Chatterbait Craze! Is it the Swimming Jig Phenom all over again?
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"The Chatterbait works best when either a spinnerbait or swimming jig would be a choice, says Ron Davis. The Chatterbait has a tremendous vibration and frantic action like a startled critter hightailing it." |
The Chatterbait begins as a jig with a silicone skirt and soft plastic trailer, and then appends a blade to the jig eye, which some say makes it akin to a spinnerbait. Except the blade doesn't spin like on a spinnerbait. The blade makes a Chatterbait wobble vigorously like a crankbait.
In mid-January 2006, FLW co-angler Bryan Thrift of Shelbyville, N.C., blew the lid off the Chatterbait, crediting it for his first place win in the Stren Series event on Lake Okeechobee, Fla. In the two months since, Thrift spilled the beans, Ron Davis' business problems have gotten much bigger and much better. First quarter sales forecasts for Rad Lures have skyrocketed from 50,000 to 75,000 pieces & there are currently over two million Chatterbaits on order now — with no end in sight.
"I had no idea that Bryan's win would do what it has done. Bryan was even apologetic about it. First, Bryan felt sorry that we got flooded beyond our wildest dreams with orders," says Davis. "We are now working round the clock to get Chatterbaits to the people who want them."
He continues, "Second, Bryan apologized because he had won two Stren Southeast series events as a co-angler in 2005 but did not publicize the Chatterbait at that time. Bryan didn't realize the impact that publicity by him would have on sales. In one event, Bryan was so far ahead that all he needed to do was catch one fish on the last day to clinch the co-angler win. When Bryan got that fish early in the morning, he sat out the rest of the day so his pro partner could get some rod time with the Chatterbait to win the pro side of the event."
"Top national pros, if they hadn't been using it, surely were aware of the Chatterbait and now that it's out in the open, they either have to use it — or possibly risk the consequences of not using it," says CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail pro Ben Matsubu, who used the Chatterbait to help him take third and $33,000 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir at the Southern Tour stop in March 2006.
"Every lure has its place," adds Davis. "When Bryan Thrift won Okeechobee, he was smack in the middle of 15 to 20 boats. The only other guys getting any bites at all were some of the best flippers in Florida. They were flipping into thick mats for fish hunkered down in dense cover."
"Meanwhile, Bryan was getting hammered on the Chatterbait on a day when fast-moving reaction baits weren't working," continues Davis. "Watching Bryan, many of the other boaters started slinging spinnerbaits, trying to do what they could to copy his success, but not catching any fish. While people say the Chatterbait blade makes it like a spinnerbait, fish may see it differently. What I mean is people who throw spinnerbaits, you can come down the bank behind them with the Chatterbait and catch fish they didn't catch."
"The Chatterbait is somewhat snag-free but not entirely snagless. It works best where there are no thick weeds or wood," claims pro Tom Monsoor from La Crosse, Wis. (Note: Monsoor is rightly famous for making his own style of swimming jig.) "Another situation where I feel the Chatterbait will do best is earlier in the season while the water is still too cold for my own swimming jig to produce," he adds. You can find Monsoor's Swimming Jig at Basspro.com
"The Chatterbait is like a lipless rattling crankbait in that it gives off heavy vibrations and therefore works in dirtier water than my own style of swimming jig," continues Monsoor. "An example is the last FLW Tour event on Pickwick. I caught all my fish on my own swimming jig in clear water the first day. The water dirtied up so much the second day that I had to switch to the Chatterbait in order to continue to do well in the dirty water." Another high quality swim jig is the Outkast Pro Swim Jig.
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So how many have you bought?
I may or may not buy some later in the year. However, I do plan on buying quite a few swim jigs, as that is a presentation I would like to master.
