What Makes For A Good Chatter Bait Rod ?

[Throwafrog]

13 minutes ago, Heartland said:

Why?  what makes mono a good choice?

I feel that a bait your constantly reeling they will bite and feel instant pressure with braid and will let go before you pull back on them. Or they cant suck the bait in fully with braid not having any atretch at all. Same with crankbaits, you can offset this with a softer rod also.

[Heartland]

11 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I'm right here ~ 

A-Jay

Nice bag of smallies!

[RoLo]

 

So your answer to: "What Makes a Good Chatterbait Rod" is a bass on the end of the chatterbait. 

During the video in your vehicle, I couldn't help but notice the sign: "Lake Menderchuck: 9 miles" 

 

As always, great video Andy. 

 

Roger   

[waymont]

Why do some of you guys feel you pull the bait out of the fishes mouth with a fast action rod.

I fish chatterbaits similarly to swimjigs, when you feel the weight of the fish you set the hook. Bass sometimes follow a swimjig mouthing the jig, sometimes with chatterbaits the blade stops and the fish turns. With both, when you feel the weight of the bass set the hook. It's a large thick hook that can take a pretty solid hookset to get in there.

 

[Throwafrog]

11 minutes ago, waymont said:

when you feel the weight of the bass set the hook.

Bass can suck in and spit out a lure faster than you can set the hook

[waymont]

4 minutes ago, Throwafrog said:

Bass can suck in and spit out a lure faster than you can set the hook

That's kind of my point. With a slow rod, and mono or fluoro you have an even less chance to set the hook solidly.

[Throwafrog]

1 minute ago, waymont said:

That's kind of my point. With a slow rod, and mono or fluoro you have an even less chance to set the hook solidly.

I don't think it's about setting the hook properly, a sharp open hook should get them either way, my point is that they can bite and let go if they want to before u get the chance to set the hook

[Mjmj]

I use a mh model fast 6' 6" rod with 17lbs fluro. I like the shorter rod for skipping. 

I use to use a mh/ fast but lost a bunch of fish. After reading g these posts, I'm wonder if the action has more to do with the power of a person's hookset?

[waymont]

13 minutes ago, Throwafrog said:

I don't think it's about setting the hook properly, a sharp open hook should get them either way, my point is that they can bite and let go if they want to before u get the chance to set the hook

No one disagrees with that one.

[Matt Eisen]

For the people in this chat that believe in a more moderate action rod over a faster action rod, does it matter what the rod is made out of (graphite vs. glass)? Is a glass rod better for vibrating jigs or vis versa? 

 

Thanks and let me know.

[Columbia Craw]

Once again,  the area you fish, the body or bodies of water you fish, the characteristics of those locations and your personal past experience will more likely dictate what you prefer in a rod for any lure type. 

[jbrew73]

Whichever rod allows you to cast the lure effectively is the rod you need.  
Keeping fish “pinned” or “pulling the lure out of the fishes mouth” are highly overrated.   Just use a rod that feels good casting and puts the lure where you are aiming. 

[Shimano_1]

7'2 med heavy fast action.  Realize lots of guys prefer the more moderate but I've never felt I needed it and have always had excellent hookup and landing ratios with chatterbaits.  My old man lives with one in his hand and he also uses similar rod and even sometimes a heavy fast if he's in heavy grass ripping it out.

[Dumbbassanglr]

Because of the two extremes of opinion (fast vs moderate) I went with the loomis mbr 844 which seems to be the compromise in between. It has been the perfect rod for Chatterbait for me. I rarely lose a fish with it.

[Deleted account]

On 3/19/2021 at 6:59 PM, Matt Eisen said:

For the people in this chat that believe in a more moderate action rod over a faster action rod, does it matter what the rod is made out of (graphite vs. glass)? Is a glass rod better for vibrating jigs or vis versa? 

 

Thanks and let me know.

It's a matter of having some give somewhere in addition to personal preference. I fish a MH Mod fast graphite rod (not a high modulus one) with 15-20 lb mono. On the rare case where I use braid, then I want a composite or glass rod. Some older IM6 or 7 rods have the perfect actions, and can be had for a song at fishing flea markets. The same rod used for big spinnerbaits usually works well. 

[ChrisD46]

47 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

It's a matter of having some give somewhere in addition to personal preference. I fish a MH Mod fast graphite rod (not a high modulus one) with 15-20 lb mono. On the rare case where I use braid, then I want a composite or glass rod. Some older IM6 or 7 rods have the perfect actions, and can be had for a song at fishing flea markets. The same rod used for big spinnerbaits usually works well. 

*Interesting concept - which accomplishes the same thing as more expensive rods designed for "chatter bait give" . I have pressed into action a very good copy of an inexpensive Berkley Lightening Shock (old generation) 7' MH / F action that is designed to be used with braid , however I use it with YZH #12 lb. line for spinnerbaits and the "give" is about right ... I'll have to try it with a chatter bait for grins and see how it performs ?