When I talk with fans at Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments and at seminars across the country, I’m often asked how to get the most out of ChatterBaits. Many anglers tell me they lose a lot of fish on these phenomenal baits.
Anglers who complain of this typically employ rods that are too heavy and reels that are too fast. They also fill their reels with line that’s too light or heavy. Or, they go with braid, which is a huge no-no. It’s imperative anglers instead assemble the right rod, reel and line.
1) Consider the hook: The hook on an Evergreen JackHammer and the new Z-Man Tungsten ChatterBait Elite Evo isn’t a gaff. It’s more the size of a hook you’d find on a light swimbait jig head. You need tackle that will drive the hook home without bending it or ripping it out.
Given my dad’s success fishing ChatterBaits professionally, I had help at an early age when it came to choosing the right tackle. But even with his insights, it took me close to four years of experimenting to get it truly dialed in.
2) The ChatterBait rod: For guys who fish a ChatterBait with one rod, I recommend a 7-foot to 7-foot, 4-inch casting rod that has a medium-heavy/moderate to a moderate/fast action. With a 7-footer, I lean more toward a moderate/fast action.
With a 7-4 rod, I want more of a moderate action. The longer rod gives you more leverage on the hookset. A moderate action prevents you from ripping the hook out.
I’ve found three rods that excel for everyday ChatterBait fishing. They include Evergreen’s 7-3 Brett Hite Super Combat Stick Jack Hammer, Daiwa’s 7-2 Tatula Elite medium-heavy action and St. Croix’s 7-foot Legend Tournament Sweeper Spinnerbait model. It has a medium-heavy/moderate fast action.
There are times in grass lakes when ChatterBait fishing is super dominant. They key is to make long casts over submerged grass. That requires a long, limber rod that won’t tear the hook out.
Something like a 7-11 swimbait rod overpowers a ChatterBait. I recommend a 7-8 to 7-10 crankbait rod. The best one I’ve found is St. Croix’s 7-10 heavy/moderate action Legend Tournament Series. It provides just the right amount of power and limberness.
3) ChatterBait Reels: Many anglers fish ChatterBaits with a reel that’s too fast. With something on the order of an 8:1 gear ratio, you tend to overwind this lure. A 7:1 gear ratio is, hands down, the best. My two all-time favorite reels for ChatterBait fishing are the Daiwa Zillion and the Daiwa Tatula 100.
4) ChatterBait Line: One of the biggest mistakes people make is using the wrong line. The excessive stretch in line that’s too light doesn’t do a good job of transferring the ChatterBait’s vibrations to your hands. Without that sensitivity, you fail to detect bites. Too much stretch also costs you hooking power.
Line that’s too heavy also dulls a ChatterBait’s vibrations and is more likely to rip out the hook. I always recommend fluorocarbon and not braid to get the best action and hookups.
I used 14-pound fluorocarbon line until last year. This year, I switched to 16-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon, and it feels like the final piece of the puzzle for me. With a diameter of .38 millimeters, Gama is a little thicker than other 16-pound fluorocarbon lines. If you don’t go with Gamma, find a fluorocarbon that has an equivalent diameter.
To become efficient with a ChatterBait, you must spend time on the water experimenting with it. Having the right tackle will put your ChatterBait fishing on the next level.