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Its hard to remember, becuase I am still waiting for them, but I believe I ordered 4 or 5 from Rad Lures. I probably will order a few of the Gambler Swim Blades from Basspro.com
I do have a whole box of Swimming Jigs, I really started to have some good success last year with them. I absolutely whacked them down on a tournament on Pool 9 last year. I tried the All-Terrain Swim Jigs, not real impressed, but the Outkast Pro Swim Jigs are the real deal. I ordered a bunch of the Monsoor jigs from or Basspro.com
Good Swim Jig Article:
Swimming Jigs with Jimmy Johnson
Also a blurb from a Weekly Email:
TOM MONSOOR'S SWIMMING JIG
FLW pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wisconsin called to let everyone know that after twenty years of secrecy, Tom Monsoor's swimming jig is finally available to the public at Bass Pro Shops
. Tom Monsoor has never let his swimming jig out of his hands, winning 100 regional and local tournament events the past twenty years with his swimming jig. He's had 27 top ten finished in FLW events, including 11 first place finishes in FLW events, all on his swimming jig.
Monsoor feels that, "Because I have never let my jig out, several other companies have tried to fill the void by putting jigs called swimming jigs on the market." "This is the real thing now," says Monsoor. "Everything is correct and had been followed to the tee. I was happy to see that Bass Pro Shops has produced the swimming jig exactly how I make them for my own," says Tom.
Monsoor dresses his swimming jigs with Gary Yamamoto's 18-series single tail grub trailers.
"One secret I have never told anyone is how effective color #239 (Blue Pearl with black & hologram) goes on a white swimming jig, especially for smallmouth in shallow water. In deep water, I like the luminous white (#038) grub trailer, and I like #031 (blue pearl with silver)," says Tom Monsoor adding, "but when it comes to smallmouth in shallow water, nothing can beat a #239 trailer on a white swimming jig."
Hope this is good info for Pundit & All
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I would have to agree that the All Terrain Swim Jigs aren't so great but that the Outkasts are the real deal. I did light experimentation with both last year and that is the conclusion I came to as well.
The Monsoor swim jigs look interesting. I hope to buy a few this year.
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They have Monsoor jigs on the shelf up at Capra's Sporting Goods. I would guess that Trails End in Fridley would have them as well, but who knows. I would guess someone will have them down at the Mpls SportShow this week as well
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I recently noticed that Capra's Sporting Goods in Blaine, MN had some Chatterbaits. Also Venom Lures has come out with a new Chatterbait style lure - the "Venom Rattle Shake"
Has anyone used the Chatterbait, Venom Rattle Shake, or the Gambler Swim Blade?
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Here is a good article on swim jigs along with another maker of quaity swim jigs out of WI. I have not used these Brovarney Jigs, if anyone can give some feedback on them, that would be great.
HellaBass
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The Chatterbait is a good lure. The style of lure is excellent. I love fishing chatter bait style lures. In fact, I pretty much have one tied on one of my rod and reels at all times. In my opinion, the Shaker Bait lure from Shaker Bait Lures to be the best bait of this style especially for the price. I bought them for $4.79 each. It's tons more durable and the blade on it doesn't rust. I would recommend it over any of the swimming jigs on the market.
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I have recently tried the Shaker Bait recently as well, I have limited exposure so far, but I like it so far. It seems to be high quality bait and it seems the wobble is a little wider over other baits that I have used. I plan to give a more thorough review as I use it more. I did catch one nice largemouth, a big perch and a few northerns the first time out with limited casts.
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swim jigging is hard to master but with the chatterbait its mastered with a simple tie of a knot. i live on lake guntersville, all about the top water and flipping. lake guntersville is so beat up with topwater though that i put down the spooks and buzzers then use a white or black and blue chatterbait catching 7 to 10lb sows where others don't get a bite. when the bite slows down i also have a traditional jig in the same chatterbait, only with alot more action. i love the micro seris for skittish fish also works great shootin the docks for big gill and crappie. too bad the biggest one i have found is 7/8 ounce they are also terrific for stripe but a 7/8ounce lure is too light for the dam area. tie on some stren braid or powerpro in 30 to 65lb test, get a 7ft medium heavy rod, and a highspeed reel set the hook when ya stop gettin jarred to death and have a great fishing trip!!! be safe on the water and take a kid fishing!
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Thanks for the Chatterbait tips, I am going to have it get down to the Big G one of these days for a little fishing!!
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