Chatter bait rod

[El jefe]

I am way late to the chatter bait game..... I have a question. Why do I see over and over guys recommending moderate and glass rods for these? It's a jig head with a blade in front? I guess I don't see the difference between this and a standard jig head.... maybe the way they are fished through grass, etc? Just wondering, thanks.

[NorthernBasser]

Moving bait....softer tip allows the bait to be sucked in without you pulling the bait away from the fishes mouth. 

 

I like a mod-fast but with some nice backbone. 

[Glenn]

You know, I don't get it either.  I use the same rod I use for spinnerbaits and catch plenty.  

 

 

[MN Fisher]

^ I'm with @Glenn - spinners and chatter on a MH/F here as well.

[El jefe]

What got me headed down this road was a video by  Brett Hite but he really didn't explain exactly why he preferred the glass rod... I can see having a little more tip over your standard jig rod and the "moving bait" reference made above seems realistic but I still have a hard time visualizing it..... it probably doesn't help since the lakes I primarily fish are deep rocky reservoirs with no vegetation . I really haven't spent much time at all with the bait but was planning on trying the heavier baits slowly rolled on the bottom just like you would slow roll a heavy spinner bait . Thanks

[Hammer 4]

I too toss chatterbaits on a 7' MH/F rod. Has worked well for years.

[Deleted account]

Try different rods, and see what works. Depending on when and where, a softer rod or a faster crisper rod will be the ticket. I fish them on heavy mono most of the time, but when fishing them deep in current (or around gnarly grass), I do go to braid, and then I'll go with a more powerful but slower rod in the first case. You can't go wrong with a good spinnerbait rod or something similar. I find a lot of times, unlike with a jig, they will  hit it with abandon and continue towards you "putting slack in the line" so you have to catch up quickly before setting the hook, and this is where the problem with hook ups comes up for most folks if they just rear back on nothing.

(I'm up early to do breakfast before a long bike ride this AM, old habit from racing days).

[LrgmouthShad]

I learned me something here on this here BR: people like to use different stuff for the same same stuff.
 

I once made a claim that a moderate fast was the “right” taper for spinnerbaits and that others were “wrong”, and, uh, yeah, not true. Got some people on here that like an extra fast for spinnerbaits. More power to em. Use whatever feels right and works right, but you gotta admit to yourself when you are not achieving the right results. Common theme with this sport. 

1 hour ago, Deleted account said:

I'm up early to do breakfast before a long bike ride this AM, old habit from racing days).

Thank you for your excuse. It’s acceptable 

[Deleted account]

39 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Thank you for your excuse. It’s acceptable 

LOL, I'm out the door as soon as I can find my Army ballistic Oakleys with the Air Force (why aim high, why not just adjust the sights) prescription insert...

The one good thing of Joint Commands...  

[T-Billy]

I used to fish them on MH F rods and lost alot of fish. Switching to a moderate MH or H made a world of difference. I fish them on braid. I think in addition to letting them get it better, a slower rod also slows the hookset and helps keep the blade from interfering with hook penetration. That's my theory anyway. At any rate, braid and a fairly stout modfast gets me an excellent hook and land ratio.

[BigAngus752]

There is a lot of differences in "Fast" between manufacturers.  I use the same MH/F rod for both spinners and vibrating jigs but it is a Duckett and has more parabolic action than other brands of MH/F rods that I own.  If you are thinking of changing rods you might call Duckett Fishing and talk with them.  The guy that answers the phone does an excellent job describing the differences and they have quite a variety of actions.  

[FryDog62]

Been struggling to find the right “flex” for the way I Chatterbait fish too.  Think I found 2 that give that little extra time to let the fish fully take the bait, but lock up in the backbone when you set the hook:
 

• An all graphite rod with a Moderate-Fast action (more towards Fast) is the iRod 7’2” Bladed Jig rod. Great also for swim jigs, spinnerbaits. Easy price at $150.

