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Posts: 200
Location: Milwaukee, WI | Started trying a few of these late in the year mostly for pike. The concept and vibration seem to be attractive but how and what time of year they work the best. I’ve started to make a couple of my own with two single hooks and a trailer of some kind. Pic is attached.
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 240D080F-93D4-491B-BF0F-60838A1426E9.jpeg (69KB - 171 downloads)
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Posts: 532
Location: NW WI | In my experience, a bass/pike sized chatter is a season long option. My bass buddy's would agree. I prefer to yo yo them if I'm targeting pike, although i have friends that are successful with straight retrieves on pike. But moving to muskies, I wait for mature weed growth before I throw a Musky chatterbait. I'll either burn it or pull pause it in shallow weeds. I have not tried deeper jigging with them yet. |
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Posts: 1419
Location: Brighton CO. | I have a old Musky Innovations Chatter bait, I bring it along most years but it seldom leaves the tackle box. When it does see the water I cast it along weed edges. |
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Posts: 20224
Location: oswego, il | I prefer a chatter bait without the split ring it gives the body more vibration. |
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Posts: 1270
Location: E. Tenn | I'll put a couple in the box, then wonder later why I didn't throw them.. |
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Posts: 393
| I have tried various brands and sizes and surprised at lack of success because the action is incredible. I have found most action with small/mini sizes in the spring. |
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| Have not used but last year had a guy in my boat throw one, some sort of hybrid, action was interesting. He had two follows in about ten minutes, but both were lazy, take a look follows. Not sure why but he switched baits after the second follow.
Must have gotten attention of multiple fish because while he was figure 8ing after second follow I saw something out of the corner of my eye and about 10 feet from the boat a musky had its head partly out of the water, looking at me. That was a little strange. Just sat there looking at me for a few seconds, then slowly sank down out of sight. Wasn't the same fish he had following. |
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Posts: 160
| I use them a fair amount for bass. Generally, when I want a slower or deeper retrieve than a buck tail or a spinner bait. Same concept applies when muskie fishing. |
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Posts: 157
| Anyone use them at night? |
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Posts: 532
Location: NW WI | Put in LOADS of time with a black and nickel TnA Shredder at night, not sure what size. So far No luck. |
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Posts: 8787
| Never had much luck with them myself. Not for muskies anyway. Pike seem to like 'em, but then I think you could probably throw a turd and catch a pike... |
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Posts: 224
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota | I will say from my experience bass fishing that the only chatterbaits worth throwing are ones where the blade is connected directly to the bait instead of having a split ring connecting the two. Zman owns the patent on that direct connection so pretty much all other chatterbaits you see will have the split ring connection to legally be able to sell them. The direct connection starts up much faster, gives the body more vibration, and the blade will click against the jighead giving it another sound. I have had incredible days bass fishing in the spring on a jackhammer or the thunder cricket (strike king bait that they paid zman to use that direct connection), and then couldn’t get a sniff on a chatterbait with the split ring connection. I have been thinking about buying some big chatterbait blades from barlows and building some with a direct connection out of bucktail wire and heavy egg sinker in the front, hopefully I’ll bump this thread next summer with how well they work |
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Posts: 532
Location: NW WI | Ogandrews - 12/6/2022 9:20 PM
I will say from my experience bass fishing that the only chatterbaits worth throwing are ones where the blade is connected directly to the bait instead of having a split ring connecting the two. Zman owns the patent on that direct connection so pretty much all other chatterbaits you see will have the split ring connection to legally be able to sell them. The direct connection starts up much faster, gives the body more vibration, and the blade will click against the jighead giving it another sound. I have had incredible days bass fishing in the spring on a jackhammer or the thunder cricket (strike king bait that they paid zman to use that direct connection), and then couldn’t get a sniff on a chatterbait with the split ring connection. I have been thinking about buying some big chatterbait blades from barlows and building some with a direct connection out of bucktail wire and heavy egg sinker in the front, hopefully I’ll bump this thread next summer with how well they work
I halfway agree with you. I started playing with a few different Zman models and I'm pretty sure a strike king years ago. Quickly I gave away the others and exclusively threw the Zmann model with the Freedom Hook EWG hook setup. Either ran a matching or accenting spider grub trailer texposed or not depending on conditions. Absolutely loved it, extremely versatile, that hook being wire looped on vs. A jig mold hook gave your trailer waaaaaay more life, reduced your chances of getting shook out, and heavily increased weedless ability,everything you say about zmanns I 100% agree with.
