In the northern part of the country, bass are approaching, or already in, the prespawn part of their breeding cycle, and that means one thing…. Chatterbait fishing. Arguably the most effective prespawn bait, vibrating jigs, commonly known as Chatterbaits—a term popularized by the Z-Man brand, have become a year-around bait for nearly every bass angler out there. But with the aggressive nature of bass during the prespawn, it’s almost always my first choice when I hit the water in the spring. The combination of vibration, flash, and erratic movement, triggers aggressive strikes from hungry bass who are feeding heavily ahead of their spawning season.
Of course, there are a lot of factors that go into Chatterbait fishing… size, color, setup, and of course, the trailer. Selecting the right trailer is key to having the best chance of success on the water, and there’s a lot of different trailers available, and a lot of different approaches to picking one. Many anglers have different opinions on which kind they like and some use the same trailer for every application, but realistically you want to tailor your trailer selection to the conditions.
Top Chatterbait Trailers
While the Jack Hammer us unquestionably the vibrating jig of choice, it’s the trailer that is far less agreed upon. The trailer increases the lure’s profile but also enhances the action of the bait to get those fish to bite. Personally, I’m a fan of pintail or a fin-tail trailer because I think they allow the Chatterbait’s natural hunting action to come through the best. Some people will throw paddle tails or even craws and creatures behind a vibrating jig, but that extra action from the claws or tail will definitely kill the hunting action a bit. There’s a time and place for when that is optimal, but for the most part I’m taking a straight tail approach.
So that being said, here’s my top 5 Chatterbait trailers, and when to use them:
I rarely ever throw a craw on a Chatterbaits, but there are a select few places where you want a craw on the back. One of those could be really dirty water because the flapping claws will give you a little more movement. But trailers with a lot of action, like craws and paddle tail swimbaits, will cut down on the erratic hunting action of the Chatterbait, which for me, is the real bread and butter. So the only time I really use a craw is when I want to slow roll the Chatterbait in really shallow, and usually colder water. Less hunting action, slower retrieve, the craw will help keep that Chatterbait higher in the water column for those cold water, slower-moving fish. I like the Hella Crawz because it’s made of that Z-Man ElaZtech material and will last you all day.
Colors: Green Pumpkin, Pearl, Black Blue
4. Keitech Easy Shiner – $6.59
This is another that I rarely ever throw, and once again, because the action from the trailer will take away from the erratic hunting action of the Chatterbait. Vibrating jigs will fish almost like a crankbait on a minnow style trailer, and that’s what I really like, but on rare occasions (and other anglers use paddle tails often), I think they can work in dirty water. A little extra thump can help trigger bites. Many anglers will also rig the tail upside down to reduce the drag and to interfere less with the vibration.
Colors: Ayu, Pro Blue Red Pearl, TW Black Blue & Green Pumpkin
Designed by vibrating jig master Brett Hite, the Zako is just a great, natural profile to throw on the back of a Chatterbait. With a segmented body and forked tail, it’s consistently proved to be a winner. Slight tail action, but still will let the bait hunt… can’t go wrong with it.
Colors: Zako, Green Pumpkin White Lam, Electric Shad
2. Hog Farmer Spunk Shad 4.5″, 5.5″ – $6.19
Hog Farmer’s Spunk Shad might be the most popular vibrating jig trailer on the market, and for good reason… the hunting action that you get is just second to none. It’s also available in a number of different sizes in case you want to shrink it down for the MiniMax, but it can also work wonders on a jig head or hover rig. They’ve also licensed the design out to Missile Baits, who pours the Spunk Shad in their own great colors with a bit softer of a material.
Colors: Electric Shad, Tennessee Magic, TW Sunfish Magic
1. Rapala Crush City Freeloader – $6.49
Designed by 3-time Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year, Jacob Wheeler, the Freeloader has won Jacob a lot more money on the back of a jig head, doing a little shake and bake with the forward facing sonar, but it pairs beautifully with a vibrating jig as well. The action of the ribbed pintail is phenomenal. The Crush City line also offers the Mooch Minnow, which is similar, albeit smaller, type of bait that I love to throw on my Chatterbait Mini Max. This has been my personal trailer of choice for about 80% of my Chatterbait fishing, and particularly the Red Craw color in the spring.
Colors: Gizzard Shad, Sungill, Red Craw
Which Chatterbait
As most anglers know, the top of the lineup is the Z-Man Jack Hammer, which is widely regarded as the gold standard of Chatterbaits. But with a price tag exceeding $20 per lure, it’s not within everyone’s budget. Fortunately, the newer Elite Evo offers a more affordable alternative without sacrificing too much on quality, thanks to its high-end components. And if you’re looking to downsize, the Mini Max is a fantastic choice, especially for targeting big smallmouth bass. I also love the the Tungsten Elite Evo, which is similar in price to the Jack Hammer, but that head shape and tungsten material just give a completely different vibration, one that bass aren’t as conditioned to.
Z-Man Evergreen Chatterbait Jack Hammer – $19.99
Colors: Green Pumpkin Shad, Black Blue, Clearwater Shad
Z-Man Chatterbait Elite EVO – $9.99
Colors: Green Pumpkin, Electric Shad, Bama Craw
Z-Man Chatterbait Elite Evo Mini Max – $9.99
Colors: Bruised Green Pumpkin, Electric Shad, Hot Snakes
Z-Man Tungsten Chatterbait Elite EVO – $17.99
Colors: The Deal, Green Pumpkin, Bama Craw
To sum it up… if you have the budget get a couple Jack Hammers. If you don’t, get a couple Elite Evos. If one Elite Evo is all you can afford, then do that. But if you’re on a highly pressured body of water, maybe try a Tungsten Elite Evo… I’ve been crushing ’em with that lately.
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”). You can definitely get away with a more versatile rod… medium-heavy, fast action, all-purpose rod capable of throwing Texas rigs, 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 since it really allows that rod to load up without you yanking it out of their mouth.
Here’s a few great rod options at different price points:
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
*This post contains links through the Tackle Warehouse Affiliate Program. While all products are independently selected by our expert Riff Outdoors team, if you use these links to make a purchase, we may earn a commission.
And for a detailed bait recommendation, specific to your exact location and waterbody right now, check out the Bass Forecast Bait Advisor. Just input your ZIP code or share your location, and Bass Forecast will give you 5 bait recommendations, a bite rating, and suggestions for peak feeding times.
Bass Forecast Bait Advisor
What is Bass Bait AI – Powered by Bass Forecast
Our advanced bass fishing algorithms analyze over 11,000 factors, including weather shifts and bass behavior, to predict what baits will give you the best chance at success for any GPS location.
Just enter your location, and it does the calculating for you. Giving you the complete bait breakdown for major and minor Bass feeding times in any bass fishing location. Click HERE to learn more.
