What's new for 2019 (+Chatterbaits)

Hey guys!

At the end of the 2018 fishing season, I got into a bunch of new strategies of fishing, but none worked as well as the Chatterbait. I first tried the original Z-Man chatterbait out in Early June, but set it down until early July when I bought my first Jackhammer. After hearing all of the hype around this bait, I finally committed to all $15 of it. On a calm, sunny morning, I decided to try it for the first time. I threaded on a Rage Tail Menace grub and gave it a cast. On my very first cast, I landed a 3-pound largemouth. A couple casts later, I caught a 3-pound smallmouth. I threw it for the rest of the day and I caught, in total, 26 largemouths, 2 smallmouths, and 7 pike.

I threw it for the rest of the year and couldn’t have been happier. Fast forward to September 5th. Me and a buddy were fishing a small south Metro pond. We usually go down there and catch a few 10 inchers on senkos but that was usually it. The biggest we’d ever caught was a 19″. He wanted to try out my Chatterbait, so I let him throw it around for a few casts. On his 3rd cast, he sets the hook into something B I G. He finally managed to bring the fish towards shore, and I lipped it. We got a quick measurement and weight, and the fish was 5.1 lbs, 21″. We were both in shock on the sheer size of this fish. After a couple of pictures, we let it go. We were both in awe about how big the fish was for a small lake as pressured as this one was. We went back to fishing.

A couple of casts later, he sets the hook AGAIN into something huge. After a long fight, we finally landed the fish. It was 4.4lbs, 20″. We decided that this wasn’t a coincidence.

In the last couple of major bass tournaments around the US, the same “unnamed bladed jig” has a spot in almost every arsenal. The 2019 Bassmaster Classic was won by a lipless crank and an “unnamed bladed jig” which was later revealed to be a Jackhammer.

Dozens of companies are trying to replicate the success of the Jackhammer, but none have been successful because of one major flaw. Z-Man owns exclusive rights to a Blade connected directly to the jig, which helps produce a vibration that a split ring between a jig and blade can’t replicate.

Something that really caught my attention was Strike King’s new Thunder Cricket. At $10.99, it’s a cheaper alternative to a Jackhammer, and the blade is connected directly to the head. It confused me how Strike King found a way around the Z-Man patent, so I did some research. As it turns out, Z-Man actually manufactures the baits and sells them to Strike King for them to sell as their own. The only major difference between the two baits is the skirt and trailer keeper. On the Jackhammer, skirts are tied directly onto the bait, and there’s a double wire keeper. On the Thunder Cricket, the skirts are secured by a rubber band, and the trailer keeper is Twist-Lock, like on many swimbait hooks.

I want to hear your guys’ experiences with Chatterbaits over the last few years. Have you invested in a Jackhammer yet? If not, I suggest you should.

I’d also like to hear your opinions on the Thunder Crickets as well.

Tight lines,
FDCMN

I have heard good things about the Terminator shudder bait.

I got into the chatterbait game last fall after having a day where the fish wouldn’t hit anything. Tied on a chatterbait and BAM, caught like 10 in about a half an hour. I was sold.

I have used the Zman original and custom but have since switched over to Picasso Aaron Martens chatterbaits. I have found that the blade starts vibrating a lot sooner than the Zman blades when you are jigging up or starting and stopping. Will probably try out the Thundercricket as I’m a bit of a Strike King junkie. Haven’t been able to bring myself to spend the bucks on the Jackhammers though.

It was my most used bait on the ponds. It worked and it is so versatile too.

I need to start using it in saltwater. I know CA Richardson uses them in Louisiana when he does a couple shows there.

one thing that I love about the Jackhammer is that it starts to vibrate the second u start to reel. Thunder cricket will probably do the same.

Chatterbaits are a staple of mine these days. It took me a really long time to gain any confidence in them though. A couple summers ago, I think it was 2017, I decided that any time I normally would throw a spnnerbait that I would use a chatterbait in lou of.