 

• A composite rod with flex at the tip but not a heavy pool cue the rest of the blank is the Alpha Angler Chatterbound. First composite rod I've seen described as extra fast - unique rod!  Great for Spinnerbaits and mid-depth cranks too. Keeps the hard-charging smallies at the boat pinned. $240.

 

If you use braid, I’d recommend the softer tip Alpha Angler to offset the no stretch line, although fluoro is what I use.  Fluoro/Co-poly for the iRod. 
 

Just my .02

[Boomstick]

As a general rule of thumb, whatever you throw a chatterbait on would be the same rod you throw a spinnerbait or swim jig even of the same size and weight (with trailer). A fast action that runs on the slower side or even moderate fast typically works quite well with moving baits.

 

I see no reason why people are using the slowest action moderate rods they can find for chatterbaits. Granted most of them use braid, but when you have a heavy rod but the rod bends halfway down the blank before it gets to that backbone, how do they get any hookset at all?

[Choporoz]

I use 40# braid on MHF rod.  Tried fluoro for chatterbaits.   Hated it.  Tried moderate rods.  Hated them.  Tried a glass cranking rod - really hated it.   Now, I admit that the rod I use doesn't have quite as stiff a tip as my jig and Trig rods.  But if I didn't have this rod, I would use a different MHF before I would use something labeled moderate. 

[FishTank]

I went down this rabbit hole a few years ago. I was convinced since it's a jig style bait, it needed a jig rod. So I started using an NRX 853. Great rod but couldn't get a good hook set. Then I went to a 7' MH Fast Avid. It worked great but it didn't seem to load well. Then I read on here about using a crankbait rod so I gave that a shot and used a St. Legend Glass Med Moderate.  It was too soft and I was missing fish. Finally by accident I tried a G.Loomis IMX Pro CBR 903C with a mod-fast action and it was perfect for bomb casting and hook sets were also perfect. 

[Boomstick]

43 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I went down this rabbit hole a few years ago. I was convinced since it's a jig style bait, it needed a jig rod. So I started using an NRX 853. Great rod but couldn't get a good hook set. Then I went to a 7' MH Fast Avid. It worked great but it didn't seem to load well. Then I read on here about using a crankbait rod so I gave that a shot and used a St. Legend Glass Med Moderate.  It was too soft and I was missing fish. Finally by accident I tried a G.Loomis IMX Pro CBR 903C with a mod-fast action and it was perfect for bomb casting and hook sets were also perfect. 

The MH/F Avid is on the stiffer side. It works, but isn't perfect. The MH/MF in the St Croix line is however.

 

In defense of the "crankbait rod", some deep diver rods do work pretty well. At least a medium heavy power and a mod fast tip. The St Croix glass rods are correctly rated as moderate and won't get you there.

[PhishLI]

I have a preference for MHF rods with characteristics along the lines of a St. Croix Avid. On the stiffer side. When using this type of rod with straight braid I lost a lot of chatterbait fish in the beginning mostly due to me pulling the the bait out of the fish's mouth instantly. IMO, this had everything to do with how I was holding the rod and the direction of where I pointed it in relation to the line. Basically I had a bad habit of pointing the rod directly at the bait which created zero slack. Also, I had a rigid grip on the rod and reel. Bite and run fish never got the hook. When I did manage to hook up, it was pure luck.

 

Once I assessed what I was doing wrong my first correction was to always hold the rod at an angle to the line, still pointed down, but I hadn't yet recognized that my rigid grip was part of the problem. My hookup rate increased, but I was still failing to convert half of my bites. Once I relaxed my grip my hookups increased further.

 

My next adjustment revamp was to fish them with the rod tip high, like between 10:30 to 11:00, and with a relaxed grip. This grip adjustment was more about relaxing my arms more than my hands, and this introduced some more give into the entire circuit. So, with the same somewhat rigid rod, the same zero stretch line, but a readjusted me and rod position, my hookups skyrocketed. This is my habit now, so when I'm using a setup like this for CBs it's burned in.

