some bladed jig questions (largemouth bass fishing)

[noahjo]

I've been having a problem where when I reel in my z-man original chatterbait w/ a swim bait, it always seems that there is a fish pulling on the other side of the rod. I have ordered a medium heavy casting rod paired with thirty-pound braid hoping to solve this problem. any tips from some experienced anglers? -alabama fisherman

[softwateronly]

1 hour ago, noahjo said:

I've been having a problem where when I reel in my z-man original chatterbait w/ a swim bait, it always seems that there is a fish pulling on the other side of the rod. I have ordered a medium heavy casting rod paired with thirty-pound braid hoping to solve this problem. any tips from some experienced anglers? -alabama fisherman

 

Sounds like a good problem to me!

 

scott

[Big Rick]

2 hours ago, noahjo said:

I've been having a problem where when I reel in my z-man original chatterbait w/ a swim bait, it always seems that there is a fish pulling on the other side of the rod. I have ordered a medium heavy casting rod paired with thirty-pound braid hoping to solve this problem. any tips from some experienced anglers? -alabama fisherman

What rod and reel are you currently using? What size chatter bait and trailer?  All of these are subjective to on another. A super heavy bait with a high speed reel will often feel overloaded. If you factor in a rod that's too light and short into that mix you've got a mess. 

[softwateronly]

21 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

 

Sounds like a good problem to me!

 

scott

 

1 hour ago, noahjo said:

I've been having a problem where when I reel in my z-man original chatterbait w/ a swim bait, it always seems that there is a fish pulling on the other side of the rod. I have ordered a medium heavy casting rod paired with thirty-pound braid hoping to solve this problem. any tips from some experienced anglers? -alabama fisherman

 

I misread that, apologies.  I agree completely with @Big Rick's diagnosis.  Some swimbaits will mistime with the blade and either look or feel weird.  Sometimes flipping said swimbait upside down gives a more in-tune look and feel.

 

scott

[noahjo]

1 hour ago, Big Rick said:

What rod and reel are you currently using? What size chatter bait and trailer?  All of these are subjective to on another. A super heavy bait with a high speed reel will often feel overloaded. If you factor in a rod that's too light and short into that mix you've got a mess. 

I'm using a pflueger trion combo containing a medium action rod with a 5.2.1 gear ratio reel, the chatterbaits I've been fishing have been sizes from 1/4-1/2 oz.

[noahjo]

1 hour ago, Big Rick said:

What rod and reel are you currently using? What size chatter bait and trailer?  All of these are subjective to on another. A super heavy bait with a high speed reel will often feel overloaded. If you factor in a rod that's too light and short into that mix you've got a mess. 

Also do you think the new medium heavy rod will solve this problem given the information I posted about my current rod and reel?

[noahjo]

1 hour ago, softwateronly said:

 

 

I misread that, apologies.  I agree completely with @Big Rick's diagnosis.  Some swimbaits will mistime with the blade and either look or feel weird.  Sometimes flipping said swimbait upside down gives a more in-tune look and feel.

 

scott

thank you i'll have to check my trailers 

[casts_by_fly]

I’m still not seeing the problem. Is it that as you’re reeling in a chatterbait there is a thump coming from the bait?  That’s what you want. 

[Big Rick]

19 minutes ago, noahjo said:

Also do you think the new medium heavy rod will solve this problem given the information I posted about my current rod and reel?

I do. Especially, if it's around 7 ft. Vibrating jigs produce a lot of drag and vibration, hence the whole reason for fishing them, and can often cause a misunderstanding of their function and design. 

 

I'm guessing your current rod is a bit overloaded with a 1/2 oz chatter bait with a trailer. 

[txchaser]

MH will be a great all-around rod for you, and is probably the most versatile for bass fishing. 

I can't imagine fishing a chatterbait on a M rod, I like it on a H rod if it is a 1/2 chatterbait - with a zako trailer it's .85 oz all-in. 

[noahjo]

5 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I’m still not seeing the problem. Is it that as you’re reeling in a chatterbait there is a thump coming from the bait?  That’s what you want. 