But than, 1 day I tried a Termnator just because I wanted dark pattern and the blade is odd. It's a split ring connection, and it's found itself in my permanent roster.
Later, those Freedom hook model Zmanns skyrocketed to $13 and than disappeared. So I switched to Pepper Customs to take its place, they fit the bill just fine and come with an EWG hook and 2 paddle tail plastics and an optional bucktail and tinsel tied treble hook and it only runs $9. They are also split ring attached.
What u say about direct vs split ring attachment I agree with completely in regards to the baits performance, where I disagree is what the fish think of the difference. I haven't noticed a difference amongst large mouth and pike.
*side note question* Have you tried any of those double bladed chatters? I have not yet.
In regards to Musky, I've been pondering the last 2 years if vibration frequency has alot to play here. A TNA or Musky Shop blade is like a hand crank gattling gun and alot of bass blades are like modern day naval anti missile CRAMS in regards to thumb per linear inch. I mean, look at bucktails and spinnerbaits, different vibration sure, but it's constant.
So I'm gunna play with downsizing blades next year, toy with attachment methods, and hopefully next year we'll both talk about some beasts making it into our nets. |
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Posts: 1247
Location: Walker, MN | What I've noticed with the ZMan Jackhammer vs split ring connect: The Jackhammer starts vibrating immediately, if you are throwing to shoreline cover, this is important. Otherwise you are 2' past the stump before it starts vibing, not good.
For muskies I like the old Northland chatterbaits (stud finder?). I like them when there's a lot of fish in the reeds, so single hooks are key. Hook-ups aren't great, but better than a buzzbait by a mile. |
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Location: Northern Illinois | Musky Candies Snack Hammer chatterbait put several fish in the boat for us this year. |
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Posts: 532
Location: NW WI | Halfway into this category-Anybody had any luck with the Large Headbangers? I kinda gave up on mine prematurely I think. |
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Posts: 284
Location: Eagan, MN | I commonly use bass sized chatterbaits with a 5” fluke trailer when targeting summer and fall walleyes. Have had numerous Muskies show-up while doing this, both at night and in the daytime (Livescope confirmed). Have yet to see any of them show a strong interest in the chatterbait, much less bite the thing. Kinda surprising when a musky completely ignores something that vibrates that hard, go right over their head at night. Yet, that’s the typical response I see. A musky-sized version might be more appealing. Don’t know, haven’t tried one seriously. |
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Posts: 160
| esoxaddict - 12/6/2022 6:43 PM
Never had much luck with them myself. Not for muskies anyway. Pike seem to like 'em, but then I think you could probably throw a turd and catch a pike...
Haha. That is true. Those pesky slime darts bite just about anything. |
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Posts: 1419
Location: Brighton CO. | gimruis - 1/5/2023 8:15 AM
esoxaddict - 12/6/2022 6:43 PM
Never had much luck with them myself. Not for muskies anyway. Pike seem to like 'em, but then I think you could probably throw a turd and catch a pike...
Haha. That is true. Those pesky slime darts bite just about anything.
Yes on a lake loaded with Pike you will catch a Pike on almost anything, but put on better lures and you will catch one on your first cast. |
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Posts: 1723
Location: Mt. Zion, IL | The long TnA dragons foul with the 3 section body A LOT. I’m always looking for something different, but these aren’t the ticket. |
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Posts: 532
Location: NW WI | Electric tape the joints, regular or multiple coats of liquid. It'll still allow movement but eliminate that 360degree circling on itself.
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