[Topwater]

Very mild winds, 75*, overcast, light drizzle, 6-7pm. South spot. 2nd or 3rd cast with yellow chatterbait and got a nice size Bass on. But he went airborne and tossed the lure out :evil: Though my drag was a little light the chatterbait's hook just isn't cutting it! Otherwise a few bumps on senkos and nothing else.

 

[JasonN]

How were you working the Chatterbait?

 

[Topwater]

if I remember correctly it was a fairly steady retrieve, probably a few feet down over a weed bed, felt the bump, reeled in to take up slack, and set the hook (i thought) Kept reeling him in and he went airborne pretty violently and tossed it. I know my hook setting could probably use work, but I had him for a bit after setting it. The bigger fish I've gotten at Opeka have seemed to be really fiesty, much more than any others I've caught here or up north, so I guess its possible that both lost fish were just wailin' away, but that seems a little unusual.

 

[Augy]

Perhaps a trailer hook may do the trick.

 

[FishinMatt]

A lot of people are having trouble keeping fish hooked with the chatterbait :x Kinda like me, except I have trouble keeping fish hooked on any bait

 

[toothdoc]

I have had the same problems with the Chatterbait. I lost a big fish at Beck this spring on one.

 

[Topwater]

Took out some 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper and sharpened the chatterbait hook. Now all I have to do is get another bigger bass on to see if that helps!

I was thinking that perhaps the double linking between line - blade - jig is what is causing the hook to flip out...both my losses were an airborne fish flipping. So maybe the line going slack at all (like during 'flight') causes the jig head to basically swing free of the line and be more vulnerable to working free during a flip....or the hook doesn't set well due to this double linkage, which would be an inherent design flaw that couldn't be worked out...hmmmm. It does seem to attract decent fish though!