Chatter baits

[bigfish 1]

First of all, I want to thank all you guys for helping me out on the swimming flukes. Now if you can tell me, what do you think about the chatter baits? Do they really work as good as some people are telling me? Thanks, big fish 1

[walkeraviator]

I have tried and tried to throw a chatter bait. I have had zero success with it. BUt that could just be me throwing it at teh wrong times or in the wrong places. I love the vibration they put out, you would think these things would be killer in muddy water...

[jdw174]

I never owned a Chatterbait until last spring when I found some marked down in a sale box at the local tackle store. Got two for $2.98 each. First time out the lake was still flooded from spring rain and the water was very murky...pretty good chop on the water. When nothing else worked I tied on a chartreuse Chatterbait and grabbed 6 fish in 6 casts. I like them when the water is "noisy" and stained. Don't bother with them a lot in clearer water. They definitely have their place.

[Bender]

I'm always slow to try things that I am not so sure about, so this spring was the first time I ever tried these chatterbaits. I was struggling in February and I talked to a guy at the ramp who was using them and catching fish. I went and got some and I started catching more fish too. This was in cold, dirty water. Also you had to drag it on the bottom only fast enough that you could feel the blade move. Kind of like slow rolling a spinnerbait, just a smaller profile.

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by Bender

I'm always slow to try things that I am not so sure about, so this spring was the first time I ever tried these chatterbaits. I was struggling in February and I talked to a guy at the ramp who was using them and catching fish. I went and got some and I started catching more fish too. This was in cold, dirty water. Also you had to drag it on the bottom only fast enough that you could feel the blade move. Kind of like slow rolling a spinnerbait, just a smaller profile.

My experience with chatterbaits is very simpilar to Bender. I've had good success with chatterbaits right after ice out and throughout early spring. I work the slowly swimming them jist above the lakes floor and right up along and around any cover there is being carefull not to get the chatterbait into any brush as they will snag any piece of woody cover like a 3 year old snatching a cookie. Once the water starts to warm and the weedbeds start to grow, I do better with other baits. I'm not sure why because they look and feel great. But thats been my experience.

[ted4800]

I have been fishing them for two years, First time I used them water was slightly stained in the spring and I skunked my boat partner 6-0 because even though i offered him one he refused and did not catch a fish. Pretty much fish them early and use them about the same way as a spinner, find them most veristal. throw around weeds and wood cover with good success.

[cassidyta]

I throw them a lot. Heck, I will go with one before I use a spinnerbait almost everytime, to include Gin Clear lakes.
I know that a lot of the Pros say that they use a chatterbait until the water reaches 50 degrees and then they switch over to the spinnerbait.

[lilmule]

On Ky lake their are times they will hit them but not a spinnerbait,the smaller sizes work for me better 1/8 catches even white bass,1/4 catches mostly largemouth,above 3/8 I cant get bit on them and the 1/4 way out preforms the larger 3/8 normally.White and or w/c are only two colors i use.

[Bassboss]

A chatterbait! Your cold water spinnerbait! Good info in this thread, I wanna get good a chatterbaits this season! What kinda trailers ya'll using, and what color skirt (Don't mean the hijack your thread Bigfish)?

[Bender]

For a trailer cut down an swim senko and turn it upside down so the tail is up. I suppose color depends more on where you are fishing them, but I made my own watermelon gold skirts.

[cassidyta]

I use any boot tail minnow or I will use half of a ribbit frog.

[keithdog]

I just use the standard twin tail trailer some of them come with. I've found that by using a chartruese or yellow trailer on a white chatterbait can be killer.

[bassboogieman]

The chatterbait has become my favorite spring and fall bait. It's just about replaced spinnerbaits for me. Last July in Canada it produced about 80% of the fish I caught - smallmouth, largemouth and pike ate it when they would not hit anything else. The pike were a problem, they really hammered the chatterbait - I lost the seven I had to pike. Finding replacements wasn't easy either, according to the bait shop owners I tried the chatterbait isn't popular up north - but it should be. Last fall on the Potomac it produced again around the 80% level. I usually fish them with a 4" fluke, but the split tail trailers most come with also work well.

They seem to have worked best for me with water temps in the mid 60's to low 70's White and white/chartruse always produce. This year I've started making my own, and will be experimenting with colors I haven't seen in the commercail brands like crawfish, bluegill, pumpkinseed and a frog pattern that I can't wait to try on the Potomac later this year. They've worked best for me over or along grass lines, which is the situation I had in both Canada and Potomac. Over grass was the deadliest with parallel to grass lines a close second, but any place you would throw a spinnnerbait you can use a chatterbait.

I use a 1/4 and 3/8 ounce bait, with my preference being a 3/8 in most instances. If grass is just below the water surface I'll go to the 1/4 oz. so it doesn't run quite as deep. I throw them on the same rod I use for spinnerbaits - 6'9" MH/fast Kistler LTX and a 6.4:1 reel, but any rod you throw a spinnerbait on would work.

