Spinnerbait vs chatterbait. You roll up to the lake, see some shallow water, some wood cover, maybe a nice stretch of docks in muddy water. Which are you going to bust out, how are you going to trail them, and when should you throw each bait? Allow Ben Milliken to break down the differences and similarities for you here!
When To Throw A Spinnerbait
A spinnerbait comes with a lead head attached to 1 or 2 blades, usually either willow or Colorado style. Colorado blades pack a bit more punch in the “thump” department. They also come dressed in a skirt, which Ben prefers to be in a baitfish profile. He also recommends adding a trailer hook to avoid missing bites!
The ideal conditions to throw a spinnerbait are muddier water with wind blowing into it. Whether you are fishing seawalls, rip rap, or a laydown, if the wind is blowing into it, a spinnerbait is tough to beat. When bass have shad cornered on one of these areas or any isolated cover, and the wind is moving them to the point, cast your spinnerbait there!
When To Throw A Chatterbait
Chatterbaits come with a split-ring attached single blade, directly fused to the head. The common name for these is a “vibrating jig,” because of the unique action the single hexagonal blade gives, opposed to the adjacent blades of a spinnerbait. The quick, constant churn of the blade on a chatterbait causes more of a humming vibration beneath the water, instead of the thumping boom of a spinnerbait.
The main difference between a spinnerbait vs chatterbait is grass. The chatterbait is an absolute killer in and around the grass. The prespawn stage where chatterbaits can come through the grass more easily than a lipless is a dream come true for chatterbait lovers.
We hope you learned some tips and tricks for bass fishing a spinnerbait vs a chatterbait, and make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel to learn more from knowledgeable anglers like Ben!
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