Ever since the Original ChatterBait® won the first of what would soon add up to dozens of tournament wins and mega stacks of cash a couple decades back, the bladed jig’s soft plastic trailer has always been along for the ride, almost an afterthought. Or, depending on the trailer’s design, maybe it’s the other way around—that the tail wags the dog. Maybe science explains it best: The tail helps maintain balance, offers counterweight and assistance with movement, and certainly, communicates a very specialized message.

To Z-Man pro and ChatterBait tactician Stephen Browning, it’s all about the hydrodynamics. Always, he leans on the blade for its flash, action and lateral-line strumming vibes. But Browning also understands the critical role of his chosen ChatterBait trailer: to provide bulk, a bit of buoyancy, baitfish profile and just enough tail-kicking animation to augment—but not overpower—the blade itself.

Bringing out all the best fish catching vibes of a ChatterBait—while simultaneously injecting extra dimensions of balance, movement and bass talk—the new Z-Man ChatterSpike™ looks and performs like it’s perfectly at home on the back of any bladed jig.

“Beyond its soft, durable ElaZtech® composition,” suggests Browning, “the coolest thing about the ChatterSpike is that it absolutely maxes out blade performance and hunting action and never gets in the way of a ChatterBait’s talents. A lot of other trailers seem to be designed without considering how their bulk, shape or action affects ChatterBlade® function.” Think of the ChatterSpike as an intelligent, highly refined trailer that brings harmony to an already catchy tune.

Streamlined and hydrodynamic at first glance, the ChatterSpike’s minimalist pintail baitfish façade embodies some impressive engineering. “To give the ChatterSpike a crisp, fluid, extra-responsive action, we sculpted it with a diamond-shaped cross section and leading edges that effortlessly slice through water and transfer energy all across the body,” explains Jose Chavez, Z-Man Director of Product Development. “To increase water displacement and quivering action though the tail section, we cut in a series of V-shaped ridges, top and bottom. This segmented posterior makes the ChatterSpike swim with a crisp, fast whipping action, side-to-side. It’s a tight but realistic range of movement that can actually be customized by the angler.”

Viewing the bait dorsal side down reveals its series of overlapping V-shaped segments, each fortified with subtle swimming wings. “To increase its action and range of side-to-side movement, you can actually trim the wings down to size,” notes Browning. “All along, the ChatterSpike’s slender pintail wags and quivers tirelessly. When you see what this thing looks like the water and how it performs on a ChatterBait, you immediately know it’s on the money.”

Browning drills down to the delicate dynamics between bladed jig and its trailer. “Even though the ChatterSpike offers its own independent action and profile, it never disrupts the flash or vibration of a ChatterBait. So, when you’re casting a lure like the new ChatterBait Elite EVO™, the ChatterSpike provides the right balance and range of motion to maximize the blade.

“You’ve got the sweet tail wagging action on every cast. But you quickly realize, no two casts turn out exactly the same. The lure does something a little different each time. Sometimes, it runs true as can be. Other casts, the lure darts and dives; exhibits a strong zig-and-zag hunting action.

“Think of the ChatterSpike as a subtle yet energetic trailer, wispy little pintail quivering continuously. To combat heavily pressured bass, it’s certainly a more restrained, dialed-in motion and presentation than your typical soft plastic. And probably the most lifelike movement you’ve ever seen in a ChatterBait trailer. Now consider its extra soft, yet crazy-durable ElaZtech nature and you’ve got a single bait that goes on and stays put for as many bass as you can handle.”

Equipped with dorsal and ventral hook slots, the 4.5-inch ChatterSpike is easy to rig arrow-straight, fitting all bladed jigs. Beyond deployment as a ChatterBait trailer, the ChatterSpike also fits a variety of other applications, including spinnerbait/buzzbait trailer and soft jerkbait/swimbait. Innovators and leaders in the ChatterBait category it created, Z-Man offers the most comprehensive range of bladed jigs and soft plastic trailers today. Available in October, the ChatterSpike comes in ten ChatterBait matching colors, all crafted in the USA. For for more info, visit www.zmanfishing.com.