http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7170-112.jpg

Over the last few years the chatterbait has become one of my most dependable big fish baits. I even had one year where I caught more over 10 on chatterbaits than I did on swimbaits. They're just that good.

I hesitate to give any suggestions where to fish it, since it's worked in everything from bare mud flats to rock to wood to heavy weeds for me.

During the day I like using a smaller bait. My favorite is a 3/8 oz table rock jighead with a baby brush hog trailer, in shades of green pumpkin. Although this is a custom made bait, it looks an awful lot like the original chatterbait.

At night I move up in size. I particularly like a 1/2 oz Ganns jig, that comes with a knarly 6/0 jig hook. I use a full size brush hog as a trailer here (see above pic) and trim about half the strands of the weed guard.

Finally, stripers sometimes love chatterbaits, too. I've caught quite a few nice ones off the beach on this bait.


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7172-chatter_hai2r.jpg

How do you like to fish chatterbaits? Like a spinner bait? like a jig? Ripping up off the bottom? The only way I have been able to catch fish on them have been on a straight or stop and go retrieve, like I would fish a spinner bait. I also have not had very much luck in colors other than baitfish imitators (white, white/chart, smoke) Judging by the color combinations you are throwing it sounds like you trying to imitate a crawdad more than a baitfish. My most effective fish catcher has been a 3/8 oz chatter bait with no skirt and a Bastrix, Money Minnow or, more recently, a Magic Shad on the back, but I have not caught any fish over 4 pounds on them. I know the baits have big fish potential, and I have great confidence in them, but I have yet to find out how to get a big bite on them.

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what have-yous

Straight grind like a spinnerbait seems to work best for me. I've caught quite a few trolling the bait while jumping between spots amusingly enough.

I do use it most often as a crawdad imitation, though I've caught a few nice ones on white as well. I've never tried it with a basstrix type bait, but seems like a good idea!

Straight retrieve works best for me also. For a trailer I like to use a Super Fluke (Baby Bass color is excellent). For some reason fish will often strike Chatterbaits close to the boat. And many times I have had fish bump it/ strike it and missed them...then they will hit it again and I catch them. Sometimes I'll get a bump on one and on a followup cast they will tag it. Great lure!

Thanks for the tip on the Stripers Nico! I'll have to buy some and give them on shot on my hair raisers next time I'm plugging or trolling. Who makes that hair raiser? Spro?

A steady grind always works but a slow roll clipping the bottom seems to get the better bites for the guys I fish with. Catfish seem to love them at night as we’ve caught quite a few on them.

Not that it matters, but I think that's a Megabait hair raiser. I'll be curious to see if delta stripers like it. It was very mixed at the beach. Definitely times where it was the only thing getting bit, but other times where the fish seemed turned off by it.



http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7180-chatterspin.jpg

Oh Delta srtipers LOVE chaterbaits, although I have never thrown a hair raiser version. Last October I stopped throwing chatterbaits during my prefish for the AC TOC because of all the stripers I was catching. It was a blast, but the stripers showed be why some guys call the original chatterbaits "shatterbaits." The stripers broke hooks, bent out snaps, and opened the jighead eyes on all the originals that I had (about 10 or so) I make my own now.

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what have-yous

Nico, once I get some in my hands, I'll try them out and let you know. :-) Where can I buy just the blades?

I got mine here:

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/shaker-blades/330632.aspx