New personal bass fishing milestone

[Munkin]

Finally caught a fish on a chatterbait! Only about a lb but it took me over 10 years to catch one. Massive wind so I decided to try a protected area that has a lot of juvenile bluegill. Caught this monster on a bluegill pattern bait I don't remember making. 

 

Allen 

[TnRiver46]

7 minutes ago, Munkin said:

Finally caught a fish on a chatterbait! Only about a lb but it took me over 10 years to catch one. Massive wind so I decided to try a protected area that has a lot of juvenile bluegill. Caught this monster on a bluegill pattern bait I don't remember making. 

 

Allen 

Hooray! The struggle is real 

[MidwestBassAttack]

Nice job!! I find those chatter-baits excel when the bass are up shallow in early spring or late fall around grass lines. Every fish I’ve ever caught on a chatterbait has been a dink of about 1lb

 

The spinnerbaits seem to get the bigger fish so I’m primarily throwing spinnerbaits instead

 

Good luck out there and be safe!

[GRiver]

Congratulations……

I’m still waiting to catch something on a chatter bait.

[Darth-Baiter]

rookie!!  I am four fish ahead of you.

 

at least it only took me 3 seasons.

 

Congrats!!!

[TnRiver46]

Chatterbait worked about 4,312 to the nth power times faster than a spinnerbait for me. Spinnerbaits have been out since before I was born, probably caught 5 fish on them in 35 years. Chatterbait has been around for what, maybe a decade? Already lost count of how many I’ve caught with it

[DitchPanda]

Chatterbaits never work. Neither do spinnerbaits right @TnRiver46?

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, DitchPanda said:

Chatterbaits never work. Neither do spinnerbaits right @TnRiver46?

Depends on who’s wielding them 

[TOXIC]

I feel your pain.  Took me a couple years to build some confidence in them.  Since then, I have boated more. 

[Munkin]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Chatterbait worked about 4,312 to the nth power times faster than a spinnerbait for me. Spinnerbaits have been out since before I was born, probably caught 5 fish on them in 35 years. Chatterbait has been around for what, maybe a decade? Already lost count of how many I’ve caught with it

 

Same lake about 2 weeks ago I caught 17 on a spinnerbait. These a just fishing from the shore 2 hour evening trips.

 

Allen

[TnRiver46]

17 minutes ago, Munkin said:

 

Same lake about 2 weeks ago I caught 17 on a spinnerbait. These a just fishing from the shore 2 hour evening trips.

 

Allen

I haven’t got 17 with a spinnerbait in my life if you added them all up haha

[Captain Phil]

This post makes me smile.   I remember when I first started fishing spinnerbaits.  It was a long time ago, but the memory is still fresh.  I must have pulled them 1,000 miles before I caught anything.  It was so bad, I started calling them "Christmas Trees".   One day, I was fishing some pads with one of my worthless lures when a 6 pound bass ate the thing.  It didn't register with me at the time, but spinerbaits are near worthless unless you fish them in the right place.  If bass are biting everything that swims, you can catch fish on them.  If it's the regular everyday slow bite, you have to be selective about where you fish.   I also thought they worked best when pulled fast right under the surface.  Not...  Today, I fish a spinnerbait about 70% of the time and flip cover the rest of the time.  I could care less about small bass.  The fish I am want on my line start at 4 pounds.  Spinnerbaits catch those fish.

 

Chatterbaits?  When they first came out a good friend gave me one to try.  I see them as a weedless Rattle Trap. They catch fish, but I catch bigger fish on a spinnerbait. 

[TnRiver46]

36 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

This post makes me smile.   I remember when I first started fishing spinnerbaits.  It was a long time ago, but the memory is still fresh.  I must have pulled them 1,000 miles before I caught anything.  It was so bad, I started calling them "Christmas Trees".   One day, I was fishing some pads with one of my worthless lures when a 6 pound bass ate the thing.  It didn't register with me at the time, but spinerbaits are near worthless unless you fish them in the right place.  If bass are biting everything that swims, you can catch fish on them.  If it's the regular everyday slow bite, you have to be selective about where you fish.   I also thought they worked best when pulled fast right under the surface.  Not...  Today, I fish a spinnerbait about 70% of the time and flip cover the rest of the time.  I could care less about small bass.  The fish I am want on my line start at 4 pounds.  Spinnerbaits catch those fish.

