[Augy]

Picked up a Chatterbait (www.chatterbait.com) and tested it out at Axehead for a few minutes. First cast, booyah, big big fish. Ok, let me back up. First cast, retrieved it slow and all the crazy vibration just stopped. Thought it was hung up and proceeded to slowly reclaim the lure. Pulled the rod tip up and this boss bass surfaces. DUDE!!! Set the hook and it pops out. DAMN!!!

Had many smaller bass chase after it but I think the big girl spooked the rest of them when she popped off. Also, I think this lure only attracts big bass. Perfectly fine by me. I'll report again hopefully with a rad bass with pics.

 

[phil]

I've been wanting to get one, but they are on NATIONAL backorder and I'll have to wait 4-6 weeks to receive it :? .

 

[Augy]

Got mine at Dick's on Touhy last Friday Phil. They had about 15 or so in stock. Better get one while you can.

 

[phil]

Got mine at Dick's on Touhy last Friday Phil. They had about 15 or so in stock. Better get one while you can.

Wow...I can't believe that. It's like 10 minutes from my house. I was just about to order one online. Thanks.

 

[#1cubsfan]

got a couple today over at dicks on touhy. You better hurry they have about 30 left but people were going crazy grabbing them. They said that is there last box that they opened. I dont think they plan on having them any time soon since there on national backorder. Got me a tan one and a blue one. They had all the colors when i was there i got there at 9:00 this morning.(blue,yellow,white,tan, and red) hurry hurry hurry

Oh yeah! The one real good thing too They are only 5.99 on the website they advertise them for at least 7.00

 

[toothdoc]

Thanks for the heads up. I have a couple that I got a few weeks ago. I hope to try them out tomorrow. I'm thinking about going down to the lakefront either Belmont or Diversey to give them a try.

 

[JasonN]

Ok... I went and got one. Plan on trying it tonight on Axehead.

 

[toothdoc]

Jason, let us know how it works. My understanding is that there are a lot of different ways to fish it. With the trailer, without, with a different trailer, steady retrieve, varied retrieve.

 

[#1cubsfan]

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST DESIGNED LURE I HAVE EVER USED FOR BASS. WENT TO SKOKIE LAGOONS AT LUNCH TO TRY IT OUT. I HOOKED UP THE BLUE ONE I BOUGHT 3/8 OUNCE. SECOND CAST I WAS RETRIEVING IT AT MEDIUM PACE AND JUST LIKE AUGY SAID STOPPED VIBRATING THOUGHT I WAS SNAGGED BUT WHAM!!!! THE LINE JUST TOOK OFF. 14 INCH BASS JUST LIKE THAT. I CAUGHT TWO BASS IN MY FIRST 5 CAST. 3 TOTAL FOR THE DAY THE FIRST ONE WAS THE BIGGEST. I TOOK A COUPLE PICS ON MY PHONE I'M GOING TO TRY TO LOAD THEM LATER. ONLY WAS OUT THERE FOR 30 MINS. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO WORK THE WHOLE SHORELINE THERE. I WAS JUST FISHING BY ALL THE BUCKET FISHERMAN ON THE WILLOW DAMN. SPEAKING OF WHICH CRAPPIE ARE GOING MAD AT THE SKOKIE LAGOONS HEAD THERE NOW FOR SOME.

 

[toothdoc]

Thanks for the report.

 

[toothdoc]

Well I finally got to use my Chatterbait today. I went down to Diversey Harbor this morning and started out fishing around the floating boat docks on the west side. On my second cast a very large bass came out from under the dock and went at my lure but it only looked like he was trying to scare it away, not actually take it. After seeing that fish I continued to cast alongside that same pier for about 30 minutes hoping for him to come out again. Well, I never did see that fish again. The good news is that I did catch a 14" Largemouth on the east wall with it. That was the only fish that I caught on that lure though. I talked to several other fishermen there and they said that the fishing was a little slow.

 

[Augy]

I'll take a 14" bass on a slow day, anyday.

 

[toothdoc]

I tried out one of the Chatterbaits that I picked up at Dick's last week. All I can say is that the hooks suck. I was at Beck this morning and on about my 3rd or 4th cast I thought I snagged the bottom. When I started pulling on the line my drag started spooling off. I played it for less than a minute but it spit the hook before I could see what it was. My guess is that it was a big bass because small ones don't usually take line like this one was. Then a little while later I had another one on that was about 14" long and when I got him up to shore he spit the hook. I guess I need to try to sharpen the hooks on these. The ones I bought directly from Rad Lures didn't have this problem. Just the ones from Dick's.

 

[Augy]

I've had the same issues with the fish spittin them. Yeah, maybe a good sharpening is in order.

 

[Topwater]

Went to Lee's and Dick's....all gone. So, what do I do? Yup, DIY! If you're OCD like me and can't wait six weeks to try it out, here's what I did:

Take a spinner-bait (whatever size/weight you like), preferably cheap but it's your cash. Snip the lead comming off the 'head' about a 1/4" up. Now, take a blade off of the spinner-bait (I used one of those 'propellor' type ones and flattened it out, but a tear drop would likely do just fine). Take a look at the 'web site' and take a good look at the construction. Drill the appropriate holes. Loop the snipped spinner-bait lead through the original loop on the blade, making a clean loop and close the loop. Now you should have basically a jig-head dangling from the blade. Drill two holes in the middle of the blade and loop a clasp throught it, and you're done. You now have a Topwater Chitter-Bait lure!

Tried mine in Lake Opeka very briefly to see if the motion, weight, etc. was ok and it looked just like the video clip on the website! I will try it out in Northern Wisconsin next week and let ya know!

P.S. I make no claim to profit by this information nor am I attempting to market this simple idea. Use only as directed. Caution: product may contain lead, known to the state of California to cause cancer!

 

[Augy]

I got the basic idea of what you did but you totally lost me somewhere along the way. Any pictures? The "chitterbait"...I like it. :mrgreen: Let us know how you did with your new contraption. I for one would love to hear about it.

 

[FishinMatt]

I got one bass at Delavan throwing it for about a half hour. I do have one problem with the bait. I was snapping it back with some violent snaps and on one of snaps the lure broke off of 14 lb. Fireline. I know my knots are good so I was kind of PO'd. Hopefully it was a one time occurence, but I am now down to my last infamous chatterbait

 

[Topwater]

Ok, my 'rig' did nothing in the water up North. Zilch. But I did go to a bait shop in Hayward and the guy had no idea what I was talking about, until he showed me the Musky 'chatter-bait' lure, which is exactly the same, but much, much bigger!