A Chatterbait (AKA bladed jig or vibrating jig) is one of the most beloved “power fishing” lures in a bass angler’s arsenal. It combines the flash of a spinnerbait, the vibration of a crankbait, and the weed-shedding ability of a jig to create a presentation that is rather unique, incredibly efficient, and as versatile as just about any technique you can throw. And every since they hit the bass fishing scene in 2004, they’ve been a consistent player… everyone throws it, bass still love it, and it’ll play just about every month out of the year depending on where you’re fishing. We saw it get some cold-weather action this past week during the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour event on Guntersville Lake.
But before you tie one on, it’s important to choose the right bladed jig for the job. Size, color, trailer, rod and reel combo… it all depends on the water conditions you’re facing, the forage the bass are feeding on, and the composition of your waterbody… so we’re going to break it down in this comprehensive guide with three main things to consider: What gear to use, how to fish it, where to fish it… it’s that easy.
1. The Chatterbait Gear
The Z-Man Jack Hammer is the pinnacle of Chatterbait fishing, but at over $20 a piece, it’s simply not in everybody’s budget. And that’s fine because Z-Man offers some great alternatives at lower price points, in everybody’s budget. The Elite Evo is half the price and almost just as good, featuring a number of premium components. When you wanna downsize a bit, the Mini Max and the Baby Jack are also great options. They also offer a Tungsten model which gives you a different vibration compared to the traditional lead head.
Here’s my favorites:
Z-Man Evergreen Chatterbait Jack Hammer – $19.99
This is the Cadillac of vibrating jigs. High quality parts, tournament proven results, and a hunting action that is unparalleled… if you have the budget, this where to put it. When we talk “hunting action,” we’re talking about the erratic path that the lure takes when you’re retrieving it… it’s not just a straight. And that erratic Jack Hammer action is what gets the bites unlike anything else.
Colors: Green Pumpkin, Dirty White, Brett’s Bluegill
Z-Man Chatterbait Elite EVO – $9.99
The Elite Evo is basically the step down from the Jack Hammer… but at half the price, you’re getting way more than half of the quality. To be honest, I probably fish these more than the Jack Hammer… the action is great, the parts are pretty good, and you can buy two different colors for the price of one Jack Hammer.
Colors: The Deal, Electric Shad, Green Pumpkin
Z-Man Chatterbait Elite Evo Mini Max – $9.99
When you want to downsize, the Elite Evo Mini Max is a killer. This bite-sized bass snack can help get more bites when the presentation of a full size Jack Hammer is just too much for pressured fish. I’ve probably caught just as many fish on the Mini Max as I have on any other bladed jig, but it can also be a great smallmouth presentation too.
Colors: Green Pumpkin, Electric Shad, Bluegill
Z-Man Tungsten Chatterbait Elite EVO – $17.99
This tungsten options give you a different knocking sounds compared to the other options and also features a streamlined tungsten head for a quicker fall rate, but I find that bass really like it. Maybe it’s just something they haven’t quite heard before, but whatever it is, it just seems to work with pressured bass.
Colors: The Deal, Green Pumpkin, Black and Blue
Color & Weight
With any bass lure, you always want to adapt your bladed jig’s color to the prevailing water conditions and forage. Natural hues like shads or green pumpkin in clear water, and the classic black and blue or solid white for dirtier water. If they’re feeding on bluegill/perch, I’d opt for more of a green pumpkin/bluegill color with some yellows and oranges in the skirt material. And you can’t go wrong with just solid green pumpkin either. Muddy water bluegill lake, black and blue works great. On the other hand, if there is a shad bite, some of the more natural shad hues are gonna play. Dirty water shad lake, you can’t go wrong with straight white, or even a little white and chartreuse.
In the colder months, and spring in particular, bass tend to feed on crawfish, and I really like a red craw color or sometimes just a red trailer, so feel encouraged to experiment with that if you haven’t before. Another popular color right now is bright pink or “Morning Dawn,” which got popular after Lee Livesay finished 3rd at the Bassmaster Classic last year fishing one. I haven’t fished it myself yet, but others are have been impressed with the results.
When it comes to weight, it all just depends on the depth you’re looking to fish and the speed at which you’re looking to retrieve. I’d recommend starting with 3/8ths and 1/2 ounce which will more than likely cover 95% of your fishing situations. If you want to get deep and drag it along the bottom, you can size up to 3/4ths.