 

Chatterbaits?  When they first came out a good friend gave me one to try.  I see them as a weedless Rattle Trap. They catch fish, but I catch bigger fish on a spinnerbait. 

The only fish I’ve caught in my 1,000 miles of pulling spinnerbaits were all under half a pound And extremely infrequent

[Captain Phil]

26 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

The only fish I’ve caught in my 1,000 miles of pulling spinnerbaits were all under half a pound And extremely infrequent

 

To quote a famous comedian, "If you think sex is a PITA, you may be doing it wrong. ☺️

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

To quote a famous comedian, "If you think sex is a PITA, you may be doing it wrong. ☺️

Haha! I’ve certainly never thought that

 

but I would 100% say I throw a spinnerbait all kinds of wrong 

[Captain Phil]

Just kidding.  ☺️

 

You are not alone.  Lots of people don't do well with spinnerbaits.  Spinnerbaits work best when water clarity is poor.    The best time to use a spinnerbait is when it's windy.   Spinnerbaits work by utilizing flash and vibration.  There is a "zone" where the cadence of each bait attracts fish.  The trick is to find the cadence that works best for the bait you are using.  Spinnerbaits work best with slower retrieve reels.  The best reel for spinnerbait fishing is a 5/1 casting reel.   It seems to work better than any other.   Spinnerbaits don't work well with most spinning reels as they are too fast.  Spinnerbaits need to be fished close to cover. Actually hitting the cover on the retrieve is a good thing as it often triggers a strike.  If you are fishing down a straight bank or weed line, position your boat directly on the edge and cast down it. 

 

I have used these baits in 1/8 oz. all the way up to one ounce.  Most of my fishing is done with 3/8 oz.  You only need two colors, chartreuse skirt with gold blades and white with silver blades.  Single blade lures thump more and work better at night or on a drop.  Tandem blades are what I prefer. One of my favorite tactics is to spinnerbait boat docks. I can run the lake all day doing this.  Pads are where larger fish hang out when the sun is directly overhead.  The fish you will catch on a spinnerbait will be larger than caught on a worm.  Spinnerbaits minic large minnows, shad or shiners, which is the main food of larger bass.  Keep trying and you will eventually love them.

 

 

[Aaron_H]

20 hours ago, Munkin said:

Finally caught a fish on a chatterbait! Only about a lb but it took me over 10 years to catch one. Massive wind so I decided to try a protected area that has a lot of juvenile bluegill. Caught this monster on a bluegill pattern bait I don't remember making. 

 

Allen 

 

Awesome! I hope you continue to have success on them, it's one of my all-time confidence baits.

[Bankbeater]

Congratulations! Chatterbaits seem to work better around here in the spring and fall when the temps are cooler.

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, Bankbeater said:

Congratulations! Chatterbaits seem to work better around here in the spring and fall when the temps are cooler.

Yes sir same here. They work in summer too, but there’s definitely an uptick in fall 

[Blue Raider Bob]

Spinner baits were the go to baits in the swamps of Eastern Arkansas and West Tennessee along the Mississippi river where I hail from. Fishing Willow and Cypress trees in dingy water was the key. Everything ate them, Bass, cats, gar, Crappie, and Grinnell. Moving to the clear waters of Middle Tennessee was quite the revelation. Had to totally relearn fishing. I have had a handfull of spinnerbait bass since then and have gone to more finesse type baits, but If I ever get to swamp fish again....White Spinnerbait will be first choice!

