Tie A Chatterbait To A Fishing Line In 6 Simple Steps
Have you ever used a chatterbait or other lures? I assume you find it confusing to know how to tie a chatterbait to the fishing line. Well then, I think I can help you with that.
Chatterbaits are highly popular fishing lures for bass anglers. They’re unique, well-constructed, versatile, and will guarantee a catch.
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A chatterbait or a bladed jig is basically a jig (a type of fishing lure) with a blade attached on top.
A jig has two parts: a lead sinker (or head) with a hook and a soft body molded around the hook or a skirt made of metal or plastic foils. The sinker, usually a metal or lead, weighs the hook down while the soft body or skirt deceives the fish to think it’s food.
Via:anglergear.net
Jigs are designed to move vertically, as opposed to spinnerbaits which moves horizontally, mimicking the movement of a small fish or prey. Jigs stay more at the bottom unless you roll the spool.
What I do is cast a long line, allow the jig to settle at the bottom and turn the reel slowly to imitate the jerky movement of wounded crawdads like little lobsters and crayfishes which are an enticing food for bass.
Going back to chatterbaits, when they first hit the market, they were labeled as a hybrid between a jig, spinnerbait, and a crankbait.
They resemble the sinker and body of a jig, the metal blade in spinnerbaits, and lastly, the vibrating motion which is a characteristic of a crankbait.
Check out how a chatterbait moves in the video below.
Advantages Of Using A Chatterbait
A chatterbait uniquely features a hexagonal blade on top of the head and a vibrating motion made by the blade once it is propelled through the water and bounces off the jig’s head and reverses itself violently.
Since most blades are silver-colored, the pivoting of the blade in the water produces a “flash”. The vibration creates consecutive pulses in a short time without requiring the angler to pull the line.
The vibrating and flashing features of a chatterbait are ideal for fishing in murky waters where soil debris obstructs light. Chatterbaits are absolutely advantageous for fishing.
1. Drives bass and other big fishes crazy
As I said before, the jerky movement of a chatterbait when shoved through the water and pulled slowly will mimic the movement of a wounded prey, thereby tricking the bass with an easy prey.
Furthermore, the flashing created by the pivoting blade scatters short, thrusting lights in all angles, making the bait intensely visible to fishes.
2. Deflects debris
The blade isn’t just for flashing purposes. The semi-sharp blade also deflects debris and prevents the bait from being snagged by weeds and bushes.
3. Smooth casting
Have you seen a jig’s profile - a head with a slim skirt? The streamlined shape of the chatterbait makes casting a breeze. Even in high winds, your chatterbait will still land on the spot you intend it to when you cast the line.
Since the weight of a chatterbait falls on the front part where the blade and sinker are located, the weight becomes unequally distributed, the heaviest falling on the head part.
The tendency is, when you cast the lure, the weight-forward movement draws the bait in the direction you want. That way, you can cast your line over a great distance.
4. Easy to retrieve
Versatility is what serious anglers look for in fishing lures, and that’s what a chatterbait provides. It will not only attract bass in a matter of seconds, but you can also retrieve it quickly when you want to fetch a slow fish in real time.
The fast, vibrating crankbait profile of a chatterbait allows it to push and force water out of its way, resulting in a swift movement through the water profile.
Simply put, a chatterbait is the most versatile fishing bait. Fishing with a chatterbait is one thing but tying a chatterbait to the fishing line is another. It’s easy to fish with a chatterbait yet tying it to the fishing line is quite challenging.
How To Tie A Chatterbait
Via:bassmaster.com
We know that a chatterbait has three parts – the hexagonal blade at the top, the body covering the hook, and the hook. Do you see that small hole on top of the wire attached to the blade? That’s where we’ll tie the fishing line to the bait.
Let me introduce you to the Palomar knot, the knot type regarded by most anglers to be the strongest fishing knot. It’s a pretty easy knot, and it won’t take more than two minutes to finish.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Get your fishing line spool. Any fishing line will work – whether a monofilament line, a braided line, even ice fishing lines (insert article here). Ready your chatterbait.
Take the chatterbait by the hexagonal blade, hold the rod with the hole and pass the line through it. Pull enough line across the hole depending on how far you want the lure to suspend off the bottom.
If you’re fishing in open water, you ought to secure 4-5 feet of line, but if you only plan to fish in shallow water, 1-2 feet of line would be enough. Leave a few inches for allowance because we’ll form a loop.
Take the end of the line and tread back to the eye of the hole to double the line. Take the looped end of the line and form an overhand knot by passing the free end of the loop around the standing part and through it.
Pull the line down gently, leaving enough space on the loop because we have to pass the chatterbait back through the loop. 3-4 inches would be sufficient spacing. Now, move the entire chatterbait inside the loop.
The loop is now underneath the hole. Moisten the line with water or saliva to prevent tangles and stiff lines. Pull both ends of the line (the free line and the line connected to the spool) to secure the knot.
An extra step (optional): take the free end of the line, pass it back through the eye of the hook and pull it down. It will put the knot on the inside of the hook eye so that the knot stands straight and is protected from anything you might scrape against while fishing.
Lastly, trim the excess line.
Here’s an instructional video on how to tie a chatterbait to the fishing line.
Voila! Tying a chatterbait to the fishing line is as easy as one, two, three.
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Now that you know the advantages of using a chatterbait lure and how to tie it to the fishing line, you ought to apply what you learned. Fishing is a challenging sport but a little help such as these well-designed lures will go a long way.
Hey angler! Have you tried using a chatterbait? Have you tied it through the Palomar knot? Comment your thoughts below!
Tying a knot is challenging enough so why don’t you share this article to help our struggling anglers out there attempting to tie their chatterbaits?
Happy fishing!