This forced me to commit to the bait even without confidence. What I found was that I loved fishing these around really leafy trees that were partially submerged and grass. They didnt work out around the dead and down stuff so much. I’ll stick to my crankbaits in those scenarios.

Thanks for the tip on the Thunder Cricket vibrating jig. They are great looking baits so I had to order some up.

I bought the Z-man Chatterbaits… I actually like the Project Z with the weed guard a little better than the Jackhammer because you can get it bouncing in/around cover a little better..

I have one Zman original chatterbait and didnt have much luck with it, so haven’t used it much. Also noticed it doesn’t always vibrate right away so I may try the Jackhammer.

What cover are you looking for to be using the chatterbait? I tried mostly on docks and outside weed edge with no success.

Grass and weed lines are where I have the best luck. I have also started casting to shallow laydowns from distance and running it past the edges of the laydowns, then get up close and pick it apart with a jig or texas rigged creature bait. Have picked off a good amount of fish that way. Used to use squarebill cranks for this but you can keep a chatterbait in the strike zone much longer than a crank.

I was slow to adopt Chatterjigs, but have been using them for years now. I’ve got a few Jackhammers, but save them primarily for tournament days. I’ve caught a bunch of fish on D & M Piranhas and Strike King Pure Poisons. The Thunder Cricket looks like a Poison with a different blade. Total money grab on Strike King’s part IMO.

Great video on chatterbaits. I think I am going to try one of those Jackhammers fishingdakotacounty is recommending.

I haven’t fished much for chatterbaits or bladed jigs. I did buy a terminator shuddering bait because it was on sale about a month ago and I intend to try it. I think it could just be another “fad” with lures out there that people think is the missing secret. Sort of when the whopper plopper hit the market.

I’ve used both chatter baits and the whopper plopper. The WP might be at worst as god as any other top water bait, but I wil sa the chatter bait worked when other baits weren’t doing it. The best part of the chatterbait is it is very versatile.

mplspug wrote:

I’ve used both chatter baits and the whopper plopper. The WP might be at worst as god as any other top water bait, but I wil sa the chatter bait worked when other baits weren’t doing it. The best part of the chatterbait is it is very versatile.

Pug, tell me more about the versatility. I’ve had pretty good luck with Chatterbaits, but primarily cast and straight retrieve. Have done a little skipping under docks, but only a little.

What other ways have you had luck with it?

What size/weight Zman Jackhammer you guys having most success with? Guess I’m a late adopter. Been spending my time of late trying to score some Dark Sleepers.

FryDog62 wrote:

Pug, tell me more about the versatility. I’ve had pretty good luck with Chatterbaits, but primarily cast and straight retrieve. Have done a little skipping under docks, but only a little.

What other ways have you had luck with it?

Basically every retrieve you can think of aside from things like jerking, twitching and walking the dog. I’ve buzzed them on top, jigged them, slow rolled them, etc

My favorite was jigging them. I’d use the rod to raise the bait up, but halfway through the lift I would slow down gradually to where I was barely moving the rod at the top and then let the bait fall. Basically mimicing prey jumping up off the bottom, but running out of energy.

mplspug wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FryDog62 wrote:</div>
Pug, tell me more about the versatility. I’ve had pretty good luck with Chatterbaits, but primarily cast and straight retrieve. Have done a little skipping under docks, but only a little.

What other ways have you had luck with it?

Basically every retrieve you can think of aside from things like jerking, twitching and walking the dog. I’ve buzzed them on top, jigged them, slow rolled them, etc

My favorite was jigging them. I’d use the rod to raise the bait up, but halfway through the lift I would slow down gradually to where I was barely moving the rod at the top and then let the bait fall. Basically mimicing prey jumping up off the bottom, but running out of energy.

THIS! Jigging chatterbaits can turn negative fish on and is also a good way to target deeper fish as well. But you really need to get a chatterbait that the blade starts thumping right away to make it effective.