Rod power and action for chatterbaits

[MN Fisher]

20 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

I plan on running fluoro but I could always do braid to fluoro if I got a steal on a softer rod. 

I'm running 40# Sufix 832 braid with 6' of 12# YZH as a leader...that's on the MH/F. No problems setting the hook solid.

[Luke Barnes]

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I'm running 40# Sufix 832 braid with 6' of 12# YZH as a leader...that's on the MH/F. No problems setting the hook solid.

I used to run braid to fluoro on my other MH/F and threw chatters on it and never lost on because of hooksets so I believe it. I switched to straight fluoro and still do well so will probably put fluoro on this setup unless I get a deal on a M/F that I just cant pass up. 

[txchaser]

On 9/20/2020 at 7:52 AM, FryDog62 said:

•Tatula Elite 7’2” Howell MH Regular $180

This is my current chatterbait rod as well. It is a good fit for braid (with or w/o leader), Sufix Advance copoly which is designed to have low stretch, and heavier flouro, which stretches less because it is heavier so it takes more force to get the same amount of stretch. I settled on braid with a 19lb Armilo leader or 20lb blue label leader after trying a bunch of stuff. The flouro was second-best, but I couldn't get the pop out of the weeds that I really wanted - too often it wouldn't clear the weeds. And while the Advance was low stretch, I was missing little things that I could feel on the flouro or the braid. 

 

IMO a fast tip has some drawbacks and I can't find much advantage. And the crankbait rods I tried it on were noodly. If I was forced to chose between those two though, I'd fish it on a fast tip with 13-15lb flouro (tatsu diameter) or 12lb mono (assuming big game diameter) over a crankbait rod with almost any line. 

 

I'm coming to basically the same conclusion for everything else with a single hook moving bait - while I learned to hold the line on bottom contact baits (thanks to bass resource) I'm not able to get good feedback on a chatterbait or a swimjig by doing it that way. 

 

Kistler's 2020 "do it all" rod has a similar tip - I've fished it but not with a moving bait yet. Little higher price point, likely a better range on what you can effectively fish on it. 

 

ps: don't forget the weight of your trailer... a 3/8 chatterbait with a decent trailer is well over 1/2 oz, and the 1/2oz are pushing 3/4 to 7/8 depending on trailer.

[ChrisD46]

*Here's a quote from : "The Chatterbait Whisperer" himself (Brett Hite) regarding his entire chatterbait set up and the reasons why he uses it (your mileage may vary - I am in the 7'3" MH/F graphite rod camp myself for chatterbaits) ...  "I  rod use a 7’3″ medium-heavy EverGreen Bret Hite casting rod,” he said. “A fiberglass or composite rod is the number one key.” He believes one of the biggest misconceptions about the Chatterbait is that anglers see it as a jig and so they don’t use the correct rod. “To avoid losing fish with this technique, I think of it as a heavier crankbait or spinnerbait and use a fiberglass rod. Fish will hit the Chatterbait aggressively, so I want the rod to load up and absorb some of that hit. A lot of times the fish will hit right at the boat, and if you have a really stiff rod, when that happens, you will get slack in your line and lose the fish. This is why you want a glass rod. The rod and the line is the key to being successful at landing fish.” Hite suggests a mid-speed reel, in the 6.5 to 6.2:1 range. His reel is a Shimano Chronarch casting reel. “You want a medium range, so that you can slow roll or go pretty quick when you need to,” he stated. “I always use 20 lb FC Sniper fluorocarbon. I never use braid or mono. Fluoro is less visible in clear water situations and I like the little bit of stretch that it has. I don’t ever break off any fish and I’ve caught tons and tons of giant bass, so I feel it is best.”

 

[roadwarrior]

No doubt you have an expect opinion from Mr. Hite, but others might disagree.

 

[Bluebasser86]

4 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

 A lot of times the fish will hit right at the boat, and if you have a really stiff rod, when that happens, you will get slack in your line and lose the fish. This is why you want a glass rod.

This part of the quote is really confusing to me. What does having a glass rod have to do with keeping slack out of the line when a fish bites close to the boat?

 

 

FWIW, I use a 6' 9" H/F and do alright with it.

[Jermination]

mh/f 7'1. I use a st croix or irod genesis 2 if fishing sparse grass or fairly open water. if im fishing heavy cover or thicker grass i step it up to 7'6 mh to rip the grass better. 15 lb sunline fc assassin has always treated me well 

[Luke Barnes]

One thing I do plan on using is fluoro that B Bite recommends. Ive been tossing around using Sniper too. But I'll take my chances using a graphite rod. Ive caught plenty with a chatterbait on the graphite rods I currently have. I just cant see myself going with a glass rod, plus I'm mainly a bank angler, so hitting right by the boat isnt an issue. 

[Logan S]

I like MH/H power and regular/mod-fast taper rods slightly longer than 7' with flouro.  I like both glass and graphite rods that fit those specs, but currently using graphite.  I've used just about all the rod types, but this is what I've landed on as the best for my fishing.  

