Does the Chubby get you a Chubby?

[RiverFish]

For those of you that say you have to jig the Chubby Darter correctly, how do you jig them? I've tried them several times, and haven't had the best luck with them yet.

Thanks,

folke

I fish the Darter hard. I will rip/jig the darter up 1-3 feet to throw vibration. Then I will drop the darter back down to the orginal depth with a tight line. A lot of times I get hits on the way back down to the orginal depth. Let it sit for a 5-10 seconds. Then rip it again and repeat.

I don't put a minnow or minnow head on it because it does affect the vibrations that I am looking for.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I try to give them the benefit of a doubt every time I go out. It's become a ritual: one rod is a deadstick/slip bobber, the other I'll jig a Chubby. More often than not, I wind up switching to a simple spoon or rattling spoon and catch fish.

I've yet to catch a fish on a Chubby Darter...and I have at least a dozen. At least they look pretty...

Some just don't have the luck.

[Fishin Dood]

I found chubby's on sale or clearance at the local big box sporting goods store. I just couldn't bring myself to buy more even though they were marked down. I've tried them in all sorts of situations and I have yet to catch a fish on one. For the money they ask for them fish should be flying outta the hole.

[TylerS]

Some just don't have the luck.

Or maybe just the patience to try a marginal lure when a minnow and spoon will work 90 percent of the time

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Or maybe just the patience to try a marginal lure when a minnow and spoon will work 90 percent of the time

Skill trumps having to be patience.

[popriveter]

I finally caught some fish with darters last year. I'd tried them a lot and was going to write them off. I got into a good sunfish bite and caught a limit with a swedish pimple, so I decided I could either experiment with a different lure or go home. I switched to a darter and started catching crappies instead. Same hole, same depth, tipped with the same waxies. Different species of fish. It gave me enough confidence to add them to the regular rotation. They are still my 5th or 6th choice lure option.

[Stick in Mud]

Chalk me up in the anti-chubby camp. (What exactly am I admitting to here? I've tried them a bunch on Mille lacs, but they've underproduced every time I've tried them. Yes, I've caught fish on them, but I'm also sure there are some fish who'd come in and eat a chunk of a beer can if I tied it to the end of the line.