[DaveW731]

I have found them to be a great search lure. In my experience, they either get bit right away or not at all, so they are often the first bait I throw when I get to a new spot. After one fish, If I don't get bit a second time pretty quick, I'll switch to a spinnerbait or crankbait and as often as not will pick up another fish or two.
My major beef with the bait is the horrible hook quality; particularly on the smallest (1/8oz) size.

[nmanley]

I use them in stained or clear water and I ALWAYS go to a chatter type bait if fish are short striking a spinner-bait.

I like them so much I make my own now for less than half the normal cost.

[3dkicker]

Caught two keepers yesterday and a bunch of 14" fish on them. They are great baits for shallow grassy water. I use a custom trailer and skirt on mine but you can catch fish on them straight out of the package. 3/8 oz works fine. There are a couple brands out there that work well. I like shad color but some do real well on craw colors too. That's something I need to play with this year.

[DaveW731]

Originally Posted by nmanley

I use them in stained or clear water and I ALWAYS go to a chatter type bait if fish are short striking a spinner-bait.

I like them so much I make my own now for less than half the normal cost.

Would you be willing to describe how you make them? There are things I don't like about each of the different brands out there and would like to combine what I do like about them into one bait.
Thanks!

[nmanley]

Originally Posted by DaveW731

Would you be willing to describe how you make them? There are things I don't like about each of the different brands out there and would like to combine what I do like about them into one bait.
Thanks!

You can get all the parts but the correct jig heads from http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/

I like the football jig heads to have the eye turned horizontal, not vertical so only one snap ring is used and the blade is not too far out front. this allows my bait to make a clacking sound with the blade against the head. Doesn't matter if they have the bristle weed guards or not as you can remove them with a pair of pliers. Just grab at the base of the weed guard twist and the whole thing should pop out. I don't worry about filling the hole left behind.

I found some 4pk Booyah jig heads on Tackle Warehouse that I like. But there are places that will make them in bulk (50 minimum). You just have to be willing to pay for that many.


I usually use a trailer by modifying a zoom brush hawg for dark colors. The little twin tails are NICE! Can use most any light color trailer but I tend to get the skirts that have a built in trailer.



That it pretty much it. Cost me about $2.25 each total plus my labor.

Here are a few I made with Jewel jig heads. (Cost more per head)

[DaveW731]

Thanks, nmanley, That is a huge help! Answered all my questions. I already have all the components, except for the blades. Now that I know where to get them I am good to go!!!

Thanks again. If you are ever in Michigan, the beer is on me

[nmanley]

Anytime and your very welcome.

[Bassboss]

I'm curious as to why you went with a football head rather than a ball or grass head?

[bamabassman]

i got a couple form a new friend i haven't had the chance to use yet,hehehe. maybe this weekend? for sure the next weekend. oh.these are homade. thanks bruce.

[nmanley]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

I'm curious as to why you went with a football head rather than a ball or grass head?

As the bait is swimming, the blade is actually tapping both sides of the football head jig. A smaller profile head will not get the extra clacking sound it makes. I believe it helps it sound like a craw-fish and helps in stained or muddy water. So far I've caught a 8 and three more over 5 with them on two trips at Lake Eufaula in March. I haven't been this month yet.

The 8Lb Post spawn fish.

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by nmanley

You can get all the parts but the correct jig heads from http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/

I like the football jig heads to have the eye turned horizontal, not vertical so only one snap ring is used and the blade is not too far out front. this allows my bait to make a clacking sound with the blade against the head. Doesn't matter if they have the bristle weed guards or not as you can remove them with a pair of pliers. Just grab at the base of the weed guard twist and the whole thing should pop out. I don't worry about filling the hole left behind.

I found some 4pk Booyah jig heads on Tackle Warehouse that I like. But there are places that will make them in bulk (50 minimum). You just have to be willing to pay for that many.


I usually use a trailer by modifying a zoom brush hawg for dark colors. The little twin tails are NICE! Can use most any light color trailer but I tend to get the skirts that have a built in trailer.



That it pretty much it. Cost me about $2.25 each total plus my labor.

Here are a few I made with Jewel jig heads. (Cost more per head)

I'm curious as to what jig weights you tend to prefer using for you chatterbaits. I've been thinking of making my own as well and was wanting to try a heavier 3/4 - 1 0z jig head to use for deeper water applications as well as a faster retrieve in shallower water. Have you tried the heavier weight heads and if so, do they perform as well as the lighter weight versions? Also, is there a reason for removing the fiber weedguards from your jigs? I've noticed I get LOTS of hangups around any wood using chatterbaits without weedguards. I would think leaving the weedguards intact would make the bait more versatile.

[nmanley]

So far I've only thrown the 3/8 and 1/2oz size. Like you I was thinking a heaver deeper running bait may be great as it will let you cover more ledges quicker.
I fish the 1/2 most of the time as fish are aggressive this time of year so I can work it faster.

Those in the pic above are 1/2oz size.

I have caught some fish just pumping it off the bottom on drops 8-12ft deep. The bite seem to come as it's being pumped rather than on the fall.

Your right on the hangups. I'm going to try some with the guard left on but I will thin out the strands some. I know that without the weed guards you hardly ever loose a fish that takes the bait.