Jackhammer Chatterbait Discussion

[FishInTheDesert]

Ive been throwing it for a couple of weeks and still haven't seen a bite on it, so it's been like every other chatterbait for me so far. I don't really blame the bait though.

I have similar luck at my home lake where im at 99% of the time...i do good with it at my local pond that has tons of grass tho...so I think a chatterbait is a bit more cover specific versus something like the old school spinnerbait. I do catch on chatterbaits in the right spot....but dont slay em. So if I do even have 1 day of getting a good number on the fish in the boat...well thatll be the drastic difference im looking for. Bars pretty low imo....but its gotta be passed for me to rebuy, especially since I was really impressed with the chatterbait custom compared to all the other types that are available at the big box stores (academy, dicks and walmart). gonna test custom vs jackhammer hard....cuz id rather have 2 very good baits than 1 very, very good bait at the rate I tend to lose chatterbaits.....with that said, the jackhammer is supposed to get hung up less, so if thats true (doesnt make sense to me why tho) 1 bait might last longer than 2. lots of variables lol

glad I bought them tho...the hype might be real just like with vision 110s.....whopper ploppers are still garbage in my opinion tho and all hype! disclaimer: biased cuz ive only caught a couple/few on it! lol

[Rick McFaul]

I'm encouraging everyone to not buy one!

[FishInTheDesert]

I'm encouraging everyone to not buy one!

LMAO....maybe I will return 2 of them after all.

It does look better...but I just cant see it being a $15 bladed jig. I always thought picasso's were overpriced (but very nice looking+they have different "technology" than zman)...and this is much more. I really think confidence is HUGE in bass fishing, and I feel that this is what helps people when using this bait. I still gotta use it....but I cant see how a slightly louder chatterbait will put 5 fish in the boat in a cove that I would get 0-1 fish in the boat with a different chatterbait.

I really think this is a tourney bait...in that there might be a MINOR improvement over a chatterbait custom....but that minor improvement is worth the extra $8 since youre fishing for thousands of dollars. Tournaments are all about finding that tiny little edge that you can use to your advantage.....so $8 is just the cost of doing business. But for someone fun fishing like myself.....the extra $8 is hard to justify in added value. If thats the case thats fine...and 100% understandable where the hype is coming from considering most of the publicity right now is coming from tournament anglers....and its not a leap to say tourney fisherman, prolly watch tourney fishing...so the hype is for those types.

Also one question for you all....the packaging mentions "starts running quickly" as a selling point.....am I the only person that starts their chatterbait retrieve with a nice pop to get the action started right away? I thought that was standard to get it moving asap lol

[db220]

I’m now on my third trip without a bite on one of thes. So far the only thing being jackammered is me on the price. Good thing that senkos are still working.

[FishInTheDesert]

I’m now on my third trip without a bite on one of thes. So far the only thing being jackammered is me on the price. Good thing that senkos are still working.

well its obviously you. This thing catches fish according to EVERYONE!






LOL just kidding man. What kinda structure and cover are you fishing? I have a feeling that the secret sauce to the jackhammer is of course fishing it in the right cover/condition...but also amplified confidence in the bait due to the slightly louder noise and slightly different action. I just cant buy into some of the other hype...the ones that I just think make no sense in my fishing experience....is that it gets snagged less....and the "hunting" claims are hard for me to buy into. Yea it may tick a little left or right more than a OCB...but hunting is a strong claim in my books. That to me says on a straight retrieve with no altering...just reeling....that thing will start swaying side to side....thats what I consider hunting. The way squarebills do bouncing off rocks and other cover. I just cant see a chatterbait hunting, or even deflecting like a squarebill and other "hunting" baits.

[db220]

well its obviously you. This thing catches fish according to EVERYONE!

Oh it's definitely me.






LOL just kidding man. What kinda structure and cover are you fishing? I have a feeling that the secret sauce to the jackhammer is of course fishing it in the right cover/condition...but also amplified confidence in the bait due to the slightly louder noise and slightly different action. I just cant buy into some of the other hype...the ones that I just think make no sense in my fishing experience....is that it gets snagged less....and the "hunting" claims are hard for me to buy into. Yea it may tick a little left or right more than a OCB...but hunting is a strong claim in my books. That to me says on a straight retrieve with no altering...just reeling....that thing will start swaying side to side....thats what I consider hunting. The way squarebills do bouncing off rocks and other cover. I just cant see a chatterbait hunting, or even deflecting like a squarebill and other "hunting" baits.

In the California Delta you're throwing in tules, along riprap walls or on inside or outside weed edges. I tried them all. They do come through the grass pretty well, but still seems like a regular chatterbait to me and that's not just because I'm not catching anything yet.

When I hear someone like Swindle saying "I'm not sponsored by them, I pay full price, blah, blah, blah" I hear "Hey guys will you sponsor me?" Otherwise Pros would be talking about all of their non-sponsor baits all the time which defeats the purpose of having a sponsor.

[Jeff Hahn]

well its obviously you. This thing catches fish according to EVERYONE!






LOL just kidding man. What kinda structure and cover are you fishing? I have a feeling that the secret sauce to the jackhammer is of course fishing it in the right cover/condition...but also amplified confidence in the bait due to the slightly louder noise and slightly different action. I just cant buy into some of the other hype...the ones that I just think make no sense in my fishing experience....is that it gets snagged less....and the "hunting" claims are hard for me to buy into. Yea it may tick a little left or right more than a OCB...but hunting is a strong claim in my books. That to me says on a straight retrieve with no altering...just reeling....that thing will start swaying side to side....thats what I consider hunting. The way squarebills do bouncing off rocks and other cover. I just cant see a chatterbait hunting, or even deflecting like a squarebill and other "hunting" baits.

