In an effort to save you time let’s get straight to the information you want to know. What are good chatterbait trailers that you should use and which one is the best!
The Best Chatterbait Trailer
Choosing the best can be hard, but you need to look at what chatterbait trailer will give you the most options possible and has proven to catch fish in many situations.
The twin tail grub lure is not something new, but it has shown to be a proven winner when imitating a baitfish or a crawfish. Colors will matter when you do this.
You may even notice that one fish will bite one and another will bite the other color. This has more to do with the forage they are looking for rather than other features.
I have found that a twin tail grub with a lot of meat on it and some texture works best. The tails will imitate a crayfish or baitfish trying to flee. The thickness will show that this is prey worth going after.
The texture will reassure the fish that what it has truly is a good meal even though it cannot taste it yet. You may find that injecting some salt may improve the bite just like Berkley Powerbait has its secret sauce.
Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub
This wild grub is equipped with twin tails that paddle vertically in a rhythmic pattern to mimic baitfish swimming away frantically and crawfish.
Depending on the color you choose you will find that different fish bite. This is best used as a trailer on a chatterbait, jig, Texas Rig, Carolina Rig, Dropshot Rig, Ned Rig, or spinnerbait!
You will find that smallmouth bass will be particularly attracted to its tantalizing action. The ribbed center provides texture for the fish when it bites. You can get this in sizes from 2.75 inches to 4.5 inches in the Magnum form.
Below you will find a list of the top 15 best chatterbait trailers on the market. A Table Of Contents will help you navigate them. After this, you will find valuable information on how to use them, colors, rigging instructions, etc…
Good Chatterbait Trailers
It is near impossible to list a trailer from 1-15; therefore, I will be listing the rest of the chatterbait trailers in random order. The real reason for this is it will depend on what you are fishing for, where you are fishing and when you are fishing. Each one of these variables has its own outcomes and will require you to make changes.
On top of this, you can make custom adjustments to these trailers and the chatterbait itself to better mimic the forage in your area. While it is known that this will mimic a baitfish it can also mimic a crawfish.
ZMAN Minnowz
For ZMan this is their best trailer lure solely based on sales. This speaks volumes about how well it works.
Bassmasters Pro Fishermen like Brian Latimer swear by ZMan lures on the professional circuit.
Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail
Zoom has been the go-to bait for me when I need a basic version of a popular style and I don’t want to pay too much for that privilege.
It has ribs but is not as thick as I would like it to be. The tails are long and wide, which gives a lot of action.
This works very well on a swim jig and a chatterbait because of the range of movement it has.
You will find it in the colors brown, white, and blue.
Yamamoto Zako Swimbait
If you know the professional bass fishermen Brett Hite then you know he teamed up with Yamamoto to create this swimbait that works so well on vibrating jigs.
This is meant to be swimming so you need to put it on a swim jig or a chatterbait. You could even possibly work it with a ned rig if you like that.
Your colors should be set to mimic the local baitfish and then have a couple of panfish colors to attract the big boys.
ZMAN Razor Shadz
Not unlike the Yamamoto Zako Swimbait, the Razor Shadz is in the same category and is the main competitor.
You can look at the sectional slices at the back and see that there are fewer of them. What this does is make a more specific movement instead of a wild tail action.
Some fish want a fish to be moving regularly and unsuspecting. Others get attracted when it looks like a baitfish is running away.
You will see Pros like David Walker and Brian Latimer using these lures to perfection.
Zoom Split Tail Trailer
This split tail trailer takes a small grub and gives it tails that are 2-3x longer than itself. It does make a crazy amount of action, but it is will move and mimic a more sleek baitfish.
It would use this on small swimming jigs and on chatterbaits that have baitfish that are on the skinnier side.
Strike King Rage Bug
The rage bug is a unique shape of a crazy fish. You will notice that it is not round and has a double-sided body that gives it more girth.
For this reason, I would use this if you plan to try to imitate a crayfish more than a baitfish. You will see they added crayfish antennae and eyes so you can’t really say it’s anything else.
This works well with a flipping jig that you plan to throw in deep cover and give a shake.
Keitech Fat Swing Impact Sexy Shad
Keitech has a great line of swimbaits to their line up that are used by popular YouTubers like NDYakAngler.
Their main attribute is injecting their baits with lots of salt. If you have been around the fishing game you know that salt makes fish hold on longer.
It also makes your own food taste better too so why not for fish as well! The thickness of the bait is great for fish that are a bit more sluggish and want a great meal for their work.
You can honestly do anything you want with it, but for chatterbaits it’s fantastic.
ZMAN Scented Curly Tailz
I call one of my favorite lures a curly tail grub with a spinner. ZMAN has made a version that tops even that.
I never thought about getting one that had scent added to it. The sheer movement of the tail was enough to tempt fish into biting. It does the exact same thing when it is on a chatterbait.
They focus on using this for inshore saltwater fishing, but this will work just as well in your local freshwater fishing spots.
Yamamoto Swim Senko
This is a take on the paddletail swimbait, but it is slightly different. The head of the bait is shaped like a worm, but it has a paddletail.
