I need to have my head examined!

[Buffdaddy54]

I was given a gift card to Bass Pro and decided to spend some of it on a Jackhammer Chatterbait, never having tried one before and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. And seeing how dang expensive they are, I could not justify buying one. It has not arrived yet and I am currently recovering from knee surgery, so I will not be able to use it for awhile.

So here is where I need my head examined, I saw a post on Xzones Instagram page of a picture of the Jackhammer in Fire Craw with a Xzone trailer in like color and I had to have it! I fought with myself for a couple of days on the merits of buying a 18.00 bait when I can't even go out and fish it, and when I am able to go out, those days are few and far between. I succumbed to my weakness and went ahead and bought it along with the trailer to match!  Please tell me these things are the greatest thing since sliced bread and I will be a fish catching machine with them! ? 

In all seriousness, for those of you who have used one, what has been your impression?

Seriously........AN $18 BAIT! What in the world was I Thinking!!!?

[A-Jay]

Perhaps cut yourself some slack ~

My impression is that it's a great bait

that the local brown bass population really seems to dig.

A-Jay

[jbsoonerfan]

Hey @A-Jay don't show him what a box of 110's looks like! LOL

[Michigander]

That's what gift cards are for! Those things you can't quite pull the trigger on with your own money. $18 isn't cheap, but it's the same a 3-4 bags of soft plastics and I have plenty of those that don't catch anything, lol.

 

What you should really be concerned with is what if it works amazing for you? And you need more weights and colors....

And a new tray to keep it all organized... And a new rod and reel for an optimized experience...

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, Michigander said:

That's what gift cards are for! Those things you can't quite pull the trigger on with your own money. $18 isn't cheap, but it's the same a 3-4 bags of soft plastics and I have plenty of those that don't catch anything, lol.

 

What you should really be concerned with is what if it works amazing for you? And you need more weights and colors....

That's a Great Monkey !

A-Jay 

[BrianMDTX]

6 minutes ago, Michigander said:

$18 isn't cheap, but it's the same a 3-4 bags of soft plastics and I have plenty of those that don't catch anything, lol.

Ok, that made me laugh! ?

[mikey z]

I was the same way you were and I got it snagged underwater and had to break it off...the first day I used it! Just my luck man...

 

This was in December. The bass here were already getting very lethargic and it's been a serious grind to catch one ever since. But I did manage to catch a 1.5 lb largie on it before losing it.

 

The vibration on it is crazy! It absolutely does perform 100% better than the original chatterbait as far as the blade action starting right away and continuing through your entire retrieve. It speaks for itself when you start fishing with it, especially when you're already a fan of chatterbaits and are able to tell the difference.

[jgordon]

I am curious as well although I have about half dozen or so chatter baits I never find fish with them.  Now do I give them enough line time?  Maybe not haha this year I plan on trying more things and not even bringing go to stuff with me part of the time.

[Dens228]

I lost a Jackhammer to a medium sized musky right at my kayak..........when it cut the line I didn't yell "I just lost a muskie"  I yelled "I just lost a $15 Jackhammer". 

[Bankc]

It's $18.  I'm sure you've wasted more money on worse things.  

[The Bassman]

13 bucks all the time at Discount Tackle.

[Fishin Dad]

I bought a bunch of them for a little over $7.  You can find deals if you look around and are not in a hurry.  I haven’t had a chance to use them yet, but ALWAYS have a chatter bait ties on and love them.  I have been happy with many different chatterbaits I have used.  They have all worked.  Some better than others, but on a different day, another works better.  

[mikey z]

I've lost it.

 

Let me start by saying I never see Jackhammers at any store. I bought it in December because it was the last one in stock and pretty much the only one I've ever seen. So it just so happened a few minutes ago while casually browsing the fishing section at the store, and coincidentally after having read and participated in this thread today, that I stumbled across a glorious display of many Jackhammers in a variety of colors including the new Stealthblade, which I've never seen in any store period since it was released. I literally said, "why are you doing this to me" lol. I bought one black and blue Stealthblade. All that being said, I'm lying if I say I'm not super stoked to try it! (Please no snags ? )

[BlakeMolone]

1 hour ago, Fishin Dad said:

I bought a bunch of them for a little over $7.  You can find deals if you look around and are not in a hurry.  I haven’t had a chance to use them yet, but ALWAYS have a chatter bait ties on and love them.  I have been happy with many different chatterbaits I have used.  They have all worked.  Some better than others, but on a different day, another works better.  

Do you find much use for the cheap original chatterbaits?

[Columbia Craw]

You guys looking for Jack Hammers in the store aren’t looking in the right area.  They keep them behind the service counter with the cans of powdered infant formula and cigarettes,

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

49 minutes ago, mikey z said:

(Please no snags ? )

Spitting in the wind, The simian will make sure of it!

[A-Jay]

I don't know why I did that.

A-Jay

[DogBone_384]

6 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

show him what a box of 110's looks like!

A-Jay’s 110 box probably looks like my mortgage payment!

 

With a daughter in college, I only spend a car payment on 110’s, Jackhammers, and whatever Matt & Tim promise the chance for “a GIANT”.

[12poundbass]

59 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I don't know why I did that.

A-Jay

Because it’s mid winter in Michigan that’s why. 
 

I’ve yet to try a Jackhammer. I’m too cheap and too scared to buy one. I never had much luck with the original Chatterbaits. Last year I bought a @Siebert Outdoors Fogy and haven’t looked back. I have some more that should show up tomorrow. ?

[schplurg]

Seems really expensive compared to their other chatterbaits, like 3x more. Is it because of the fancy paint? Is the hook better? I mean that's a big price difference. Having better "thumping" is the only thing that sounds interesting to me.

[GReb]

I keep an assortment of jackhammers, originals, and other brands. They all have a different sound and vibration. One day one may work better than the other. I will say the jackhammer has produced some very nice fish the last several years. It’s components are much better. Don’t sleep on the thunder cricket. It’s usually a few bucks cheaper and also well built. 

[MIbassyaker]

I have a couple Jackhammers. They catch fish. Do they catch more fish than other bladed jigs, including the ones I've cobbled together myself?  Not that I have noticed. If anything, I tend to prefer homemade bladed jigs which are just a snap, blade, split ring, flat-eye jighead, and skirt. 

 

[jbsoonerfan]

I'm just glad I have never needed my head examined.

[ChrisD46]

I bought three Jackhammers on sale for $12.99 ea. However before the order shipped - I added three more Jackhammers to the list ... Shortly after the shipment arrived - I found myself in yet another family intervention (non - fishermen) with a 30 day return trip to Restful Meadows Bait Monkey Rehabilitation Center the end result . Today's first lecture : "Selecting Only One Color Crank Bait & Soft Plastic To Fish With" ... I started hyperventilating and sweating profusely - the instructor saw I was in deep distress and was kind enough to stop the class and send me back to my room (thank goodness - I couldn't wait to get out of that class !)  

[Catt]

$15 on a Jackhammer or $250 an hour on a psychiatrist. 

 

I chose the Jackhammer! ?