So what is all the Chatter about?
So, if you have been hiding behind a rock lately you have not heard the chatter abut the new Chatterbaits. What is it about this lure that has people claiming magic bait status for a jig with a blade on it? What does this lure even look like? What does it represent and how good is it? These are just some of the questions that I had about the bait, before I ever saw it.
First, what does this bait even look like? This bait looks like an Arkie jig head with a blade on the front. The blade is connected to the body of the jig and a wire line tie is in the middle of the blade. Depending on the manufacture, the blade size and the line tie will vary. The bait picture here comes with a sickle style hook, it is a Lamkin Lures brand.
What does it represent? This lure can be fished like anything you want it to be. It can be fished like a spinnerbait, a crankbait, or a swimming jig. If you are looking for a reaction bait, this is the bait for you. This bait comes in your standard colors, white and chartreuse, white, black and blue and a brown crawfish color. I think this bait excels as a shad imitator.
Next thing is how good is it? Well, I had the chance to try it recently and one word sums up my views of the chatterbait, awesome. When you reel the chatterbait in, the blade will pivot back and forth, causing it to vibrate. If you have ever fished a rattle trap, you know that they will give off some awesome vibrations. Well the chatterbait blows a rattle trap out of the water as far a vibration goes. I recently fished in the Relay for Life Bass tournament that the Bank of Cadiz hosted at Barkley State Park. Being from Southern Illinois I do not get that many chances to fish the lakes and I was kind of at a loss as to where to start. There are so many good looking spots to fish, it is easy to get overwhelmed.
I tried to find some deep fish that might have spawned out or were moving up to spawn. Not being too familiar with the lakes, I found myself concentrating on the banks with the flowers, just like anyone else that is out of state fishing the lakes. Well I could go down a bank with flowers and grass on it and could pull several fish out of it with the chatterbait. I could not get bit on a spinnerbait though. I loved the action of the chatterbait. If you rig a trailer just right, when you burn the bait back to the boat, it will act like the old Bagley baits and will track wide to the sides. I found that if I rigged it with a simple twin tail grub, it worked great. I have heard of guys using a spinnerbait trailer, or a frog trailer with the swimming legs and getting the same results. Another thing that I did was fish this bait on a 7 med hvy Kistler rod and I used 20lb test Suffix braid. The entire time that I fished with this bait I only missed one fish. I had never tried or seen this bait before this weekend. I will definitely make a place in my tackle box for these baits. And I believe you should too.