Chatterbait (and knock offs) -- what rod/reel do you use?

[Guest]

Just curious but what rod/reel do you guys use with the Chatterbait and other similar style baits? Also what gear ratio?

Looking for a comparison for:

Delta (shallow water/heavy cover)
Clear Lake (shallow/deep with a mix of cover choices & big fish possibilities)
Deep canyon lakes (Oroville, Shasta, Berryessa, Folsom type lakes)

[GregD]

It doesn't really matter what lake type I'm fishing... for a chatterbait I'll always throw it on my Dobyns 734C with a Revo STX spooled with 50 lb braid. Retrieve speed is ~6:1.

If/when I throw it, it's usually at Delta or Clear Lake type water. I haven't used them much on the canyon type lakes.

I've had pretty good results using a Big Hammer paddle tail type trailer. I'll swim that combination in and around weeds.

Greg

[Brian Ruthman]

I use a curado 7:1 reel and also the Dobyns 734c which is the same rod i use for spinnerbaits . I also use 15lb seagar line for lakes or 30lb Power pro braid if im fishing places like the delta with weeds . I have caught fish up to 10lbs with this setup . Maybe if your fishing some really heavy cover use some heavier line .
Hope this helps .

[Jason C.]

Vince I use 2 different rods for chatter baits, and it all depends on what I am fishing around.

If I am fishing in Grass or throwing the bait back into the tulles I will throw it on a Dobyns Champion 733C with 40lb test braid. I use the braid to ensure I dont break off in the tulles, and to make it easier to rip it out of the grass.

And if I am in open water I use a Dobyns Champion 704C with 14-17lb test flouro. If I was fishing a lake that had clear water I would go down to 10lb test.

The reason I use the 733C with braid is that you need a little more give in the rod to allow the fish to take the bait in, but I still like the back bone to drive the hook into the fish's mouth.
I use the 704 with the flouro because it has more stretch then braid. So you can get away with a stiffer rod.

The reel I use is a Curado 200B, your average 6.3:1 gear ratio. Thats the only speed reel I use.

I hope this answers your question, and helps ya out!

[Sacto John]

I love my 734 Powell for chatterbaits. Curado, 10 - 15 pound floro in lakes, 50 pound braid on the delta. I have also used a CR724C Loomis. which is a 6 foot heavy action rod, at the delta when making short roll casts in the tullies.

[Austen]

dobyns 734c with a revo sx- 6.4:1 i think?

revo is spooled with 15lb seaguar

i use this setup on the delta

[Micropterus salmoides]

I'm finally going to get into using chatterbait type baits this year and as others have suggested I will be using a Dobyns 734C. It will be matched with a 6.3:1 Zillion 100HA. I don't know yet if I will use braid, copolymer, or fluorocarbon. Braid is definitely popular when fishing grass, although Davy Hite used 20lb Sunline Sniper, which is a small diameter fluoro, when he won the FLW tournaments on Toho and the Delta.

[Nick_Barr]

Lamiglas XC 704J with a slow ratio baitcaster. I have found my favorite chatterbait has been the Phenix one that Brett Hite has been using.

[WANNA HOOK BIGGIN'S]

Vince, for my spinnerbait,chaterbait, and swimjig fishing I use a Lamiglas XCF705 "glass" rod 7' m/h 1/4oz - 1oz I fish the Delta primarily and find that the tip on this rod loads up well and allows that extra second for the bass to inhale the bait before I light him up. This rod has plenty of backbone as I have caught stripers 10+ lbs on it and a buddy of mine has landed stripers in the 25 to 30lb range on this rod. I use 50lb power pro on the delta. I don't have too much experience with this set up on the lakes as I have become addicted to the challenge of the Delta. Some will say you lose the sensitivity with a glass rod but if you are a quick hookset like me the delay the glass gives you actually helps. Also I use the Curado's 7:1. Good luck and let use know what you decide to use and how it works out for you.

WHB

[Lugnut]

Team Daiwa 7' Med./Hvy Worm/Jig Rod (the GREEN ones) - Abu Garcia Record - 12lb. PLine CXX Green- I have used this combo at the Delta, Clear Lake, as well as the Motherload Lakes (I change the line to 12lb. PLine Floroclear) and it hasn't let me down yet. You can feel the blade thumpin the whole time, burnin it or slow rollin. Great feel and plenty of power.

[Maddoglures]

I use a crankbait rod for all my Piranha Swim Jig fishing.

This is why, it gives the fish a few extra seconds to put some pressure on the hook point. I do not like setting the hook to hard. What I do is reel just as fast as I can until the rod loads up, then I just keep him pinned all the way to the boat.

I have found for my fishing, if I use a heavy Jig rod this will let the blade flip forward on the hook-set. This will gap his mouth open causing a missed fish.

This has been my Rod of choice, with 6:1 Reel

Powell 703 CB Glass, 7' Mod-Fast
Med-Heavy Action, 1/4 oz.-1 oz.

others might have a different set-up, if it works, use it. If you are missing fish you better change your chatterbait to a different brand or change your hook-set.

I hardly ever miss fish on my Piranha Swim Jig, it has a wide gap 5/0 Gamakatsu long shank hook and the blade lays flat on top of the jighead with bit.

[Larry Hemphill]

I use a G. Loomis 843 during the day and an 844 at night. Again, during the day I usually use a Shimano Chronarch 50mg and at night have recently been using a Shimano Calais 200 - because the D&M Piranha swim jig can attract some big bass and I often make very long casts. The drag is superior and that is important with a swim jig. Incidently, I use a Yamamoto 5" single tail grub as a trailer.