefit.  You are setting a large single hook at a distance.  I also do not care for the rod feeling like it is somewhat loaded just working the bait.      I have been building and fishing these baits this way long before there was ever a dedicated rod for them. 

Ask yourself if you would fish a 1/2oz football jig on a moderate rod with any line choice, its too much like kissing your sister.

 

In the end you have to use and do what feels right to you.

3 minutes ago, Throwafrog said:

Fishing a vibrating jig on too light a rod can get exhausting, they really pull against you, it feels like your fighting a small fish constantly lol 

 

My dobyns fury 704c seems pretty good to me. It says its heavy but the tip section seems like medium heavy with some backbone.  I do use 14lb mono, 

 

 for vibrating jigs and spinnerbaits i like mono 

 

Why?  what makes mono a good choice?

 

[A-Jay]

On 5/16/2020 at 11:09 AM, ChrisD46 said:

Perhaps no other application elicits as many opinions as does what are the necessary characteristics that make for a good chatter bait rod ? ... Some like a shorter 6'10 to 7'  bait cast rod while others like a longer 7'2" to 7'6"  bait cast rod . Then there are those who like a MH / F profile while others prefer a MH / Mod F profile for their chatter bait rod . Some feel a rod similar to a cranking rod  that enables a bit of a delay helps with chatter bait hook ups and keeps the bass pinned more while others prefer a stiffer , faster jig type rod to use for their chatter bait fishing . * Which camp are you in and why ?  

I'm right here ~ 

A-Jay