What is a Chatterbait?
The Chatterbait® is technically the name of a patented bass fishing bladed lure, invented by Ron Davis and produced by Z-Man, a lure manufacturing company in Charleston, SC. This bait is in the classification of "bladed swim jigs" or "vibrating jigs", but often all baits of this type are referred to as "Chatterbaits", which, again, refers specifically to the Z-Man product. This has occurred with other products in the past, Q-tip and Band-Aid come to mind as brand names used to reference cotton swabs and adhesive bandages, respectively. With that being said, a vibrating jig, "the original" of which is the Chatterbait® by Z-Man lures, is like a cross between a spinnerbait and a jig. The blade causes an intense vibration not produced by a traditional spinnerbait, an action that's otherwise impossible to impart to a swim jig, and since it lacks the arm for the blades, it can be fished in places spinnerbaits can't go. The chatterbait has only really been around for about 10 years, so it's relatively new in the bass fishing industry, but it's quickly become a staple for most professional tournament bass anglers.
How, When & Why Fish a Vibrating Jig?
Bass fishing tournament pro Scott Suggs will help you break down what to know before heading out to fish a vibrating jig, including: water color, types of grass, types of trees and more. He talks about color selection for different water colors, including the most popular colors and what to do with lake history as it relates to color. Learn secrets about where & how Scott fishes the Chatterbait around various cover and in different water depths. Scott Suggs talks about what traliers he likes to use, including the bait he designed, Berkley Havoc Scott Suggs' 4" Rocket Craw. Mr. Suggs will discuss his rod, reel and line choices for fishing a vibrating jig. Learn how to customize vibrating jigs, and why Z-man's Chatterbait is ready to fish right out of the package. Also learn:
What size/weight of chatterbait Scott likes best
How to use a torch and power drill to improve your chatterbait performance
How to increase your hookup percentage by changing your fishing rod choice
Selecting blade size and shape and how it affects the action and depth of the bait
Additional Chatterbait Fishing Resources
Be sure to check out Why I LOVE Vibrating Jigs & Vibrating Jigs.
Up Next in Chatterbaits
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Chatterbait Fishing - Brett Hite
Brett Hite won over $250,000 in bass fishing tournaments over a few weeks fishing a chatterbait (or vibrating jig) and has won over $400,000 total. In this bass fishing class seminar video, which was recorded in Florida, Brett Hite shares some of the tips on what he looks for in a chatterbait (co...
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Chatterbaits (aka Vibrating Jigs) - B...
Bryan Thrift has been winning tournaments with the original chatterbait, designed by Ron Davis, for well over a decade. After Z-man bought the rights and patents to the original chatterbait, Bryan has continued to fish them, because he has confidence that they are the best vibrating jigs on the m...
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5 Ways to Fish a Chatterbait - Mike I...
The chatterbait (or bladed jig) isn't just a chunk'n'wind lure. When fished correctly, it can catch fish like a jig, squarebill and spinnerbait all in one lure. It sounds like an informercial, but it really has proven it's worth in the tournament bass fishing arena. One angler who originally dism...
