Chatterbait "spiraling" during cast - Any remedies?

[goodman_fishing]

This may seem like a silly question, but for the life of me I cannot seem to resolve it.

It seems no matter what I do to my technique, my chatterbaits will spiral on about 70% of my casts. It causes a ton of line twist! Am I the only one?

• Z-Man Jackhammer - 3/8oz
• Z-Man Streakz Trailer
• 17lb Fluoro

[dragon1]

Yeppers...I posted this same topic last year (on a different forum). I ended up figuring out that a smaller blade and adding a bit of weight (soldering wire) to the upper portion of the hook, and using underhanded and side arm casts helped alleviate most all of the helicoptering. Although in the end, I think it's part and parcel to bladed jigs.

[goodman_fishing]

Thanks for the input, I may try a little weight and see how that does. It's driving me nuts!

[DaveBrabec]

Leave more line hanging when you cast. 3-4 foot. Same with Glidebaits

[Wackyjig]

I do a sort of hybrid lob like I'm throwing a glide bait or spoon but with more umph for distance.
If I throw like normal it turns into a helicopter like you describe.

[krindgen]

Underhand cast I've never had a problem like this. I'm prolly making shorter casts though, 90% of the time around targets.

[dragon1]

Heavier heads and more dense salted baits like a Keitech Fat tends to cast very well and for distance. Lighter than 1/2 oz and a thin/skinny and lighter trailer can really helicopter. Try casting just the bladed jig with no trailer and you will get a clearer picture of whether or not the blade/jighead weight and dimensions of the bait has a strong tendency to helicopter.

[DrewFlu33]

One more reason I like throwing them on braid to a leader! I throw a lot of 3/8 oz chatterbaits and they definitely want to helicopter at times. Agree that the heavier ones definitely do it a lot less, and I think the trailer matters a lot. I'm a huge fan of the Z-Man Razor Shad, but it definitely helicopters as much as if not more than anything else. Even so, the braid eats up any line twist you'd otherwise have to fight. You could also just go with straight braid, but I like adding a long (12'+) fluoro leader to give the best of both worlds. My usual setup is 40 lb class J-braid to a 16 or 18 lb Sniper leader on a mod-fast casting rod.

Several things I think the leader helps with: Noise going through vegetation is a thing and the leader is way more quiet than braid, fluoro doesn't dig into wood or lily pads like braid, fluoro holds up better to metal dock posts and pike teeth than braid, if fluoro gets nicked it's easy to feel and see where braid may have damage that isn't perceptible, and the leader gives a little bit of shock absorption/forgiveness vs. straight braid in terms of letting the fish get the bait, not obliterating your knot on a hookset, and keeping pressure on a fish if you get out of position fighting them. If you have a favorite mono or copolymer, likely nothing lost if you used that as a leader instead.