The words “Thunder Cricket”, “jack Hammer” and “Slobber Knocker” are not common words when someone thinks of fishing-unless you are a fisherman already of course. I don’t know who comes up with these names, but they all have one thing in common besides their namesakes. They are all names different brands have for their own take on the famous bladed jig.
A bladed jig is exactly what it sounds like. A jig with a blade. Also called a “vibrating jig”. This bait features a distinctive design consisting of a single blade directly fused to the head of the jig using a split-ring attachment or directly attached closely to the head. Unlike the adjacent blades of a spinnerbait.
Bladed Jig — #1 Power Fishing Bait
Power fishing is a method of fishing with a bait that covers a lot of water and all parts of the water column. Unlike a Topwater bait that only covers the top of the water or a deep diving crank bait that only covers the deeper parts of the water column, the bladed jig can be used to cover every inch of the water and plenty of distance.
In shallow water or over heavy vegetation, this bait can be retrieved quickly to keep it sustained in the top of the water column and if retrieved slowly, it can comfortably swim in the middle. Making this one of the most versatile baits on the market.
Why is it so effective?
5x Bassmaster classic kayak champion-Drew Gregory states, “The bladed jig is especially effective because it gives an erratic ‘fleeing’ and ‘panicked’ type action to the lure. This triggers the natural predatory instinct of the bass which has honed its skill of hunting by preying on the weak and fleeing baitfish.”
“The fact that you simply just have to ‘wind it’ to impart that action is what makes the lure so genius, given most lures require the angler to do some sort of twitching or stop start action themselves with the rod/reel. Given the rod tip shakes violently until a bite occurs, in which it stops vibrating, makes it one of the easiest baits for an angler to also ‘detect the bite.’ Those are just a few of the reasons the bladed jig is so effective.”
And I could not agree with Drew more. Drew and I have fished many of the same waters and when he is using a bladed jig in the correct areas, he easily has out-fished myself and other anglers using different bait options.
Which Brand?
This is the toughest question in fishing. Which brand works the best? Unfortunately that answer is purely up to each angler and mostly opinion based. A few brands make great bladed jigs. Do you go with the brand that first brought them to market or the brands that made small changes or improvements?
The chatterbait was first. It is a dependable and effective choice for a bladed jig. There are many variations of the chatterbait with slight differences from Z-Man fishing to give you plenty of options. I personally like the Jackhammer chatterbait due to its superior components and reliability. This bait gives a wide vibration pattern and makes a lot of noise.
The SlobberKnocker is a newer addition to bladed jigs from Berkley fishing and is similar to the chatterbait, but has a much tighter vibration pattern and the blade is slightly narrower. One of the perks of this bait is its ability to swim very well in vegetation and structure due to its tighter patten and narrower blade.
My personal favorite is the Thunder Cricket from Strike King baits. This bladed jig is a good blend of the two mentioned previously. It has a solid vibration pattern that makes a lot of noise but still keeps it tight. This jig is perfect for a swimbait style trailer attached and swimming in open water or tight vegetation. In conclusion, the jackhammer is my go-to with a craw trailer in shallow water or shorelines. The SlobberKnocker is my choice for open water swimming or in vegetation, and the thunder cricket is my common “do-all” option that I can use in almost every situation.
Heading Home
Regardless of which brand or style you choose, the bladed jig is one of my favorite and most used baits in my arsenal. In any water type, water condition or depth, a bladed jig can help you get fish on the hook and bring success to your fishing day. Go grab a few colors and try out different shapes and designs until you find the one that works best for you and your fishing spots.
Pro tip: try throwing these boats with baitcaster set ups and thin braided line. This will help with hook ups and control.