This is a bait that is specifically made to be a trailer. The head of the bait is not supposed to be seen by the fish. It should always be covered by a skirt.
With all this said it works just fine when hooked weightless or on a ned rig to attract strikes.
Googan Baits Bandito Bug
Like other crayfish lures this one is made beefy to give bass something to look forward to if they chase it down.
This can easily be used on a chatterbait or a swimming jig. It is may be the fastest crayfish I have ever seen, but the bass doesn’t seem to mind chasing down a great meal.
ZMAN DieZel Minnowz
Just like it stays this is a minnow lure with a paddletail that works great on a jig head or as a trailer for a chatterbait or spinnerbait.
You can use this quite reliably in both fresh and saltwater and get the type of reaction you are looking for.
Like other paddletails it has the same swimming pattern. It doesn’t have the cut-out tail sections that allow for maximum movement, but it won’t get cut in half when something bites it too hard.
ZMAN Turbo Crawz
If you are looking for a complete crawfish replication you don’t have to look any further. I think it best to use a chatterbait as a crawfish lure when you are fishing near rocks or fallen trees.
You should do it where they would naturally be hiding. Your bait will look like one that was discovered and is trying desperately to get away.
Yamamoto Double Tail Grub
This lure is made to be just a trailer and nothing else. It could be added to a swimming jig, spinnerbait, or a chatterbait.
The tail shape makes a lot of action and the thickness is great for presenting a thicker bait. It also allows for easy rehooking to another lure when necessary.
ZMAN Trick Shotz
This paddletail worm is a bit different. It is more like a flat tail worm, which actually exists. However, it is not tapered so it has a completely different movement that it makes.
This movement can be recognized by fish that are used to this type of worm. It can also replicate a baitfish because fish more decisive decisions at times.
One thing you won’t think about is imitating a leech, which fish do eat when available!
Best Chatterbait Colors
You have three options when it comes to chatterbait colors. Changing the blade, skirt, or trailer colors will all have an effect on what bites. Three variables are actually a lot because there are other things to think about as well.
You have to think about the girth, length, and color patterns of these options. All of these will determine what type of fish will eat it and what size one will be attracted to it.
With that said you will choose colors depending on the type of forage, you are trying to imitate. If you are looking to copy minnows then you should stick to white or blue sparkly colors. If you want to copy crayfish then red, orange, brown, or black and blue will work quite well.
Remember to make the trailer the same. Now if you are going after some bigger bass or pike then you will want to choose some bluegill or yellow perch colors. I have caught some bigger fish on these patterns. I have seen fishermen with whopper ploppers catch specifically pike with yellow perch colors and smallmouth bass with minnow colors.
How To Fish A Chatterbait
Fishing a chatterbait is not hard at all. You simply cast it out and real it in at a pace that keeps it just under the surface. This allows it to go through and around many forms of structure.
The best way to use this is straight through a grass bed, lily pads, fallen trees, overhanging trees and skipped under docks! The more gnarly the structure the better. Big fish are in there and a chatterbait will get them out of there.
You also want to use a higher test line and maybe even a leader depending on what type of fish you are trying to catch. I like to go 20lb test or above to make sure I can get it out of the structure if I manage to get hung up.
What Size Should A Chatterbait Be To Throw?
You will have to know the general size of the bait in your area and you should know if your targeted fish are bigger or smaller in your area. You can also cull fish just by going bigger with your bait.
Do you want a 1lb burger for $5 or a 1/4lb burger for $5…
I think the choice is simple and many fish will think the same as well. They will decide that it is worth moving for a huge meal that will keep them full for days instead of snacking on small stuff and wasting energy.
With that in mind, I like to get the lightest size if the fish are small and I am using lightweight gear where I don’t have a fast retrieve to make sure the lure stays on top. If I want to get a little deeper into the structure I will use a heavier chatterbait with a bigger trailer.
How To Put A Trailer On A Chatterbait
You have three ways you can put a trailer on your chatterbait. You can thread the trailer through the hook. You can also do a Texas Rig on the trailer to make it almost completely weedless.
The third way involved hook straight through the front portion of the trailer and letting it swim through the water. The trailer will pivot around the hook and actually give it sort of a swimbait style going through the water.
How Do You Rig A Trailer On A Chatterbait?
I should choose between two rigs depending on the type of fishing you are doing. If you are in open water and don’t care about getting hung then you will want to put it on just like a Ned Rig.
This requires threading the trailer on the hook to make it straight.
If you want to go weedless you should use the Texas Rig to make it virtually weedless. This is also great for flipping it under docks.
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Should You Put A Trailer On A Chatterbait?
You should definitely put a trailer on a chatterbait. It will lengthen the lure to make it look more like the forage that it is trying to imitate.
A skirt and a blade will only be able to do so much. The fish needs to see something that looks close to what it wants to eat.
This not only gives it a unique look, but it also gives it a unique action. From paddletails, ribbon tails, curly tails, etc… you never know what will like your presentation. Testing is a very important thing to do on your local body of water.