No, my rod is like completely bending and it feels like it’s being pulled

[Glenn]

A medium power rod is too soft for chatterbaits.  This should help:

 

 

 

[ironbjorn]

8 hours ago, Big Rick said:

What rod and reel are you currently using? What size chatter bait and trailer?  All of these are subjective to on another. A super heavy bait with a high speed reel will often feel overloaded. If you factor in a rod that's too light and short into that mix you've got a mess. 

Eh I often use a 7 gear ratio on a 6'8" 4 power and it doesn't feel any sort of weird other than the bass never biting my bladed jigs

[MN Fisher]

My moving baits rig (chatter, spinner, etc) is a 7.9:1 reel on a MH/F rod. No need to go expensive, my rod is an Aird-X which works fine for moving baits.

 

I also don't use paddletails on chatters - my preferred trailer is a Pit Boss...and it works fine.

 

These were caught on a 3/8oz Z-Man Original with a 4" Pit Boss trailer.

 

[casts_by_fly]

14 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I’m still not seeing the problem. Is it that as you’re reeling in a chatterbait there is a thump coming from the bait?  That’s what you want. 

 

Ah, I see. Yes, I would agree that a medium probably isn't enough for most chatterbaits (for the tiny Micro it might be a good choice).  Most mediums top out at 1/2 or 5/8 casting and a 3/8 chatterbait with a trailer will be over that to start with (and 1/2 with trailer will nearly push an ounce depending on the trailer).  I don't mind the rod being well bent over on the retrieve.  I am fishing a MH with a hefty bend and its quite bent over with a 1/2 of chatterbait.  The issue comes on the hookset.  My rod has a bunch of power down low.  My medium has a similar action and would be bent similarly, but it doesn't have enough power to drive home a single CB sized hook.

 

A little heftier rod should do what you need.

[gim]

Most chatterbaits also have a relatively heavy gauge hook so you will need some back bone to drive that thing into the roof of the mouth of a bass.  Usually when fish hits mine, its not a heavy hookset, its just a quick pull back because its a moving lure already.

 

Maybe try a trailer with a less drag too.

[noahjo]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

Most chatterbaits also have a relatively heavy gauge hook so you will need some back bone to drive that thing into the roof of the mouth of a bass.  Usually when fish hits mine, its not a heavy hookset, its just a quick pull back because its a moving lure already.

 

Maybe try a trailer with a less drag too.

Thank you for the help!

[noahjo]

2 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Ah, I see. Yes, I would agree that a medium probably isn't enough for most chatterbaits (for the tiny Micro it might be a good choice).  Most mediums top out at 1/2 or 5/8 casting and a 3/8 chatterbait with a trailer will be over that to start with (and 1/2 with trailer will nearly push an ounce depending on the trailer).  I don't mind the rod being well bent over on the retrieve.  I am fishing a MH with a hefty bend and its quite bent over with a 1/2 of chatterbait.  The issue comes on the hookset.  My rod has a bunch of power down low.  My medium has a similar action and would be bent similarly, but it doesn't have enough power to drive home a single CB sized hook.

 

A little heftier rod should do what you need.

Yes, I would agree because I've caught one fish on the bladed jig and I had to use every drop of strength in my body to get a good lip hookset.

[noahjo]

6 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

My moving baits rig (chatter, spinner, etc) is a 7.9:1 reel on a MH/F rod. No need to go expensive, my rod is an Aird-X which works fine for moving baits.

 

I also don't use paddletails on chatters - my preferred trailer is a Pit Boss...and it works fine.

 

These were caught on a 3/8oz Z-Man Original with a 4" Pit Boss trailer.

 

I appreciate the help, I purchased a 7"0 Medium Heavy rod with a 6.3.1 gear ratio reel and this reassures my worries about this rod having a similar problem.

[Cbump]

Some like a glass rod for Chatterbait but not I. I lost a lot of fish on a medium glass rod that was recommended.
 I now use the St Croix mojo bass spinner bait model which is a MH MF I think. 50lb Braid. 6.8:1 gear ratio. 
I love It.