Chatterbaits

[The Bassinator]

Like the description says, what are you using?

[slonezp]

In my experience, if the bass won't hit a spinnerbait they aren't going to hit a chatterbait. This year I have discovered fishing a swimjig with a paddletail trailer. So far so good.

[Reel_Kaotic]

Brought a Zman once, used it once...no success. Never looked at it again. I'm another fan of the swim jig and trailer, but I use the rage chunk trailers. Someimes the suttle approach is the best, no flash no sounds.

[Buzbait88]

I love them. I catch alot more and a lot bigger fish on chatterbaits than spinnerbaits on most occasions. I first used a zman and it was GARBAGE! I used Karu lures for a long time until they quit selling them online. I still have a bunch that use, but I will say that I fished a tournament with a guy today that was using a 1/4ounce zman and was wacking them. I told him that I thought they were junk and he showed it to me and they changed the head, the snap and the hook. It looks alot more durable now.

[bassnleo]

I use only the originals. It suprises me that some have never caught fish on them, but like anything else, they are a situational bait. I have seen days where they outfished a spinnerbait, but also days where the spinnerbait was #1. I've won tournaments on them.

The constants for success with them seems to be:

Active fish

Stained to dirty water

Cover such as weeds, pads (or stems in the Spring), or wood / bushes.

I fish them just like a spinnerbait and on a heavy action Kistler jig rod and 30 lb braid.

[JoePhish]

Z-Man Chatterfrog in the Black/White color. Seems to be a bit bigger than most models.

Bought one, used it, got skunked, threw it in a box to be forgotten about.

Decided to give it another try this year. Now I love it. It's a "no dinks" bait for me. Haven't caught a small fish on it yet.

I usually trail it with a Swimsenko though sometimes I use the frogs legs that come with it.

[Bluebasser86]

I use the orginal chatterbait. 90% of the time I'm fishing a 1/4oz white with a silver blade and a chartruese split tail trailer. I've caught fish in super muddy water with it and one of the really clear lakes I fish the just crush it. It's a lot of fun to watch the largemouth and smallmouth come from a long way to get that bait in clear water! I had a hard time catching anything on it at first but now that I have it's one of my go to baits.

[Sam]

Pro Style in white, white/chat and blue/black.

[BassThumb]

I like the Z-Man Original personally. I buy them when they're on sale usually, and they're well worth the $3-4. I don't like to spend much more than that on a chatterbait because the pike up here like to bite them off.

[Punkinseedfyretailz]

use a mini white one with a small lake fork shad on it or use a big one with a money minnow on it.

the kit is well worth buying. $20

[BassThumb]

Good looking bait, MonteSS.

[Gangley]

KaRu Vibrashock

Trailers:

LFT Live Magic Shad

YUM Money Minnow

ZOOM Fat Albert Grub (Single Tail)

I usually have great success with them in the spring and fall, but I don't do very well with them during mid summer months.

[Gangley]

MontesSS....

Try making them with football heads as well. The blade nicks the head on both sides of the hook eyelet and creates a lot more noise/vibration. After time, the blade will have knocked all the paint off of the front side of the jig head.