 

Not to contradict pros or other experts out there, but I notice a difference in how the bait actually fishes on different rod styles to be the big reason for my preference.  I'm primarily fishing bladed jigs in shallow water with heavy grass, so the big key is ripping it out of the grass - And I've found that the MH/Regular (or mod-fast) rods do this the best.  It's tough to explain, but it sort of lets the bait load up a bit and then accelerate away as it pops free as opposed to just more direct stop and go that you seem to get with a MH/F jig rod.  For me it's about getting bites, I think I get more because of how the bait acts on my preferred rod style.  

 

I'm aware that's a pretty nuanced take and people might think I'm full of it or over analyzing...But whatever, it's what I've found to work for me over the course many years experimenting and many many many bass caught on bladed jigs with all rod types, it's a primary technique on many of my home waters for long stretches of the season - So I have plenty of time 'in the workshop' with it.  YMMV depending on where and how you fish I'm sure .  

[Luke Barnes]

1 hour ago, Logan S said:

I like MH/H power and regular/mod-fast taper rods slightly longer than 7' with flouro.  I like both glass and graphite rods that fit those specs, but currently using graphite.  I've used just about all the rod types, but this is what I've landed on as the best for my fishing.  

 

Not to contradict pros or other experts out there, but I notice a difference in how the bait actually fishes on different rod styles to be the big reason for my preference.  I'm primarily fishing bladed jigs in shallow water with heavy grass, so the big key is ripping it out of the grass - And I've found that the MH/Regular (or mod-fast) rods do this the best.  It's tough to explain, but it sort of lets the bait load up a bit and then accelerate away as it pops free as opposed to just more direct stop and go that you seem to get with a MH/F jig rod.  For me it's about getting bites, I think I get more because of how the bait acts on my preferred rod style.  

 

I'm aware that's a pretty nuanced take and people might think I'm full of it or over analyzing...But whatever, it's what I've found to work for me over the course many years experimenting and many many many bass caught on bladed jigs with all rod types, it's a primary technique on many of my home waters for long stretches of the season - So I have plenty of time 'in the workshop' with it.  YMMV depending on where and how you fish I'm sure .  

Whatever works for you! I can definitely see how that would be a good tactic. Ive heard quite a few anglers who like getting it into grass then ripping it out. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On ‎9‎/‎22‎/‎2020 at 6:52 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

This part of the quote is really confusing to me. What does having a glass rod have to do with keeping slack out of the line when a fish bites close to the boat?

 

 

FWIW, I use a 6' 9" H/F and do alright with it.

A glass rod takes longer to recover then a F graphite rod.  So the glass rod keeps tension considerably longer then the F graphite rod.  I think that's he means, but I could be totally wrong. 

[Derek1]

A chronarch would fill up pretty fast, with 20# flouro no?

[Hook2Jaw]

I prefer a rod more in the medium fast range for single hook moving baits.  I've found that the belief of allowing the fish to get the bait a bit more before I swing on them aids me in getting a good hookset.  I also prefer the parabolic action to aid with casting distance, as well as aiding me with a bit more give down the length.

 

I currently use a 13 Fate Chrome 7'3" Medium Heavy Fast.  Being a cheaper rod, it loads much deeper than a comparatively rated more expensive stick.  I've caught so many fish on ⅜/½ ounce spinnerbaits and paddletails rigged on ⅜ ounce jigheads in addition to quite a few on the chatterbaits(I don't catch well on them) on that particular stick that the handle is starting to spin around.  The rod will be replaced with a 13 Fishing Fate V3 Chat-R-Crank.

 

So that puts me in the moderate fast camp.

 

Oh, I prefer 12-15# fluoro for these techniques. 

[txchaser]

While I'm sure this is true for every presentation, for me it is extra-true on a chatterbait - the extra time you spend trying out a few different actions and lines will likely dial you in very quickly on your preference. 

 

This graphic shows my horrible drawing skills, but maybe it'll help... this is the result of my experimentation, and your mileage may vary wildly:

 

 

 

[Luke Barnes]

So I ended up going with a MH/F and thought about all you all have said. Son I decided to give Yo-Zuri Hybrid a try in hopes it has more stretch than straight fluoro but less than mono. Its my first time using it and it seems my new rod has a good soft tip but plenty of backbone when needed. So i think it will work out well. Now if only I can catch a fish using it.. . 

[jbsoonerfan]

8 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

Now if only I can catch a fish using it.. . 

That was the toughest part of experimenting for me. LOL

[Luke Barnes]

7 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

That was the toughest part of experimenting for me. LOL

I fished it some yesterday and loved it. Threw a jackhammer for the first time too and liked it alot. No fish but still. Got a Lews Speed Spool LFS to go with it and tje rod loaded up nicely and casted a 3/8 oz jackhammer amazing! I like it has a soft tip but a meaty backbone.