When do you decide to throw one or the other? I’ve always thrown a spinnerbait, usually around docks, windy banks etc. However I see and read about a lot of people having success with the chatterbait. When do you guys use one, colors similar to spinnerbait or more so a jig? Trailer?

Thanks

Fish whatever you can the most efficiently (cast decently and accurately and retrieve the lure without getting snagged or fouled)

General guidelines
More likely to throw a spinnerbait
—lots of wood
—feeding heavily on Shad (late prespawn, shad spawn, fall)
—windy and overcast
—lots of bites really really shallow

More likely to throw a chatterbait
—lots of grass
—more stained water
—fishing deeper
—feeding more on craws and bluegill—early prespawn, Bass spawn, bluegill spawns

I throw a Chatterbait most of the time these days but still throw a Spinnerbait during the hot summertime and don’t really have an explanation of my madness.

Chatter Bait 95 % of the time but if lots of grass a spinner bait will come over the top a little easier so then a spinner bait.

I will say this being a guide and a fisherman.

The Chatter Bait has to be the fish catchest bait I have ever seen in my lifetime.

IMO the Chatter bait will out fish a spinner bait 10/1.

I now always throw a chatterbait first. Will only switch to a spinnerbait if im getting snagged too much.

If theres lots of hard wood and the water is stained i will throw the spinnerbait. Clean water with grass and green, limber brush, im throwing a chatterbait.

For me there's only 2 times the spinnerbait is better than the chatterbait. Shad spawn when slowrolling a 1oz blade over deep grass and when fishing really heavy brush or trees. A small spinnerbait just comes thru the wood much cleaner. All other times it's chatterbait for me. It just catches fish

To me they are entirely two different techniques, presentations and actions. I have them both tied on and let the fish tell me which one they are interested in. The only thing I do differently in building both of these baits are:
- With a Spinner Bait I am looking for the flash of the blades, color and trailer combinations. This involves about a dozen different combinations depending on the time of year, water clarity and weather conditions. Not an easy selection on any given day. It is going to be throw in as heavy of cover that I can find.
- With the Chatter Bait; I stay away from the flash as I paint the blades two different colors on top and bottom to mimic the pray of the day. Most of the time this is the Crayfish and the technique is the Crayfish Hop. During the Shad spawn this is more of a chunk and wind presentation mimicking the Shad Run and leaving the blade Silver on the top side for just the right amount of flash. These selections are for Shad, Bluegill, whites, Crappie and Baby Carp for the spawn.

This comes down to your ability to make the right selection of all the combinations for the conditions of the day. Have both of those selections tied on and work them equally through the cover. With this being said, most fisherman only have a couple of selections of each and try to force feed the fish. If the bite does not come; then to them the Bass are not biting spinners or chatters today. I have said this before many times. Some where on this lake you can load the boat on each of your confidence baits. You just have to find it. For an example: You may fish 4 areas with your confidence Chatter Bait and not get bit; then in the 5 area load the boat. You cannot catch fish if you are not on fish.

Spinner in wood
Chatter everywhere else.

I have not thrown a jackhammer but the normal chatterbait for me is not useful around wood it stays hung up.

I am hopping the Chatter Bait most of the time mimicking the Crayfish. It has a weed guard for this technique. I use the open hook when running a constant speed during feeding patterns close to the Bluegill beds and during the Shad spawn.

I watched a video of Andy Montgomery and he was explaining that he will use a creature bait type trailer when fishing around wood to reduce hangups as its harder for the bait to roll over on the size and get snagged. I almost always use a swimbait style trailer, either LFT Magic Shade or Keltech Paddle Tail. So I tried the beaver style trailers and it definitely decreased my hang ups. Still prefer a spinnerbait in heavy wood, but will use the chatterbait instead if the water is really clear.

I was the spinnerbait guy, but I have been throwing the chatter bait a lot recently. My work lake has super low visibility right now and the bass and snakehead can find it without much effort.

this is my go to trailer for chatterbait or spinner, will use creature bait if bottom hopping or in timber with a lot of limbs.
https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Big_Bite_Baits_Dean_Rojas_-_Cane_Thumper/descpage-BBCANTH.html

I like the larew biffle bug or a craw with large pinchers for bottom bumping.

almost never throw a spinner any more.

55 degrees or less I usually have on a chatterbait so I can use it as a jig or slow roll it! Once the water warms up I switch to a spinner because I can cover water more efficiently. That is likely due to not using it enough on my part but it seems like every third or fourth cast my chatterbait isn’t running right! You guys that fish them a lot is this normal? Is there any tuning that needs to be done?

I like the big bite swimon. Not many people know about it but it's a great chatterbait trailer

I LOVE a spinnerbait bite. Slow rolling a 1/4 ounce terminator around vegetation is killer! One of my best days EVER came in Dale Creek a few years ago pre-spawn doing just that. Probably 9 or 10 over 5 pounds in about an hour! Didn't get any giants but man they would dang near take the rod from you if you weren't careful. Just jarring strikes!! Time and place for both, but I still keep one tied on at all times if i'm fishing in less than 15' of water!!