What are your favorite Bladed Jig trailers and what conditions do you fish them?

[A-Jay]

3 hours ago, RRocket said:

Nice little goby bait.

 

What is it? 

It's a  Custom Hand Pour by Paul Krew.

https://paulkrew.com/

That Goby bait is part of the "Smallie Collection!"

He'll do ANYTHING he makes IN ANY COLOR you want.

Baits are soft, super high quality and get bites.

Been a closet fan boy of Paul for a long time.

https://www.facebook.com/PaulKrewCustomHandPouredBaits/photos/pb.100044410270296.-2207520000/1570699426469161/?type=3

His baits have single handedly put me on several plus size brown bass. 

Makes some Killer drop shot baits too. 

Get your credit card out before you click here . . .

https://www.facebook.com/PaulKrewCustomHandPouredBaits/photos_by

A-Jay

[NorthernBasser]

6 hours ago, 10,000 lakes Bassin said:

Do you like the Brett’s bluegill color over the the B-hite delight? Both seem decently bluegilly looking. Maybe the chartreuse on the B-hite would work better after an algae bloom? 

 

Or if I'm fishing murky/stained water, I'll go right to black/blue bait/trailer. Still has the bluegill profile but it stands out more in the dirty water. 

[33oldtimer]

Fluke or Swimbait.

[Bankbeater]

I use either a Zoom Super Chunk or a Fat Albert.  I've never tried a fluke as a trailer, but that sounds interesting.

[NorthernBasser]

A trailer I forgot about that I just started using at the end of last season...the 6th Sense Bamboosa 5.3 worm. 

 

I only used it on two outings. First time using it I trimmed it down and threaded it on. My bladed jig hunted like I've never seen before. It was wild. More so than when I use the Fluke or Spunk Shad. 

 

Second outing I put another one on. This time it didn't hunt like the first time. So I'm guessing it really depends on the exact length that you trim the worm down to.

 

 

[Eric 26]

12 hours ago, GRiver said:

Man, those are pretty big trailers…. I’ve only ever use a small split tail, or a piece of a worm of various colors. If I use a trailer at all.
Maybe that’s why I haven’t caught much of anything on them. Does anybody fish them without a trailer?

I generally don’t use a trailer at all myself, although I generally fish smaller bodies of water and use a mini max in 1/8 ounce.

[BassKat]

For when I'm fishing away from wood, I saw my catch rates increase when I went to a spunkshad. It really seems to allow the bait to naturally hunt and take on an extremely organic action. My away-from-wood change of pace is a Senko! 

 

That said, I fish a lot of heavy cover. When I'm around wood, I especially like a horizontal flat trailer to keep it from rolling and hanging on wood structures such as a Rage Bug or Dudley Flippin Bait.

 

This year, I'm going to test the Nories Hula Bug, which is supposed to be a weedless spunkshad. If it gives me that Spunkshad action weedlessly, it will become my primary with the others reserved for when I think I need to show them something different. 

[RRocket]

2 hours ago, BassKat said:

 

 

This year, I'm going to test the Nories Hula Bug, which is supposed to be a weedless spunkshad. If it gives me that Spunkshad action weedlessly, it will become my primary with the others reserved for when I think I need to show them something different. 

Can confirm it does this. Also, it has a flat bottom to prevent roll over.

 

PM sent.

 

[RRocket]

OSP Action Trailer 4" is another I really like. A bit under the radar IMO.

[Macropterus]

The back half of a zoom lizard has worked well for me.

[softwateronly]

Usually a spunkshad, but Big Bait Swimon makes a nice compact panfish profile.  I tend to pair them on the minimax and stealthblade.  With their low float, they can double duty as a ned trailer and free rig.

 

scott

[BassKat]

Thanks. I'll try that, Scott. I stock swimons are my spinnerbait/buzzbait trailers so I have some.

[Bluebasser86]

Rage Menace

Pitboss

Chatterspike

3.8 or 4.8 fat impact

2/3 of a 5" stick worm

[Junk Fisherman]

On 2/23/2025 at 10:06 PM, BassKat said:

 

 

That said, I fish a lot of heavy cover. When I'm around wood, I especially like a horizontal flat trailer to keep it from rolling and hanging on wood structures such as a Rage Bug or Dudley Flippin Bait.

 

 

I was just listening to a Bass After Dark podcast about Chatterbaits and they were specifically talking about using flat trailers around wood.  

[Choporoz]

Rage Bug rigged horizontal.   Comes through wood and grass best. 

[txchaser]

Zako is my default.

 

Rage bug horizontal for one specific color choice. Looks a little more craw like anyway. Going to try

the blade minnow in it's stead because I like to fish deeper on this specific falcon craw in the spring, low and slow presentation. 

 

And I just bought a pack of the new geecrack bladed jig trailer that AJ co-designed.  A friend had a pack and I liked them - tail looks good, and the head is much stiffer plastic so should last longer than a zako, especially burying it in the weeds. Hoping for the best of both worlds. 

 

[detroit1]

For some real crazy hunting action, take your skirt off. I don't normally fish it this way, but once in a while i will. 

[RRocket]

54 minutes ago, detroit1 said:

For some real crazy hunting action, take your skirt off. I don't normally fish it this way, but once in a while i will. 

I use these frequently...

 

 

[BassKat]

@RRocket I tried another brand of that setup it got bit but the action wasn't consistent. I'll give that decoy a try. 

[padon]

On 2/22/2025 at 10:50 AM, MN Fisher said:

I get the best skipping with the Pit Boss - something about the 'flappers' makes it go further on the skip.

i think its the flat bottom of the bait. the rage bug like andy morgan recommends has a similar flat bottom but of course hes sponsored by strike king.

[RAM3139]

I should probably experiment a bit more with different trailers, but for me its all about that erractic hunting action and the spunk shad does that.  Moderate hunting on a steady retrieve and if you pump the handle quick it jumps sideways.

 

Does anyone know how the chatterspike from zman compares to the spunkshad?  I wouldnt mind a more durable option if the action was similar

[Bluebasser86]

11 minutes ago, RAM3139 said:

 

 

Does anyone know how the chatterspike from zman compares to the spunkshad?  I wouldnt mind a more durable option if the action was similar

In my experience there isn’t a big difference between the two and the Zman isn’t always a real durable option. I’ve had some of the heads split like an overcooked hotdog and make them useless.

[Choporoz]

 

 

On 2/25/2025 at 7:25 AM, Choporoz said:

Rage Bug rigged horizontal.   Comes through wood and grass best. 

Made this post outdated pretty quick.

 

Yesterday, I put a Rage Craw on a Fogy, only because it was the only red plastic I had.  Always heard that red is the spring deal.

This girl slammed it like I owed her money.

 

There is more to consider, I suppose.  I was fishing this fairly slow, with short hops off the bottom - just enough to get some vibration and then drop.  So, more like a 'regular' jig.  More crawfishy than baitfishy.  Maybe trailer choice will also depend on what I think the bass thinks this contraption looks like.

[OHBuckets]

For more of a baitfish profile, I was enjoying the Beast Coast Bladerunners (in addition to the "go-to's" previously mentioned).

 

I did pick up some of the Bellows Vibes and NetBait HexTek Whip Tails to try.

[KP Duty]

I use a variety.  Here is a gambler 'why not' that creates a nice profile and action.