Chatterbaits also known as bladed jigs are very effective and inexpensive fishing tool. This combination is enough reason why it is important that you have it on hand. It will help improve the depth and level of users tackle and gear.
One characteristic which makes it the most favored fishing bait is its versatility and it can be used in any type of fishing condition. This article is all about how to fish a chatterbait successfully, but it is important to know first what chatterbait is and why you need it.
Table of Contents
What is Chatterbait?
Chatterbaits are eye-catching bladed jigs attached on the fishing rod’s hook and normally comes with various designs resembling the look of a worm or weed. The chatterbait will imitate the worm or weed and the fish will surely bite it. A basic chatterbait has pitching jig, split rings, duo lock and blade.
If you choose to purchase a chatterbait, you can check out legit sites, and pick your desired jig. You can also customize your luring jigs and choose the design that you want. If you choose a do-it-yourself bladed jig, then neon color pitching jigs is not a good choice as it may befuddle the fish once they notice it.
Reasons Why You Need a Chatterbait
The bladed jigs are used most of the time for freshwater sports fishing because of their amazing action that enables them to be retrieved in various ways. When it comes to fishing, versatility is important.
If you want to retrieve easily using a spinnerbait but the fish is quite slow, you will need to change your lure or you won’t be able to catch anything. Chatterbait is all that you need. As mentioned above, versatility is what makes chatterbait really special.
Choosing the Best Chatterbait Color
Fishermen are aware that choosing the right color of the lure is as crucial as to how you use it. Thus, before we discuss how to fish a chatterbait it is best that we talk about choosing the right color. The four popular colors of chatterbaits are charteuse, black and blue combination, shad and bluegill.
Charteuse and shad are best for fishing lakes with lots of whiter or white based looking fish. Things like crappie and shad in the lakes are a good sign that you should use shad or Charteuse colored chatterbait.
Blue gill is the perfect color that you can use around late winter and during spring time when the bass begins going down to the beds. It is an interesting color since it will play off not only their hunger but also their distaste for the bluegill around. It’s because when bluegill goes down the beds in the lakes they mix things up. Bass hate this. You are not trapping fish here because the bass is hungry but because they simply want to get the bluegill away.
The black and blue color bladed jigs are perfect for the dirtiest water. The black color chatterbaits can play really well in the dark water. Keep in mind, the darker the lure, the better the silhouette and you will have better chances that it will stand out when the visibility is at its glummest.
How to Fish a Chatterbait
To help you succeed in catching a fish using a chatterbait, here are some things you can do.
#1: Find the perfect place to cast.
The best thing to do is to start casting parallel to the shore, around 1 foot out, and then fan out as you begin to see some action. If you found the right spot continue fishing it, normally the bass sit around 10 to 15 feet out from the shore. If you find a striking zone, make sure that you retrieve the lure parallel to the shore. Through this, you can maximize your target zone and thus your possibilities of getting a strike.
#2: Slow and Steady Retrieve
There are lots of action going on when you use chatterbaits in fishing. Retrieving it slow and steady can make things better than just jigging the bait up from the bottom and allows it to float back down. If you experience hitting bits of grass make sure that you pop the chatterbait out the top of it.
The bass will drove to the motion coming out of the weeds and most of the time you will get a bite off this. Check the weather, the fish is less active during cold weather thus you need to go a little slower when retrieving. However, if there is a lot of movement in the water and the fish are active, cranking it across the water is a good idea.
#3: Modifying Things Up is also a Good Idea
Sometimes it is best if you change things up. It is vital not just for the retrieval, but likewise in how the lure looks like. For instance, one way of changing the look of the chatterbait is by removing the skirt. This will make the profile a little bit smaller and enables the lure to be salvaged at much better speed without damaging the surface. This likewise provides the bass a different look, maybe something they have never seen, thus boosting your probability of getting a bite.
The Trailers
One thing that you can add to your chatterbait that will boost its versatility is the trailer. The swimbait trailer is recommended by experts. Your performance can be affected by the type of trailer you will add.
The profile of the chatterbait will change a lot if you add a trailer. It has a great impact on the movement that you get. By using a bigger trailer, it will add weight into it and will enable you to use a slower retrieve without getting the jig into the surface. Also, if you use a smaller trailer it will have an opposite effect.
Trailers can add vibration into the mix, this is vital when fishing in a murky water. When the fish are not fishing using their sight they depend a lot on feeling the vibrations in the water to hunt. You can take advantage of this by using the biggest vibrations possible. Use a nice trailer with bigger tail padding movement will provide more vibration and sound in the water.
It is important that you fish accordingly when using a trailer for your chatterbait. It only means that if you use a cray trailer make sure not to cast away in the deep sandy part. Let it run into the shallows and rocks, as closely as you can, where the fish will usually find cray. Your rig will become heavier if you find it difficult to cast out the lure.
The Final Words
Using chatterbaits in your fishing rods will help invigorate your fishing style. Follow the tips on how to fish a chatterbait if you want to catch the biggest fish on the shore. You can purchase the chatterbaits via online and fishing tool stores or customize your personal chatterbait.
Choose the right tools to help you in your fishing adventure. It all depends on you as long as it will help you catch a fish and enjoy your fishing escapades. Be patient and continue fishing, you will surely get enough fish in your bucket.
