How to fish a chatterbait

[Kentuck]

Ok, been hearing a bunch about chatterbaits and have to admit that although I own a few I reallly have never tried them. How do you all fish them? Like a jig? Swim it?

Thanks
Kentuck

[Brian]

chuck and crank is what I do. But PM terry smith. He is the local Chatterbait KING.

[Mike]

It depends on time of year, but on the Delta I use them a couple of different ways and some of my biggest weights have come on a Bobby D's Chatter jig.

Spring/summer: I use them just like a crankbait. The great thing about using them this way is you can controll the depth by the speed of your retreve. I use the 1/2 ounce with 17# mono on a Dobyn's 734c and a Chronarch. You can burn them over grass or slow down and get them down to 12+ feet. You can cover any depth that the fish are in.

Fall/Winter: I use them like a jig. I use the same rod/reel combo, but will switch to floro for more feel. I will fish them in a yo-yo action. Rip it up and let it fall back to the bottom. This works great on deeper points and berms. And this time of year you can find packs of big fish together and really load the boat. One tournament in November I caught 32 pounds in about 20 minutes using this method.

Good luck!

[Steve Reed]

On the delta I try and put the bait as close to the shore as I can and I parallel the bank.

Alot of the bite I get are right when it hits the water.

The best advice about the retrieve I can give is just switch it up from cast to cast and let the bait fall on occassion.

[scott h]

Uh ,you should only throw chatterbaits on lake tahoe! Thats the only place they are effective You would be just wasting your time with em on lakes like clear lake and the delta! The most effective retrieve I have found is as slow as you can reel and keep it working and ticking the tops of the grass. Good luck. Scott h.

[g-man]

I like to work it up, and down like a jig. Good bait! Vertical..

[Greg_Cornish]

I've used them a lot and haven't got a fish with them yet

[Skunkedagain]

I've had some good hit's with the chatterbait recently. I've found letting it sink to the bottom and leaving it there for a few seconds, then starting the retrieve gets them to bite.

[Kevin]

reel

[g-man]

I've used them a lot and haven't got a fish with them yet

thats cause you can't fish!

[Greg_Cornish]

I've used them a lot and haven't got a fish with them yet

thats cause you can't fish!

True

[g-man]

I've used them a lot and haven't got a fish with them yet

thats cause you can't fish!

True

My bad!

[Greg_Cornish]

Going to tie one on again tomorrow night and fish 18 ft of water. Think I'll try different trailers. We got 35 to the boat last night on lotsa stuff but jigs was the best. Chatterbait should work there if anywhere.

[Burke]

I use the chatterbait in situations where I could throw a spinnerbait. Have had great success using the "stop n go" method -- crank it 2 or 3 turns of my reel and stop for about a second and then go again. If I'm not cranking a Rat L Trap, I'm throwing a chatterbait. My biggest fish on a chatterbait is a 10 lb striper.

[set'em good]

I have had issue's setting hooks when using the Chatterbait "yo yo style". I swear to god I had a bunch of very big fish just annihilate it when ripping it up and letting it drop at Coyote, I would set the hook as I would a jig but would not stick them. I did switch to a jig and get them using the same method but did not receive as many hits.

Looking at the bait it seems that the blade would interfere with a hook set if a fish inhales the entire bait? Has anyone else had the same problem?

However when using it with a steady retrieve I don't miss that many fish.

[Kentuck]

Thanks everyone. This gives me the info I need. Now we'll see if I can put it together.

[Terry Smith]

It depends on time of year, but on the Delta I use them a couple of different ways and some of my biggest weights have come on a Bobby D's Chatter jig.

Spring/summer: I use them just like a crankbait. The great thing about using them this way is you can controll the depth by the speed of your retreve. I use the 1/2 ounce with 17# mono on a Dobyn's 734c and a Chronarch. You can burn them over grass or slow down and get them down to 12+ feet. You can cover any depth that the fish are in.

Fall/Winter: I use them like a jig. I use the same rod/reel combo, but will switch to floro for more feel. I will fish them in a yo-yo action. Rip it up and let it fall back to the bottom. This works great on deeper points and berms. And this time of year you can find packs of big fish together and really load the boat. One tournament in November I caught 32 pounds in about 20 minutes using this method.

Good luck!

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I use the original Chatterbait. With A Diawa Reel ,Powel Rod, and Maxima 12lb Florocarbin.

[deltabassangler]

Love the chatterbait. I use a 1/2 ounce, and all I do is crank and wind. Works great!

[Greg_Cornish]

Anyone make a heavier one than 1/2 oz?

[Jason C.]

I know someone does, I cant think of the company's name for the life of me right now. But give the Hook Line and Sinker a call. I have seen them there before so they would be able to tell ya!

[Sacto John]

Anyone make a heavier one than 1/2 oz?

The Fishin Magician Voo-Doo comes in 1oz, and Rad Lures made a 1oz Chatterbait for muskie, I am sure there are more companes out there that make heavier baits as well. I have been making my own baits with 3/4 oz heads and oversize blades that work great. You can get all you need from Barlows Tackle:

http://www.barlowstackle.com/make-shakee-baits.html

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

Anyone make a heavier one than 1/2 oz?

I picked up a few 3/4 and 1oz'ers at Limit Out the last time I was up yer way.... I think they were made by D&M........ nice baits

[BigBoy]

I have had issue's setting hooks when using the Chatterbait "yo yo style". I swear to god I had a bunch of very big fish just annihilate it when ripping it up and letting it drop at Coyote, I would set the hook as I would a jig but would not stick them. I did switch to a jig and get them using the same method but did not receive as many hits.

Looking at the bait it seems that the blade would interfere with a hook set if a fish inhales the entire bait? Has anyone else had the same problem?

However when using it with a steady retrieve I don't miss that many fish.

Yeah the blade forces there mouth open, when I fish it I just take up the slack with my reel, so I always fish a chatter bait with a 6.2:1 or 7:1 reel.

When I yo-yo it I don't rip it has hard as a lipless crankbait and I work the reel to pick up slack. Good luck with it.