TackleTour

I recently bought several chatterbaits from JDM market in different sizes and models, including: Jackall, Imakatsu, OSP, Megabass, Fish Arrow, Daiwa Steez.
Now have a dilemma about trailer selection for those baits. If you pay attention to pro circuits, you probably noticed - Brett Hite created and uses his Yamamoto Zako, Britt Myers when he won Elite Series tournament in 2016 used a Keitech Fat Impact 3.8, some folks use craw imitations like Zoom Speed Craw, OSP chatterbait comes with own trailer - Action Trailer.
What comes first and what comes second when you choose a chatterbait and a trailer?
I guess picking a right trailer for your fishing conditions should be more important, because action of the bait comes from there, if this is the case what's a difference between upscale brands, all of them come with decent hooks, skirts, blades?

I mainly either use a fluke or a paddletail. The fluke is a little more subtle for cold and or clear water. The paddletail is more obnoxious so I use those in dirty water or when I know the fish are chasing.

I used a Keitech Fat Impact 3.8 with great success last year. I cut about an inch off the front before rigging it. It's a pretty expensive trailer. I also like Zoom double tails early in the season. These look like the ones that come with the ZMan Chatterbaits but are traditional plastic.

I use low-action trailers on chatterbaits like the 3" Easy Shiner on the Jackall Dera Break and the 5" Scented Paddlerz on the Z-Man Diezel Chatterbait.

The 4" ringworm was the original and it was even included in the original Phenix bladed jig package. The ringworm has less bulk and water displacement. It really allows the bait to move freely and do what it does best. The vibration on the tail is a little more intense with the ringworm and your bait will redirect/break free a little easier when you speed up the reel or jerk the rod tip. The ringworm was all that I used for the first few years that I threw the bladed jig and I caught a few thousand fish on it.
I also use the Reaction Innovations Little Dipper very frequently. I like it more when the fish are less active. The Keitech paddle tails fall into the same category. The small paddle tails have become the standard trailer for most people that use the bladed jig.
The fluke style trailers also work well and I use them a little more around large schools of bait, although the bladed jig isn't usually my first choice around large concentrations of bait.
Any trailer will work. You have to experiment in your water to find what the fish like best. The Keitech Crazy Flapper is also a different and bulky trailer if you really want to slow your bait down near the bottom or are fishing dirty water.

I usually have a keitech easy shiner attached to the back of my chatters, but I'm psyched to try the new Yama swimbait, (Zeko?) I saw reviews on TW that they were made for fishing on the back of chatterbaits. We'll see!

I throw a chatterbait an awful lot and I almost always have a paddletail trailer. On the rare occasion, I will put on a Zoom Super Fluke Jr. if I think they're wanting something more subtle. But my favorite paddletail trailer is a 3.5" Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper. I have also had good success with the Reaction Innovations Little Dipper, but always seem to go back to the Cane Thumper. I do, however, plan on trying out a Yamamoto Zako this year.

I have been throwing chatterbait type lures for years and my best results have come off using a half or full culprit original 7.5 inch worm in what ever color is best for the water. Tomato, June bug and Motor Oil have all worked well.

My second favorite is Kalin's 5 inch Lunker Grub in Cotton Candy or Blue Pearl Salt & Pepper.

Dug

Dug wrote:I have been throwing chatterbait type lures for years and my best results have come off using a half or full culprit original 7.5 inch worm in what ever color is best for the water. Tomato, June bug and Motor Oil have all worked well.

My second favorite is Kalin's 5 inch Lunker Grub in Cotton Candy or Blue Pearl Salt & Pepper.

Dug

This one here is on to something... I also have used the new Culprit Fat Max 6" worm in matching colors to the chatterbait. The 7" is a little long but could be cut, the 9" chopped way down would be very interesting. That is a very strange bait, it is massive concerning width, but not really a long bait.

DirtyD64 wrote:

Dug wrote:I have been throwing chatterbait type lures for years and my best results have come off using a half or full culprit original 7.5 inch worm in what ever color is best for the water. Tomato, June bug and Motor Oil have all worked well.

My second favorite is Kalin's 5 inch Lunker Grub in Cotton Candy or Blue Pearl Salt & Pepper.

Dug

This one here is on to something... I also have used the new Culprit Fat Max 6" worm in matching colors to the chatterbait. The 7" is a little long but could be cut, the 9" chopped way down would be very interesting. That is a very strange bait, it is massive concerning width, but not really a long bait.

Oh yeah, that Fat Max looks good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SETt8ghxAkE I will HAVE to try it.

Dug

I usually use a super fluke, but I've used grubs, paddle tails, etc with success as well

Hard to beat a Keitech. I also like straight tail roboworms. Flukes are good too.

I've tried a lot of different trailers, mainly paddletails since our fish are usually very aggressive. The Skinny Dipper is the best I've used. Great action, great durability if glued when first rigged, and catches the bigger fish(most fish are over 4lbs). Any paddletail or fluke will work perfectly though, and don't be so quick to always trim them down. The full 5" trailers work great on the D&M Piranhas.

Kalins sizmic grub is an excellent trailer with good durability.

I use Berkley Craw Fatty's on them sometimes and caught some really nice fish.