Vibrating jigs or chatterbaits have found a place in most bass angler’s tackle boxes by now. Some have been good, others not so good.
The trick is of course identifying what it is you are wanting from the lure, then finding the one that checks all the boxes.
The Z-Man/Evergreen JackHammer Chatterbait is a collaborative effort involving two companies. But is it unique enough or does it perform better than other baits in this genre?
The construction of this bladed jig starts with a head that has a flat bottom, 3D eyes, a thin but strong stainless steel blade, a Gamakatsu heavy wire hook, a double trailer keeper, hand tied skirt and a heavy duty snap. All of this in a more compact package than a lot of chatterbaits out there.
It’s available in two sizes, 3/8 and 1/2 ounce, with 10 skirt colors almost all of which utilize a painted blade to match or complement the rest of the colors of the lure.
Getting Down To It
We got the 3/8 version for our testing because we had every intent to use it in relatively shallow water. In this depth zone you are typically fishing in or around vegetation of one kind or another as well as other structure. With this in mind, you want a bait that will come through the obstructions without losing action or getting hung up constantly.
We haven’t thrown it into matted slop— but who’s going to do that? The JackHammer comes through the majority of vegetation with very few hang-ups nor does it collect so much snot that the blade is hangs up on the head of the bait. It keeps right on thumping through all but the thickest grass.
On the first cast it was crystal clear that the blade on this jig starts moving immediately. It doesn’t take a sharp snap of the rod or any other violent movement to get it going. Just start reeling, you’ll feel the telltale thumping of the rod tip immediately.
A common problem with bladed jigs is that they tend to rise during the retrieve. Some do it so quickly that you can’t use a steady retrieve. You have to stop winding to allow the lure to sink every so often.
Not an issue with the JackHammer. We’ve been able to count it down to our desired depth and keep it there the entire retrieve. That translates to more time in the strike zone which translates to more bites and ultimately more fish.
Skip Game
You may have attempted skipping docks or overhanging vegetation with some chatterbaits. Generally speaking, this is not their strong suit. However, the JackHammer does that efficiently. It was a bit of a surprise but this is one bladed jig you can get in there with no trouble if you are practiced with the technique of skipping.
Another feature of this bait is its size. Whether intentionally or by sheer happenstance, this jig can be tipped with a good variety of trailers in different sizes to suit the prevailing conditions.
If you want to put something as small as a 2.8” swimbait as a trailer it works. A 3.8” fits nicely while a 5” can also be used. This allows you to more closely match the hatch for the size of forage.
We’ve also found that the JackHammer is quite good at all speeds. If you want to slow roll it across the bottom, no problem, the blade doesn’t require a ton of speed to thump. If you find more active fish that require a faster presentation, again, no problem. Even if you have to really burn your bait to get bit this jig won’t blow out on you.
Slow Fast or Anything in Between
When you are using bladed jigs you want that bait to have the ability to deflect well off of cover. That sudden change of direction is one of those characteristics of a good bait that is essential for drawing strikes. The JackHammer does this extremely well. It’ll bounce off, give you a little hunting action, then get back to center. It behaves more like a squarebill than some of the squarebills we’ve tested.
The baits have all held up well to this point and each has caught a bunch of fish. Durability doesn’t seem to be an issue with the Z-Man and we’re pretty rough on lures in general.
The JackHammer checks all the boxes for us in terms of what we are looking for in a bladed jig. However, it is pricey. At $15.99-$17.99 it is without a doubt one of the more expensive choices available.
The bottom line is that each of us has to decide how we spend our money. Whether that means buying two baits for the same price as buying one or not, it is an individual decision. We have decided that in this case, due to the fact that this bait does check all the boxes, we’ll go ahead and put up the extra coin for the JackHammer.
| Z-Man/Evergreen JackHammer Chatterbait | |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating |   |
| It checks all the boxes | |
See ya’ on the water …