Best Chatterbait Rods
You’re going to want to equip yourself with a medium-heavy baitcasting rod that has more of a parabolic bend, or a more moderate action (some brands like Daiwa call it regular). If you’re looking for a more versatile rod, you can probably get away with a medium-heavy fast, your general all-purpose rod, capable of throwing worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and more, but for best results, opt for a moderate or moderate fast action. Some pros are even using a glass rod designed for crankbaits. As for line, 15-20 lb fluorocarbon should do the trick, but if you have a really stiff rod, you can try using monofilament to get you a little extra stretch. Some opt for braid when fishing in heavy grass, but you’ll definitely want a moderate action in that instance, perhaps even a cranking rod.
Truth be told, there’s quite a few ways to rig up a Chatterbait and it seems to be a matter of personal preference, but here’s a few great rod options at different price points that I personally prefer. Most of the time, I have my Chatterbait on the St. Croix model listed below:
St. Croix Bass X Casting – 7’4″ MH Moderate Fast – $145.00
Daiwa Tatula Elite Glass Cranking – 7’4″ MH Regular – $219.99
Fenwick Elite Cranking 7’2″ MH Moderate Fast – $245.99
The Perfect Trailer
Enhance the effectiveness of your vibrating jig by adding a soft plastic trailer. This not only increases the lure’s profile but also provides additional action to entice wary fish. I find WAY more success with straight tail trailers, and don’t quite understand the draw of using a paddle tail. The straight tail trailer allows the natural hunting action of the Chatterbait to come through much better… which is the whole point of using one, right?
Hog Farmer Spunk Shad 4.5″, 5.5″ – $6.19
Colors: Electric Shad, Sexy Shad, TW Sunfish Magic
Rapala Crush City Freeloader 4.25″ – $6.49
Colors: Gizzard Shad, Sungill, Black Blue Green Pumpkin
Colors: Zako, Green Pumpkin White Lam, Electric Shad
Colors: Electric Shad, AJ’s Juice, Green Pumpkin Shad
2. Mastering The Retrieve
When retrieving the Chatterbait, you really wan to allow the vibrating jig to produce its distinctive erratic and vibrating action, but you also really want to be imparting some action with the rod as well. One of the biggest mistakes in Chatterbait fishing is casting it out and just winding it back in… don’t be afraid to give the rod some pops or some quick pulls. Don’t be afraid to kill your reel and let it sink for a second.
Chatterbaits really excel in vegetation so cast it over submerged vegetation (Hydrilla or Milfoil) and reel it just fast enough so the blade “ticks” over the top of the grass. When you feel it snag slightly, rip the rod to break it free and this is right where you’ll get a ton of bites. A kill and pause method can be really effective too, especially in colder water. Every 5–10 feet, abruptly stop reeling for a half-second. The bait will “die” and flutter down, which looks like a wounded baitfish and often triggers followers to commit. Start reeling again and you’ll generate strikes.
In really cold water or on pretty deep flats, you can try reeling just fast enough to keep the blade vibrating while the bait stays inches off the bottom. If you stop feeling the “thump,” you are reeling too slowly, but this slow rolling technique can definitely get you bites in the right situations.
3. Targeting Structure & Cover
Chatterbaits were practically designed for grass. Unlike spinnerbaits, which can get tangled, the vibrating blade of a Chatterbait acts as a shield for the hook.
Grass Flats: Look for large areas of hydrilla, milfoil, or eelgrass in 3–8 feet of water. The outside grass edge where the grass meets open water is a great place for bass to sit and wait for baitfish to swim by. Isolated clumps of grass in an otherwise empty flats can be “bass magnets too.
Hard Structure: Much like a crankbait, a Chatterbait is really effective when it hits something. Bump the blade against stumps, rocky shoreline and rip rap banks, dock pilings, any hard structure can create a reaction strike. If you can skip it under docks, not exactly an easy technique, that can be a gamechanger when the dock bite is on.
Transition Zones: Bass use certain underwater “highways” to move between deep and shallow water. Secondary points are the small points of land inside a cove or creek. In the spring and fall, bass stop here while moving toward or away from spawning grounds. Creek mouths can play especially in the fall when shad move into the backs of creeks. Channel Swings are where an underwater creek channel swings close to a shallow bank, which generally creates a steep drop-off… the perfect ambush spot.
Wind-Blown Banks: Wind pushes plankton and baitfish toward the shore. If one bank is getting hit by waves and the other is calm, fish the windy side. The chop on the water is also good for Chatterbait fishing because it provides a little less clarity for the lure. Slick calm, super clear water
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