Which Chatterbait Trailer Style Should You Pick?
Styles of Chatterbait Trailer
Straight Tail Trailer
The top-selling chatterbait trailer style in our collection is characterized by a straight tail, such as the Hog Farmer or the Missile Baits Spunk Shad. Increasing in popularity is Z-Man's Chatterspike, possessing that popular thin, straight tail. The thin tail has little resistance in the water, which in turn, allows the bait to mimic natural forage movements more seamlessly. In contrast to tail variants, like a boot tail, that can cause significant vibration and potentially disrupt the chatterbait from its path, these models are easier to control for depth and exhibit a remarkably natural hunting action. Hence, that's why, in my opinion, this family of straight tail chatterbait trailers is incredibly popular.
Minnow Style Trailer
Next up is the minnow style, exemplified by one of its most popular families, the Yamamoto Zako. I have a small 3 inch version of it here to demonstrate its impressive looks; Yamamoto really knows what they're doing here.
This is ideal for situations where you're slowly fishing in clear water and seeking the most realistic presentation possible. The straight or forked tail minnow presentations are incredibly popular for this purpose. Some anglers prefer the horizontal style tails, but those straight up and down tails are gaining a lot of traction lately. If you browse the site, you'll find a wide variety of these minnow-inspired versions of baits, like the Berkley Powerstinger. Using them doesn't alter the action of the chatterbait in any way. They solely enhance it's realism in the water.
Split-Tail Craw Trailer
Now for something a bit controversial. Many swear by craw style trailers with twin kicking legs for swimming a jig, putting a lot of faith into these. Why would you use these with a chatterbait, you might ask? Well, they help the chatterbait remain shallow and create the imagery of a fleeing crayfish or bluegill in shallow waters.
These trailers create a unique commotion in the water. I've witnessed some highly skilled tournament anglers have great success using trailers like the Zoom Z Craw or a Strike King Rage Craw. They've got a twin tail kicking action that really stands out in shallow water, particularly when you're trying to keep the bait just above the vegetation or navigating through pad stalks. These trailers are indeed very effective for their unique applications.
Boot Tail Trailer
Lastly, let's discuss boot tails. For the longest time, chatterbait purists would insist on avoiding them as they believed the action of the boot tail hindered the chatterbait's hunting action due to the resistance it created.
However, I've noticed and many anglers have achieved considerable success using boot tails in murkier waters. The boot tail creates a disruption at both ends of the bait, stirring up a lot of water. Although it may not move as sporadically as a zero-resistance trailer, it certainly creates a lot of commotion.
If you're confident that you're in an area populated by fish and you aim to create more disruption to get them to commit to the bait, a boot tail could be a good choice. However, from my own experience, I'd stick with the straight tail versions which I've had the most success with. Yet remember, there are always different options to consider for a variety of different scenarios.
Hopefully this helped you pick your chatterbait trailer! Good luck with the next time you're out on the water and if you have more questions, feel free to reach out by email to [email protected] or use the blue icon in the bottom left of the screen to chat live with us during business hours.
