Chatterbaits

[jcjunior]

I’m old school always threw spinnerbaits and wanna start getting into chatterbait fishing. Tell me what I need to know. What’s everyone’s favorite trailer?

[swhit140]

Just about any soft plastic trailer, grub, craw, worm etc that you can put on a hook will work, different actions for all different baits. Last year a simple twin tail grub on a swim jig & bladed jig were killer for me last season.

 

[gim]

The great part about a chatterbait as opposed to a spinnerbait is that you can reel it in slower and/or deeper IMO.  Its just a more versatile lure.  As long as its thumping, its working.  Bear in mind that a chatterbait is not a substitute for a spinnerbait; rather, its just another tool in the tool box.  Keep tossing the spinnerbaits because they work too.

 

Tons of plastic trailers out there that will work.

[Basser2021]

I personally like a paddletail swimbait or fluke

My brother gets cheap ribbontail worms and cuts them down and uses those as trailers

[MN Fisher]

My best catches on a chatterbait have been with a Berkley Pit Boss as the trailer.

[NorthernBasser]

Lots of good ones out there.

 

Strike King Rage Menace rigged vertically. Hog Farmer Spunk Shad. Big Bites Swimon. Yamamoto Zako. Like MN Fisher said, a Pit Boss. 

[casts_by_fly]

Half ounce original or custom.  One in a bluegill type pattern (breaking bream or bluegill is my preference), one in black and blue, and one in a white combo color (I like greenback shad). Grab a pack of zako in green pumpkin white laminate and another in black/blue. You can substitute rage menaces in similar colors. Stained or muddy water go black and blue. Clear with grass and bluegill forage go green. Shad base throw white. The fish might suggest otherwise any given day but this will put you close and cover 90% with the minimum number of baits. Want to branch out?  Spring craw CB custom and copper orange zako have caught most of my fish this year so far. 
 

 

[Bluebasser86]

The bladed jig is more of a replacement for a squarebill than a spinnerbait for me. Times when I use to pick up a squarebill or shallow running crank are now when I'm grabbing a bladed jig and it's much more productive than cranks were. 

 

Pit boss, 3.8 fat impact, Big Bite Baits Swimon, Rage Menace are all good trailers. The Havoc Devil's Spear was a great one but unfortunately discontinued. 

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, NorthernBasser said:

Z-Man Diezel Minnow.

I've been running these lately. Not rigged upside down either. It's been working.

[NorthernBasser]

Yeah, I rig them normal as well and really like them. 

[Koz]

Berkely Pit Boss or Rage Tail craw depending upon whether I want a high profile or low profile trailer. Occasionally a paddletail.

 

One thing to note, if the blade isn't engaging quickly, check the alignment of your trailer.

[Boomstick]

I usually go with a swimbait trailer, although swim senkos work as well. I really like the 4" XZone lures swammer, the tail seems to vibrate perfectly in sync with the blade on most of my bladed jigs where with a Keitch I have to trim the tail or rig it upside down.

[BayouSlide]

A number of good ones but my all-time favorite is a Hog Farmer Spunk shad: been using it successfully on chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and swim jigs. Has become my go-to trailer.

[Aaron_H]

The Zako is my #1 Chatterbait trailer. Also had great luck on the 5" Zoom Swimmin' Super Fluke (in either baby bass or breaking bream), just rigged normally not upside down. The Mister Twister 5" SinSation looks great on the back of one too with that big curly tail. Likewise, the GameChanger Eeliminator if you want that curly tail action in a more compact package.

[CrashVector]

I use dockside matrix shad lures as trailers.

 

They're made for saltwater fish, so they're tough and don't get torn up as easily, and the colors are awesome.

[Mbirdsley]

3-4 inch twister tail matching the skirt has worked for me in 45-60 degree water.  Finally getting the smaller paddle tails to work. 

[cheezyridr]

the one that produces the most for me is the army green chatterbait with a green bandito bug. 

[IneedAnewScreenName-98161861]

Lots of good advice here, good luck!

The first response has a great link to a YT video so you can see for yourself what your working with! 

 

For what it's worth I started fishing a CB last year. I bought a couple green pumpkin jackhammers and a pack of Yamamoto Zako's. I figured why make my head spin trying out all the different plastics that could be used as a trailer. Instead I just went for one that was specifically made for the CB and learned to fish the bait properly. This summer I plan to start messing around with other trailers. 

[SWVABass]

Great info here… I too don’t fish one that much and have some questions.

 

Rod/reel combo for fishing this? Glass rod or no, and why you prefer what you use.

 

line size, what size gets to big and kills the  action?

[PhishLI]

4 hours ago, SWVABass said:

Rod/reel combo for fishing this?

7'4"https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/13_Fishing_Defy_Black_Crankbait_Casting_Rods/descpage-CRHDF.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Quantum_Vapor_PT_Casting_Reel/descpage-VAP.html

 

Composite rod with straight braid has the right combination of delay and backbone. 30lb braid is strong enough and doesn't hurt distance as much as larger lines do.

 

30lbhttps://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiwa_J-Braid_x8_Braided_Line_Dark_Green/descpage-JBB.html

[roadwarrior]

4 hours ago, SWVABass said:

Rod/reel combo for fishing this?

I fish a "jig rod".

Okuma PSY-C-751MH

https://www.tackledirect.com/okuma-psy-c-751mh-psycho-stick-casting-rod.html

 

Okuma Hakai

https://www.okumafishing.com/en/product/Hakai-Low-Profile-Baitcast-Reel-2021-NEW/Hakai-Low-Profile-Baitcast-Reel.html

 

Tatsu #15

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Seaguar_Tatsu_Fluorocarbon_Line/descpage-STFL.html

[BayouSlide]

A Dobyns Champion XP DC 736 CB Glass, Shimano Chronarch MGL, Sunline Shooter 16# flourocarbon here. It's one of my best setups: invested more than normal because I fish chatterbaits on nearly every outing and this setup seems absolutely perfect to me. It's a joy to use.

 

FWIW, after I went to the DC736 CB Glass, I seldom lose a fish: hookups are significantly improved.

[WVU-SCPA]

Use a lot of the typical trailers mentioned above.

 

Something a little different I've yet to had have major success on yet but know there is going to have its day is the Jenko tremor shad.  From messing around with it in clear water its the first trailer that creates a "hunting" action on a steady retrieve. 

[A-Jay]

On 4/12/2022 at 10:22 PM, jcjunior said:

I’m old school always threw spinnerbaits and wanna start getting into chatterbait fishing. Tell me what I need to know. What’s everyone’s favorite trailer?

Zako

A-Jay

[InfantryMP]

7 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

 

 

This is my #1 trailer for the chatterbait. I have used others, but this has produced more than any other for me. 

 

I use a 7'2 MH Fast action rod. I also have it paired with a Shimano SLX DC 7.2 gear ratio. It is a great all around rod I would use for chatterbaits, Spinner baits, smaller crank baits.  I guess I am not the best person to take rod advice from. I only have 3 technique specific rods (two 7'5 Top water with braid, and a 6'8 medium jerkbait rod). Everything else is essentially 7'-7'3 M- MH rods.