Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Overnight sensation: the Chatterbait

(Photo: Ron Davis)

"The Chatterbait works best when either a spinnerbait or swimming jig would be a choice, says Ron Davis. The Chatterbait has a tremendous vibration and frantic action like a startled critter hightailing it."


The Chatterbait begins as a jig with a silicone skirt and soft plastic trailer, and then appends a blade to the jig eye, which some say makes it akin to a spinnerbait. Except the blade doesn't spin like on a spinnerbait. The blade makes a Chatterbait wobble vigorously like a crankbait.

In mid-January 2006, FLW co-angler Bryan Thrift of Shelbyville, N.C., blew the lid off the Chatterbait, crediting it for his win in the Stren Series event on Lake Okeechobee, Fla. In the 2 months since, Thrift spilled the beans, Ron Davis' business problems have gotten much bigger and much better. First quarter sales forecasts for Rad Lures have skyrocketed from 50,000 to 75,000 pieces & there are currently over two million Chatterbaits on order now — with no end in sight.

"I had no idea that Bryan's win would do what it has done. Bryan was even apologetic about it. First, Bryan felt sorry that we got flooded beyond our wildest dreams with orders," says Davis. "We are now working round the clock to get Chatterbaits to the people who want them."

He continues, "Second, Bryan apologized because he had won 2 Stren series events as a co-angler in 2005 but did not publicize the Chatterbait at that time. Bryan didn't realize the impact that publicity by him would have on sales. In one event, Bryan was so far ahead that all he needed to do was catch one fish on the last day to clinch the co-angler win. When Bryan got that fish early in the morning, he sat out the rest of the day so his pro partner could get some rod time with the Chatterbait to win the pro side event."

"Top national pros, if they hadn't been using it, surely were aware of the Chatterbait and now that it's out in the open, they either have to use it" says CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail pro Ben Matsubu, who used the Chatterbait to help him take 3rd and $33,000 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir at the Southern Tour stop in March 2006.

"Meanwhile, Bryan was getting hammered on the Chatterbait on a day when fast-moving reaction baits weren't working," continues Davis. "Watching Bryan, many of the other boaters started slinging spinnerbaits, trying to do what they could to copy his success, but not catching any fish. While people say the Chatterbait blade makes it like a spinnerbait, fish may see it differently. What I mean is people who throw spinnerbaits, you can come down the bank behind them with the Chatterbait and catch fish they didn't catch."

"The Chatterbait is somewhat snag-free but not entirely snagless. It works best where there are no thick weeds or wood," claims pro Tom Monsoor from La Crosse, Wis. (Note: Monsoor is rightly famous for making his own style of swimming jig.) "Another situation where I feel the Chatterbait will do best is earlier in the season while the water is still too cold for my own swimming jig to produce," he adds. You can find Monsoor's Swimming Jig at Basspro.com

"The Chatterbait is like a lipless rattling crankbait in that it gives off heavy vibrations and therefore works in dirtier water than my own style of swimming jig," continues Monsoor. "An example is the last FLW Tour event on Pickwick. I caught all my fish on my own swimming jig in clear water the first day. The water dirtied up so much the second day that I had to switch to the Chatterbait in order to continue to do well in the dirty water." Another high quality swim jig is the Outkast Pro Swim Jig.

HellaBass

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

One thing about the Chatterbait... I have had mine on order for 8 weeks now... Every couple of weeks I inquire, and get the same response. It is taking longer to process, we expect to have all orders filled in 2 to 3 weeks... I just finally got feed up and told them to cancel my order... These won't do me much good in the winter.

HellaBass said...

Funny you mention this, I have been waiting probably closer 10-12 weeks. Got an email from Rad Lures today, sounds like the wait will end soon. See Email:
Rad Lure® News Flash!!!!!

Important Chatterbait(tm) Update for our Customers

As of April 24, 2006, we received great news from our corporate offices and wanted to share it with our customers immediately. The large shipment we have been expecting will arrive in our warehouse in approximately three weeks. At that time, we expect to fill all of our existing orders. This will be followed by a second shipment which will allow us to build inventory to fill new orders.

We want to thank each and every one of you for your patience and understanding during a time of such tremendous growth for our company. We are certain that you will be glad you waited for our product. Not only have we enhanced the Chatterbait(tm) by increasing its strength, but we also plated the stainless steel blade with sterling silver or 22 k gold. This improves the reflectivity of the blade over the original finish with the prismatic decal.

Please be sure to visit our website regularly for new product offerings. In the next few months, we will be introducing an assortment of colors and sizes as well as entirely new products to keep you on the forefront of fishing with Rad Lure. We want to make sure you won't have any, "the one that got away" stories!

Thanks and happy fishing!!

Your friends at Rad Lure®

Also, Gambler Swim Blades are on SALE at Basspro.com for only $4.49 each. That is much cheaper than most places. Maybe you can buy some of those, should get them before winter rolls around ;)

HellaBass