Kscatman76 Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 What exactly do you guys mean about a chatterbait hunting. I made one and threw it, ton of great thump. Very exciting. I did notice on occasion that it will dart to the left or right for just a second every once in awhile on the retrieve. Almost like it hesitates but its not really hesitating, its still thumping. Is that a "hunting action"? I kinda like it whatever it is but i was kind of curious. This is with the Trokar Pro Swimjig with a swivel combo.....boy the thump is very impressive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 I actually hate that term because it has become overused but you are right. The sudden, unpredictable movement off center left or right is what is referred to as "hunting". It is an erratic action, and with making bladed jigs I've found that a blade attached by a split ring has a lot more erratic "hunting" action than it does with the blade attached direct to the hook eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kscatman76 Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 thanks smalljaw. I wasn't sure if something was wrong since it kicked off once in a while. it's only a couple inches but I actually thought it looked good doing that but I wanted to verify if that is what people were talking about. that happened on the very first one I made so I guess I got lucky.....now to duplicate it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 I've found using two spit rings makes them even more erratic, but you lose the head knocking chatter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Omega is making one with a ball bearing swivel now. I'm wondering if the swivel causes an exaggerated action or does it correct it from moving out to the side keeping it tracking true? Believe it or not I know a lot of anglers that want a bladed jig to track true and just have a hard vibration as they claim it is easier to work it through cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Does bending the blade have any effect on how it works? I have made a bunch lately using swing jig heads, football heads, banana heads, poison tail heads, spinner bait heads and Troker swim jig heads. I just haven't been able to be on the water enough to figure out which I like best and whether or not to bend the blades and if so forward or backward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 I bend the blade to let me fish them faster without having them come up to the surface. I also put weed guards on mine so I can fish them in tulles and weeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kscatman76 Posted October 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 Thanks for all the help guys. I fished mine last night and flat hammered the fish. It outfished a regular chatterbait 3 to 1. Has more thump and hunting action. Im so happy/excited/proud. I really really like that newer eagle claw hook in them as well! I believe the new eagle claw hooks are superior to the mustad now days and cheaper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 14 hours ago, mark poulson said: I bend the blade to let me fish them faster without having them come up to the surface. I also put weed guards on mine so I can fish them in tulles and weeds. Which way do you bend them Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Long Lake Lures Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 I bend mine back from the snap holes about 10 or so degrees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 On 10/7/2017 at 7:48 AM, Jig Man said: Which way do you bend them Mark. I bend the top 5/16++- back toward the jig head 10-15 degrees. I do it by clamping the top of the blade in a vise, and bending it back by hand until it looks about right. The bend lets some of the water move off the blade face going up instead of down, and I think that's why it helps the bait to stay down on a faster retrieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted October 8, 2017 Report Share Posted October 8, 2017 OK Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Bandit Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Following up on the "hunting" thing. I got that same kick out with some chatterbaits I made using one split ring to attach the blade to the jig head on a couple of the "shakee" heads provided by Barlow's Tackle. However, it seems like when I put a trailer on them, (Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper, Lil Dipper, or Zoom Z-Craw Jr.) that I lose the kick out. Have you guys experienced the same thing when you add a trailer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kscatman76 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 mine had the kick out or "hunting" when using a swimbait like a skinny dipper as the trailer still. that is using one split ring on a do it trokar pro swimjig head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Bandit Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 33 minutes ago, Kscatman76 said: mine had the kick out or "hunting" when using a swimbait like a skinny dipper as the trailer still. that is using one split ring on a do it trokar pro swimjig head Interesting. How many skirt tabs are you using on your head? Maybe I'm making too big of a skirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kscatman76 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 currently either premade boughten skirts or the ones I do make I either use 2 tabs or 2 1/2 tabs. hasnt' made a difference either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time Bandit Posted October 12, 2017 Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 Are you bending your blades? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kscatman76 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 yes I do bend the blades. now I'm new to these and I'm still unsure how far down to bend and how much to bend, I made 4 baits and tested them. 3 had different blade angles and bends and all 3 had some great thump and "hunting" action as they kicked side to side several times per retrieve. The 4th one didn't come back straight on the retrieve and didn't hunt soooo.......it's a guessing game and a work in progress. here is my plan, keep making them and test each individual one to see what I get until I get comfortable making them. I will tell you though, the ones that did have the hunting action just smashed the crap out of fish and outfished the zman original chatterbait fished side by side with someone that's a better fisherman than me. made me a believer REAL quick like 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Hahn Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 9 hours ago, Time Bandit said: Following up on the "hunting" thing. I got that same kick out with some chatterbaits I made using one split ring to attach the blade to the jig head on a couple of the "shakee" heads provided by Barlow's Tackle. However, it seems like when I put a trailer on them, (Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper, Lil Dipper, or Zoom Z-Craw Jr.) that I lose the kick out. Have you guys experienced the same thing when you add a trailer? I have found that the type of trailer has a major effect on "hunting." I prefer a split tail trailer, as it does not seem to interfere with the hunting action. But, a trailer with two appendages or a trailer with a big boot tail or big twister tail adds too much stability to the bait and will reduce or prevent it from hunting. Think about the trailer as acting like the tail of a kite. With a kite, you want to add as long a tail as necessary to stabilize it in flight. But, with a vibrating jig, you want to add as little of a tail/trailer as possible, so that the bait runs right on and over the edge of being stable, so that it can dart off to the side frequently. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