 

So why not make an adjustment to my gear instead of myself? Well I have, and I use those setups in conjunction with my adjustments, but there are times while wading when I'm lazy about trudging back to shore to switch rigs. Sometimes, in the same situation, I'm getting touches on a different bait and feel a CB is the right move, and I don't want to upset a quiet zone by sloshing back to shore to change rigs.

 

I can wrap this part up by saying that timing changes gained by relaxing combined with introducing a degree of delay in a few ways, has been the difference maker, regardless of the rod and line I'm using. I think I play a part in creating that delay as much as the gear does, even when I'm using my heavy crankbait rod for CBs. A moderate rod isn't the only thing at work. The diversity of opinions about this subject is proof enough that the job can get done on different gear. The person using the gear, how they've adjusted to it whether consciously or unconsciously, is what matters.

 

Sunday night I bagged a nice 5 pounder using my less than ideal MHF straight braid rig. My best fish so far caught earlier this year was bagged throwing a CB on a stiff HF rod using 20lb Big Game mono. Between my now ingrained and revised habits, and the mono's stretch, it all worked out well.

[FrnkNsteen]

I used to throw all my single hook moving baits (Spinnerbait, swim jigs, buzzbaits) on a MH Fast rod and didn't give it another thought. Then I started noticing a lot of rod companies offerings for "Spinnerbait" rods had a slower, more moderate/fast action.

 

I tried them and liked them. When starting to fish chatterbaits, after seeing a lot of positive reviews for the Dobyns 736cb glass, I decided to grab one and try it when they were on sale. Started with mono and flouro, but didn't like the hooksets. Switched to braid and have been happy.

 

For me I like how I can really feel the action of the chatterbait with braid, but the composite build of 736cb glass dulled enough of it to make it more comfortable to fish, yet the strong backbone of those rods allows for good hooksets.

 

Don't have any other way to describe it other than I like how it fishes and haven't lost many fish on that setup.

[Cbump]

St Croix Mojo MHMF “spinnerbait” model. Straight braid. Love It. 

[Allen Der]

Depends on what line you are using.  a fast rod with mono works fine with chatterbaits.  braid I'd use moderate fast graphite or glass

[DitchPanda]

First off I'm no bladed jig expert but I've caught plenty of fish on them over the years so here is my take: I've used both a MH fast and a MH mod fast. Only thing I've noticed is with the mod fast I lose less fish when they jump if they are lip hooked. If they choke the bait and are hooked in the roof of the mouth or throat it doesn't really matter.

[Bankbeater]

I've been using a MH/F 7'0" rod for spinnerbaits and chatterbaits for years now.

[dodgeguy]

20 hours ago, Glenn said:

You know, I don't get it either.  I use the same rod I use for spinnerbaits and catch plenty.  

 

 

Yup !!!!

[Columbia Craw]

A vibrating jig is a unique lure. It has two hinge/connection points that are a benefit and a detriment.  First you get a jig with a side to side action and a blade that displaces water like a crankbait.  Lots of trailer options too.  Second is the design provides bait movement after you hook the fish, a problem from time to time because bass can put that hinge movement to their advantage and throw the bait. That’s my take on a very productive lure type.

 

So I look for a rod that does four things.  Cast the VJ with power.  Have a slower tip to keep the blade/jig from accelerating when it tears free of vegetation. Have a tip that mitigates the fish from tossing the bait.  Transition from a more moderate tip to lock up power to drive the, generally larger diameter, hook home.  
 

Find a rod that can do those four things and your good to go.  One last thought. You can fish a spinnerbait with the same rod you fish a vibrating jig.

 

 

[Mbirdsley]

I’ve been using my $40 Walmart clearance Falcon Jason Christie 6ft6 mh square bill/spinner bait  rod to throw spinner baits and chatter baits.  It works pretty good And I caught a lot of fish on it this spring.  
 

for a reel I use a regular 6:4 shimano slx reel with 10 lbs big game mono 

 

The Chatter baits and spinner bite is starting to die though as summer progresses in Michigan