Smallmouth Bass Fishing | A New Twist for Smallies

ChatterBaits for Smallmouth Bass Fishing

Bass Fishing | Fishing Techniques| By Don Manning

Ever heard of the lure called the ChatterBait? It has been around for over 10 years and has become one of the most popular fishing lures for bass anglers. Z-Man took this revolutionary bait from tournament winner after tournament winner to the global fishing market. This versatile lure can be used in many different fishing situations because of its action and its variety in sizes and colors. The bladed swim jig can be fished as a spinnerbait, crankbait or jig to match even the toughest smallmouth bass fishing conditions. 

Video | Z-Man's new ChatterBait Freedom

Bringing more monster smallmouth bass to the end of your line.

ChatterBaits come in different blade sizes and colors with the most popular blade colors being gold, silver and black. This bait can be fished many different ways and catches fish all year long. The ChatterBait has the flash of a spinnerbait, the vibration of a crankbait and the profile of a jig. It can be fished around rocks, in stumps and brush piles and through grass but it excels in thick underwater grass. Just lower your rod tip and reel it back to the boat. These lures will wobble their way through the heaviest grass you can imagine. The neat thing about these baits is that you can add many different trailers to them to change the profile and action, according to the forage that the bass are feeding on at the time. The ChatterBait is a reaction or ambush bait, so you must  be ready for that ferocious strike at anytime. You want to fish these baits on a medium-heavy  glass composite rods with a light tip. Ideally you want to use 12-15 lb. fluorocarbon line with a 6:2:1 baitcasting reel. Add trailers like flukes, paddle tails, or 4” split tails to enhance the lure's action and make them more attractive to smallies. Always match the color and size of the trailer to the forage that smallmouth bass are feeding on. Keeping the ChatterBait in contact with the bottom usually works the best, but you can experiment with different retrieves depending on how the bass are feeding. There is hardly a wrong way to fish this bait. Do yourself a favor and try this versatile bait in a Pennsylvania fishing hotspot if you want to land some monster smallmouth bass. Remember the ChatterBait is not just for Largemouths anymore. ​