Chatterbaits and Prespawn Bass

I have never been a big chatterbait fan, however last fall and so far this spring I have been throwing them a lot and actually realizing that the bass this Spring have preferred it over everything else. Over the weekend I fished on a Wisconsin lake where water temps were 52-54 and the wind was howling. I started on a point that came off an island on the main lake and created a pinch point with another point on the opposite bank and I worked the weed edge trying to run the chatterbait through the weeds. Had my first fish on the third cast and 5 fish on the first pass down the point.

I typically throw a jerkbait in this type of situation so on the way back up the opposite side of the point I threw my trusty KVD Jerk in bone color and proceeded to get blanked. Both these lures will certainly catch fish in this prespawn scenario, but I was a fan of how easy and effortless the chatterbait forces on the plastic trailer. Even more than a jerkbait and with much less exerted effort by the angler. My retrieve was 5 or six turns of the reel, let it drop to the bottom, repeat. I was using paddletail Rage Swimmers this day but I also really like using flukes as trailers. What are you guys using for chatterbaits and which ones do you like? I’ve been using the Picasso Shock Blade but I have a few ThunderCrickets coming in the mail.

I also fished up shallow those days and caught some very small males but it was barren for the most part. The fish are still staging on the weedlines with some hanging out deep still. Wish we could get some warmer weather. Can’t wait to be able to fish the spawn! The video below is there for a little extra depth to what/how I was fishing last weekend. I have a feeling the bite will be the same for Opener this weekend!

Prespawn my favorite lures are:

• Jerkbaits – a lot of times I go smaller with the 3 1/8 inch X-rap if they are not hitting the usual 4 inch Shadow Rap.

• I throw Chatterbaits a lot, but again when water temps are upper 40’s to low 50’s I go small with the Chatterbait Micro (1/8 oz) or Mini (1/4 oz).

• 3/8 oz Mimic Minnow with spinner blade. Smaller profile than your typical spinnerbait and casts in the wind much better.

As water temps get into upper 50’s to 60’s I upsize the jerkbaits to 4-5 inchers and 1/2 oz Chatterbaits

I just bought some Yamamoto cowboys to try for a trailer. Can’t wait to try out my new flipping rod I picked up from u fry!

Craig Sery wrote:

I just bought some Yamamoto cowboys to try for a trailer. Can’t wait to try out my new flipping rod I picked up from u fry!

I have a few packs of those I got specifically for chatterbaits but haven’t used them yet. Heard they have nice action though.

“I just bought some Yamamoto cowboys to try for a trailer. Can’t wait to try out my new flipping rod I picked up from u fry!”

I always used to be a spinnerbait guy. Then the chatterbait movement came out the last few years and I was late to get on the train. I started using them last season, experimenting with various colors and trailers. Its a more versatile lure in my opinion because you can fish it slower and deeper. However, pike seem to still love them and they trimmed me off a couple times…and yes I still use some spinnerbaits too.

gim wrote:

I always used to be a spinnerbait guy. Then the chatterbait movement came out the last few years and I was late to get on the train. I started using them last season, experimenting with various colors and trailers. Its a more versatile lure in my opinion because you can fish it slower and deeper. However, pike seem to still love them and they trimmed me off a couple times…and yes I still use some spinnerbaits too.

I’m the same as you. I started using them last spring. I’m interested to see if these Thundercrickets have a noticeable difference in catching fish than the cheaper Chatterbaits. People sure do obsess over those and the Jackhammers.

gim wrote:

However, pike seem to still love them and they trimmed me off a couple times…

If you live near enough to Wayzata Bait, stop in and buy Bob’s 2.5 inch “Crank bait Leaders.” They actually really help but are small enough not to impact the action. I never fish Chatterbaits without them.

FryDog62 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gimruis wrote:</div>
However, pike seem to still love them and they trimmed me off a couple times…

If you live near enough to Wayzata Bait, stop in and buy Bob’s 2.5 inch “Crank bait Leaders.” They actually really help but are small enough not to impact the action. I never fish Chatterbaits without them.

I was in there yesterday, ironically. Will check for them next time. Thanks

For chatterbaits I mainly use the Jackhammer or the Project Z which is a very nice chatterbait and can be had for around $5 on sale. As far as trailers I use a ZMan Razor shad at least 90% of the time. They’re just so durable and don’t mess with the action of the chatterbait like a boot tail swimbait can. Though if you’re fishing the chatterbait in a lift and drop manner, I could see the swimbait being good. The Zoom Z Craw rigged vertically is also a nice trailer.

I’m not much of a bass angler really but I’m always willing to try something different so I ordered a bunch of components to make chatter jigs and then I say down and made up some of these as trailers.

The yamamoto zako seems to work as good as the razor shadz but its more expensive and not nearly as durable either.