Some do! In the video: #1 does not hunt. #2 is an original RAD Chatterbait that hunts like crazy. #3 is a homemade version that hunts. But, this is a new bait and will hunt much better once it is broken in.

[FishInTheDesert]

Some do! In the video: #1 does not hunt. #2 is an original RAD Chatterbait that hunts like crazy. #3 is a homemade version that hunts. But, this is a new bait and will hunt much better once it is broken in.

Wow....2 does hunt a ton, and 3 hunts a lot compared to one! Those were straight retrieves with rod tips down, no twitching or changing rod angles at all?

So im guessing the jackhammer is gonna be closer to the #2 or original chatterbaits action? all the chatterbaits ive thrown seemed more like #1 (what brand was #1 and 3?) so it was hard for me to imagine. If the jackhammer is anything like 2 or 3 I think thats a difference. That hunt def has a good wounded/scared fish look to me! thats awesome....great vid....are any of them a jackhammer?

[Jeff Hahn]

Wow....2 does hunt a ton, and 3 hunts a lot compared to one! Those were straight retrieves with rod tips down, no twitching or changing rod angles at all?

So im guessing the jackhammer is gonna be closer to the #2 or original chatterbaits action? all the chatterbaits ive thrown seemed more like #1 (what brand was #1 and 3?) so it was hard for me to imagine. If the jackhammer is anything like 2 or 3 I think thats a difference. That hunt def has a good wounded/scared fish look to me! thats awesome....great vid....are any of them a jackhammer?

Straight retrieve, rod tip down, with 6.4:1 Lew's and 15 pound test Izorline Platinum...no twitching, stopping, changing rod angles, or jerking.

#2 is a well worn, original RAD Chatterbait. Most of the 6 original RAD's that I have hunt, but the one in the video is the best of the bunch.

#1 & #3 were both homemade baits. I don't own a Jackhammer, so I can't tell you how they act.

[webertime]

The Jackhammer is a smaller profile. Take the custom in 1/2oz and the same weight Jackhammer and you will see the Jackhammer has smaller profile. But the blade is the same size, so that causes them to run a little wilder (for lack of a better term) than the bigger bodied custom. The smaller (shorter shanked) hook helps it hang up less in toles and wood.
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[Rick McFaul]

Is it the hunt? Is it the vibration? Is it how the blade hits the head? Is it the thinness of the blade?.... there are many opinions. I've tried many chatterbaits.... there are only a select few I like. From my experience Z-Man makes best. The Jackhammer and Custom Chatterbait take the prize

[bgibson]

All I can say is chatter baits in my neck of the woods are INCREDIBLY over rated! I haven't caught any prespawn fish yet on a chatterbait and I have given it a fair shot.

[FishInTheDesert]

Straight retrieve, rod tip down, with 6.4:1 Lew's and 15 pound test Izorline Platinum...no twitching, stopping, changing rod angles, or jerking.

#2 is a well worn, original RAD Chatterbait. Most of the 6 original RAD's that I have hunt, but the one in the video is the best of the bunch.

#1 & #3 were both homemade baits. I don't own a Jackhammer, so I can't tell you how they act.

I know you mention how old baits are....in your experience do chatterbaits get better the more theyre used? I need you to get a jackhammer to compare....id buy one for you but theyre $15 lol

[Jeff Hahn]

I know you mention how old baits are....in your experience do chatterbaits get better the more theyre used? I need you to get a jackhammer to compare....id buy one for you but theyre $15 lol

Yes, I think they work better after being "broken in." By that I mean, the longer you use them, the more the blade bangs on the head, the deeper the grooves in the head get, the more the blade momentarily hangs in those grooves causing the bait to "hunt." That is one reason I don't like baits with powder paint on the head. The original RAD baits just had cheap paint on the heads that wold chip off. Powder paint is so tough that it won't allow the blade to cut grooves in the lead.

[FishInTheDesert]

Verdict will be in tomorrow.....FINALLY getting out on the water with the JACKHAMMER! Fired up....since i didnt know a chatterbait could hunt!!! lol

[Big Guy]

Hilarious stuff!

[FishInTheDesert]

Hilarious stuff!

agree. Im pretty sure they sent me an OCB and not a Jackhammer by accident....cuz mine didnt hunt! and there was miraculously clear water at the south end of my lake today....so i got a good look.

Sooooo......what i gathered after a day of some thorough Jackhammering.....I payed an extra $9 (twice) for a chatterbait that starts quicker, and doesnt blow out (as badly).

I always snap my chatterbaits to start the retrieve....and my chatterbaits start right after the snap 90% of the time. Heavier chatterbaits dont blow out of the water as quickly either (my jackhammers are 1/2 oz...pretty heavy already). So yea.....ill stick to chatterbait customs and let you all keep believing that its the bait and not the confidence factor. I was a psychology major, so im prolly overestimating the confidence/psychological aspect (im not).

All you jackhammer people send me your garbage original, custom, and those other "not-as-effective" chatterbaits since theyre basically dust collectors cuz the jackhammers so awesome!

[FishInTheDesert]

When I hear someone like Swindle saying "I'm not sponsored by them, I pay full price, blah, blah, blah" I hear "Hey guys will you sponsor me?" Otherwise Pros would be talking about all of their non-sponsor baits all the time which defeats the purpose of having a sponsor.

He's done and did the same with Rapala! DT#'s are good baits...but ive seen several old videos where he gives the "unsponsored" spiel....and hes coincidentally with rapala now. Viral marketing is really something nowadays!

[FishInTheDesert]

Is Bill Dance firing shots directly at the Jackhammer.....kinda sounds like it with the $15 and "hammer" mentioned! Ive heard that saying before about the hammer (I think)....but it really sounds like hes firing some direct shots!

Prolly just salty he had to spend the $1500 like GMan? lol