Chatterbait advice

[Brad Harder]

Good morning guys I finally found a couple chatterbaits at my local bait shop, I was wondering what kind of success you guys are having with them, and how and what situations your using them in? I'm fishing a tournament in an extremely clear, deep lake this weekend (did terrible last year) and I'm hopeing to have better luck. Thanks

 

[TritonGlenn]

I haven't used the chatterbait in that situation, so I cannot say whether or not it will work there.... but it wouldn't be my first choice in something like that. I personnally would have a few of these lures ready to go:

1) Senko - in clear water, probably color 323 (Watermelon with black/gold flakes), or some other variation of Watermelon with flake.

2) Drop shot - I like Culprits drop shot lures - I'd start with Pumpkin with blue/black flakes, and probably also try Smoke with black/purple flakes and Ghost Purple.

3) Jigging spoon - I'd slip a tube lure over it if the flash is scaring fish, so that way I have something with tenticles and a natural color, that can reach down to those deep fish.

4) A Carolina rigged Zoom Centipede in Watermelon color if you have any points to work over.



I've caught fish recently with a chatterbait, but most of those were in less than 8 feet of water, and the water was far from what I would call clear. I fish it like a spinnerbait - cast, reel, kill it, reel some more, hit some stumps/branches, kill it, reel it, pop the rod tip a time or two on the retrieve, reel to the boat. Most hits have come when I kill it after hitting structure, or when I pop it and let it fall.



Hope this helps.

All the best,

Glenn

 

[Larry Harp]

I finally found some Chatterbaits at an out of the way tackle store just yesterday. I'm not sure if I found the greatest thing since the invention of the fish hook or just the next gimmick that we'll be laughing at ourselves for even buying in a couple of years. Anyhoo...I plunked down my 6 bucks apiece for what is essentially a jig with a pop-top attached to it. I got a white one and a blue/black one...we'll see how good they are.:unsure:



I believe that 90% of catching fish is finding fish and then running something by them that they respond to. I see the Chatterbaits as being good for suspended fish in the timber or around docks or over submerged structure like humps and submerged weed beds. I guess you could fish it deep but I'm not sure how good it would work. I'm starting to go to drop-shot and shakey head jigs for the deep stuff.



Harpo

 

[Jim in VA]

I have a few of the Chatterbait-type lures from Backwaters (i.e., Gambler Swim Blades). They do work, but like any other lure, its just another to have as part of any bass fisher's arsenal - it does not have any "magic" properties. I've had my best success fishing the lure like a spinnerbait or a swimming jig using much the same techniques as tritonglenn. My last outing at Mattawoman, I would pitch them into pockets of spatterdock in about 3 feet of water and pull them out towards deeper water with an erratic retrieve. Got two really good fish using that technique. That said, it doesn't always work. For example, when I was out last week with C., he was killing them on a traditional spinner and lipless crank. My Chatterbait elicited a few hits but no solid hook ups. Bottom line - give it a try, but don't expect it to be a "miracle" lure.