Slow down
Chatterbaits are generally at their best when fished slowly, whether that’s rolling them over and around a rock pile or popping them gently from a weed bed.
You don’t want to burn these guys through the water; so slow down and have confidence that the lure will call the fish to you. But that means that you need to work them correctly!
Work the action
Chatterbaits are at their most effective when you actively work them. A robotic retrieve just can’t wring the most from them, but a few quick pumps of your rod, a wriggle here and there, and some extra erratic action get that blade moving and the trailer swimming.
Pop and reel. Start by letting your lure sink to the bottom. Next, pop it with a quick pump of your rod, and retrieve for a few seconds. Then, let it fall again and repeat. I find this is especially good with craw trailers.
A slow, steady retrieve is something to try, especially with flukes and craws. Between the skirt, the blade, and those trailing bits of soft plastic, this can be murder when you zip your chatterbait just over the tops of weed beds.
Hopping along the bottom. Working your chatterbait like a jig, making it rise and fall to the bottom in short hops or jumps, is often money. Especially in cooler water, when the bass are holding deeper, low, slow presentations are king. But don’t shy away from this technique in any season.
In the hands of a confident angler who knows how to work them, chatterbaits are a truly effective option. Especially when the lake or river you’re fishing gets a lot of pressure, that extra action and vibration can be just the ticket to impressive hits, even after the area you’re fishing has been worked-over by others.
I hope these tips and techniques will encourage you to try chatterbaits more often, and if they work for you, please let us know!
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