[Swamp Girl]

On 10/8/2022 at 4:31 PM, Captain Phil said:

Just kidding.  ☺️

 

You are not alone.  Lots of people don't do well with spinnerbaits.  Spinnerbaits work best when water clarity is poor.    The best time to use a spinnerbait is when it's windy.   Spinnerbaits work by utilizing flash and vibration.  There is a "zone" where the cadence of each bait attracts fish.  The trick is to find the cadence that works best for the bait you are using.  Spinnerbaits work best with slower retrieve reels.  The best reel for spinnerbait fishing is a 5/1 casting reel.   It seems to work better than any other.   Spinnerbaits don't work well with most spinning reels as they are too fast.  Spinnerbaits need to be fished close to cover. Actually hitting the cover on the retrieve is a good thing as it often triggers a strike.  If you are fishing down a straight bank or weed line, position your boat directly on the edge and cast down it. 

 

I have used these baits in 1/8 oz. all the way up to one ounce.  Most of my fishing is done with 3/8 oz.  You only need two colors, chartreuse skirt with gold blades and white with silver blades.  Single blade lures thump more and work better at night or on a drop.  Tandem blades are what I prefer. One of my favorite tactics is to spinnerbait boat docks. I can run the lake all day doing this.  Pads are where larger fish hang out when the sun is directly overhead.  The fish you will catch on a spinnerbait will be larger than caught on a worm.  Spinnerbaits minic large minnows, shad or shiners, which is the main food of larger bass.  Keep trying and you will eventually love them.

 

 

^I feel like this is a Stanford-grade spinnerbait education.^

[TOXIC]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

^I feel like this is a Stanford-grade spinnerbait education.^

For most waters maybe…..but throw in Lake St Clair and everything is different that what was suggested.  We hammered smallies in crystal clear water, totally void of structure/cover by burning a 1/2oz Nichols white on white spinnerbaits with chrome willowleaf blades.  My point being, spinnerbaits are very versatile and to not lock yourself into any single season or set of conditions.

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 10/11/2022 at 10:11 AM, TOXIC said:

For most waters maybe…..but throw in Lake St Clair and everything is different that what was suggested.  We hammered smallies in crystal clear water, totally void of structure/cover by burning a 1/2oz Nichols white on white spinnerbaits with chrome willowleaf blades.  My point being, spinnerbaits are very versatile and to not lock yourself into any single season or set of conditions.

Do you catch them on slower retrieves or only while burning them in clear water? In the dingy water back home it was always a slow retrieve. The clearer water where I am now doesn't seem to give up the smallies on a slow retrieve. I'm wondering about a faster retrieve. How deep is your water? If you are burning the spinnerbait then the smallies must be coming up for them. Read a book by Jim Root and he swears by spinner baits for smallies in rivers and lakes.

[gim]

22 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Do you catch them on slower retrieves or only while burning them in clear water? In the dingy water back home it was always a slow retrieve.

I've been catching a lot of bass (and pike) on spinnerbaits lately.  I reel mine relatively slow...just enough to keep the blade thumping.  I'm using a bigger, rounder blades on mine instead of the narrow willow leaf style though.  The water is colder here now so the fish are not super metabolized like they are when its warmer in the summer time.

 

The water clarity I'm using them in is relatively murky too.  I honestly don't use a whole lot of spinnerbaits in clear water but I would imagine a faster retrieve would be more successful.

 

I'll be going on Saturday afternoon and you can guarantee a spinnerbait will be my first lure of choice.  They were chomping it hard last time out.

[TnRiver46]

33 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Do you catch them on slower retrieves or only while burning them in clear water? In the dingy water back home it was always a slow retrieve. The clearer water where I am now doesn't seem to give up the smallies on a slow retrieve. I'm wondering about a faster retrieve. How deep is your water? If you are burning the spinnerbait then the smallies must be coming up for them. Read a book by Jim Root and he swears by spinner baits for smallies in rivers and lakes.

Where I live, my buddies do way better with spinnerbaits up in shoals and rapids where you can’t get a boat. Like miles of 2-3 foot deep swift water. Downstream where it’s 10+ they don’t seem to work as well