When using twin tail grubs such as a Menace grub or Z Craw trailers on your chatter bait do rig them with the claws horizontal (flat) or vertical so as to imitate a shad tail? Or do you use both methods depending on the situation?Do you guys prefer the stander Menace Grub or the "Baby" Menace Grub ?
I always go horizontal.
Respectfully,
Captain Rab
V1CO 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the
world to put to shame the wise; and God has
chosen the weak things of the world to put to
shame the things which are mighty
I go horizontal, I don’t need anything potentially hitting the hook point other than a fishes mouth!
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
Definitely full size menace. If they're eating bait, vertical. If they're eating craws, horizontal.
I usually try to avoid trailers that have action on their own as chatterbait trailers as I think it tends to "counteract" the vibration of the bait itself.
That said, I've had a lot of luck using Z-craw Jrs as trailers on swim jigs. In actuality it probably doesn't matter which way you turn them, but given that I'm always trying to imitate a bluegill with that bait, I usually turn them sideways so the claws are moving like a fish's tail.
To Casslaw's point, I have had problems with the flapping claws getting stuck on the hook point. In my experience, it means that I've trimmed (bit) too much off of the head of the trailer before threading it on. This is a fine line as too much trailer hanging off the back can mean short strikes. Aiming for the hook point to exit a Z-craw Jr about 5 ribs up from the claws seems to be the sweet spot, at least with the hooks in the jigs I use. This doesn't completely eliminate fouling, but it almost does.
I've also used a Menace. No fouling issues on those as they don't seem to flap as hard as a Z-craw. I've not had a lot of success with a Menace for whatever reason, but have noticed days where the Z-Craw Jr will outperform my old standby of using a single grub as a trailer. Generally that's dirtier water or cloudier days.
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
No trailer? Wow. My swing impacts are insulted. Slayin emOriginally Posted by DrewFlu33
Hey now, I didn't say no trailer! I said no trailers with action on their own. Zako style (Z-Man Razor ShadZ), flukes, or split tails are what I use most. It's likely just a confidence thing, as tons of people have luck using trailers with action to them.
I've also had a lot of success taking off the skirt and just using one of the above on it's own. That gets the most defined "wobble" going!
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
+1 on the Z-craws
2012 Stratos 189 VLO/150 Mercury Pro XS/MinnKota Terrova
These teen temps are ending my season quick Drew!
I often use no trailer at all, actually only about 30% do I use a trailer on a chatterbait because as Drew said it takes too much of the vibration away, same on a spinnerbait, but that’s just me...I fish in heavily weeded areas and mine are usually reaction strikes.
Now on a swim jig I haven’t had much luck here in Florida with the craw style trailers, I use a 5” swimbait on swim jigs because a certain recent thread on here taught me how to really catch fish on them!
I’m Texas rigging my big Rage Craws and they’re getting hammered right now!
2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV
Same here. Between my work this month and the temps, it's going quick. May get a trip in on Saturday morning. Of course it's supposed to be gorgeous Thursday and Friday then 40s with 25 mph wind out of the northwest on Saturday. That stuff isn't any fun!
2011 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
Console: HDS 16 Carbon
Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360, Garmin 106 SV, LVS 34
I prefer a split tail trailer on a vibrating jig. I’ve found that a trailer that has too much water resistance inhibits the bait from “hunting.” If I don’t care about the bait hunting, then a boot tail, twin tail, or other “action” type trailers will work fine. But, these action trailers act to stabilize the bait, like a long tail on a kite. When I want the bait to hunt, a split tail give plenty of action without too much water resistance.
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments
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