Early Spring Big Blade - Specific to Northern States

[Fat Ika]

Cabin fever curiosity in the northern midwest, I figure I'd ask if anyone has had success with the big blade chatterbait in an estimate range 48-55 degree water temps. I don't have success with a standard bladed jig until around 55 degrees minimum in prime chatterbait conditions. Anyone have experience in last spring in the Northern Midwest or Northeast with the big blade for largies in these colder water temps? Obviously, I'll have to find out from personal experience, but it would be great to hear any experiences. Thanks in advance for sharing.

[Mbirdsley]

I don’t fish big blades but, pretty much all if my chatter bait fish are caught between 45-60 degree water.  I don’t see why the a bigger blade wouldn’t work. 

[Fat Ika]

3 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

I don’t fish big blades but, pretty much all if my chatter bait fish are caught between 45-60 degree water.  I don’t see why the a bigger blade wouldn’t work. 

Gotcha. Standard blades usually don't work for me below 55. What body of water types and depths are you having success in 45 plus degree water?

[softwateronly]

For me in SW MI on a clear water fishery, once the turnover is done and the water just gets over 40 there’s been many times I can get on a very active bite.  Usually where crappie are present in 10-12’ fow. Personally swim jigs have produced better, but that just might be my water.  
 

scott

[Mbirdsley]

34 minutes ago, Fat Ika said:

Gotcha. Standard blades usually don't work for me below 55. What body of water types and depths are you having success in 45 plus degree water?

It’s all different lakes from crystal clear you can see down 12-15 ft to lakes you can’t see a past a foot. I’d say on average it’s 6ft-8ft of water or less.  Generally speaking chatter baits are the first artificial lure I can get fish on in the spring.  Coldest for a fact I know was 45 degree water. 
 

some years it’s been the end of March others the first 2 weeks of April in Michigan.  I just use a straight crank retrieve.  I try and keep it slow just enough to get the blade vibrating. 
 

I don’t pick up a chatter bait for what ever reason once the water gets above 60 degrees.  I got into a good October bite last year in 52-53 degree water.  Which, was actually the latest in the year I had ever used one. 

[casts_by_fly]

39 minutes ago, Fat Ika said:

Gotcha. Standard blades usually don't work for me below 55. What body of water types and depths are you having success in 45 plus degree water?

 

13 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

It’s all different lakes from crystal clear you can see down 12-15 ft to lakes you can’t see a past a foot. I’d say on average it’s 6ft-8ft of water or less.  Generally speaking chatter baits are the first artificial lure I can get fish on in the spring.  Coldest for a fact I know was 45 degree water. 
 

some years it’s been the end of March others the first 2 weeks of April in Michigan.  I just use a straight crank retrieve.  I try and keep it slow just enough to get the blade vibrating. 
 

I don’t pick up a chatter bait for what ever reason once the water gets above 60 degrees.  I got into a good October bite last year in 52-53 degree water.  Which, was actually the latest in the year I had ever used one. 

 

 

This would be my answer too.  I have one tied on from the first day I start fishing in the spring which is usually 40 degrees.  I haven't fished the big blade very hard yet, though I do have a big one rigged up with a big keitech for something I want to try.  For me, a chatterbait is a < 10' bait most of the time (and I'm fishing a 1/2 oz most of the time).  They are hard to fish deeper than that unless you're yo-yoing them (which is a thing in itself).  I will be throwing some 3/4 and 1 oz tremors this spring in deeper water to get down to 15' or so.

 

I'll fish a chatterbait and a lipless crankbait side by side depending on the water.  If there is grass its a chatterbait first, if its rock I'll throw the lipless first.  The other is always on the other rod.

[Fat Ika]

26 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

For me in SW MI on a clear water fishery, once the turnover is done and the water just gets over 40 there’s been many times I can get on a very active bite.  Usually where crappie are present in 10-12’ fow. Personally swim jigs have produced better, but that just might be my water.  
 

scott

Agreed. My experience has been better with swim jigs vs chatterbaits as well in 40 plus. If it's 8 plus mph winds, low light, and/or stained muddy water; I'll run a double willow spinnerbait (sometimes a single or double colorado depending on the conditions) alongside a swim jig. Aside from a jerkbait, swim jigs and chattebaits are my preference in these colder waters with grass/soft bottom. 

[softwateronly]

If I could spend everyday on the water in MI for 6 weeks I’d probably choose 5 of them to be from April 1st to May 7th and then one week in mid to late November. The big girls just seem to get active and angry. 
 

Last year, almost all of my MI chatter bait fish were at night w/ 3/4-1.25 oz jackhammers and 6” spunk Shads running deep weed lines. 

 

scott

[WIGuide]

I've been pretty late to the chatterbait game. Tried then when they first came out and didn't have success so they sat on the back burner until the past couple of years when I decided to give them another try. I've had some killer days with them for sure, and some of the best have been when the water's in the upper 40's to low 50's. This past season the first fish I caught and last fish I caught were on chatterbaits the first one being in water cold enough to still have ice on it. Although I haven't personally tried the big blade version, I wouldn't hesitate to try one as long as you're moving it slow. I know there's a few other baits I throw in cool to cold water that produce in a big way while putting off a lot of vibration while moving very slow. If you're not getting bit on a slow retrieve, you might want to try Aj's method of fishing one like a jig.