For trailers, I’m using Zako or Razor Shadz when the water is in the 50’s, Menace Grubs rigged vertically in the 60’s and an Ultra Vibe Speed Craw in warm water 70+ – crazy action but very light and doesn’t mess with the blade action.

gim wrote:

I always used to be a spinnerbait guy. Then the chatterbait movement came out the last few years and I was late to get on the train. I started using them last season, experimenting with various colors and trailers. Its a more versatile lure in my opinion because you can fish it slower and deeper. However, pike seem to still love them and they trimmed me off a couple times…and yes I still use some spinnerbaits too.

Funny you should say this, because I started reading this thread and was going to ask have chatterbaits replaced spinnerbaits as a top bass lure?

You seldom hear about spinner baits as topics anymore.

For me the top 2 bass baits were always plastic worms and spinner baits. Now I think it’s worms and chatter baits.

I think you’re right about Chatterbaits but then Rick Clunn won on the Elites tour with some huge fish last year on the St Johns River, and now Spinnerbaits seem to be making a come back. Seeing a lot of guys on MLF using them more now too. I think new lures are part fad, and what people have confidence in… just hope the fish are up on the latest trend before I decide what to buy!

I guess to that end, you rarely hear plastic worms as a topic. I guess they always will be.

I need to go check out the pond in the preserve that is open again. My bass game has to be weak at this point.

Lots of lures go through phases like this. When the whopper plopper came out in a smaller bass sized version people started using those all the time too as their primary topwater lure. At the moment I do think that the chatterbait/bladed jig movement has mostly replaced a spinnerbait…but not in my box.

Tom, it would be great if someone(you!?) made a stickbait that had salt for weight in the front but was bouyant plastic in the back-easier said than done?

While I do have 5″ senko mold, I won’t use any plastic that has a weighting compound in it….too abrasive on the plunger, rings and barrel of the injector. I really have no interest in making the stick baits.

Maybe someone makes one but it would be like a neko with the clean balanced simplicity of a hook. On the bottom the tail would stick up, no messing around with the little nail.
BTW-Tom, Great looking craws

They make floating worms (Basspro, Zman, Berkley) already. Basically just throw them on a ned rig or neko rig it and you have your presentation. I believe this is why the “stand up” worm style lures have gotten so popular again, even though most dont use floating plastics with them.

The shaky head jig has been really effective for a long time and these are all very similar to that with minor tweaks.

As for spinnerbaits getting overshadowed by chatterbaits it comes down to the versatility. I think its easier to fish a chatterbait at all depths than a spinnerbait. More compact, dives faster, gets hung up less, and (I believe) has a better profile than a spinnerbait.

That said on opener my buddy caught more on a spinnerbait than my chatterbait so its all situational like everything else in fishing.

I have some chatterbaits but I gotta ask based on what you said:
Does a 3/8ths chatter sink faster work deeper than a 3/8ths spinner?
More compact? the right left profile is thinner on a spinner so as you try to ‘snake’ it threw the weeds the spinner might do better-what I use for a spinner though does do better than most , I use a titanium and the arm flexes more and does not spin out at higher speeds ( should not even mention this because this spinner is getting hard to find) anyway do more tests with you buddy who throws spinners-bought some CBs so I would like to use them!

tim hurley wrote:

I have some chatterbaits but I gotta ask based on what you said:
Does a 3/8ths chatter sink faster work deeper than a 3/8ths spinner?
More compact? the right left profile is thinner on a spinner so as you try to ‘snake’ it threw the weeds the spinner might do better-what I use for a spinner though does do better than most , I use a titanium and the arm flexes more and does not spin out at higher speeds ( should not even mention this because this spinner is getting hard to find) anyway do more tests with you buddy who throws spinners-bought some CBs so I would like to use them!

I feel that the blades create much more drag going through the water but it’s just a feeling when I’ve fished both of them. It seems to me that the chatterbait falls faster. I don’t have any real proof other than what I’ve noticed. I’ve not put the two next to each other and timed them. Chatterbaits work better for me. I’ve never big a big spinnerbait guy to begin with though. Thrown them quite a bit but never had a lot of success with them.

Well I really have not used CBs too much, I should try them more-the whole helicopter effect when a spinner falls probably does slow the fall down , just need to fish more! always the answer.

tim hurley wrote:

Well I really have not used CBs too much, I should try them more-the whole helicopter effect when a spinner falls probably does slow the fall down , just need to fish more! always the answer.

CB’s tend to float up upon retrieve, so I recommend 1/2 or 3/4 oz to keep it down in the water column over a 3/8. Important you are in some contact with weeds IMO and the extra weight helps. Only time I use 1/4 and 3/8 oz are early Spring when I want to down size.