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Lure Review


 

Not Afraid of Contact - The Jackall Chubble Minnow Shaped Squarebill

 

Date: 5/27/21
Tackle type: Lure
Manufacturer: Jackall
Reviewer: Zander






Total Score: 8.58 - GREAT

Introduction: Jackall continues to find ways to tweak their offerings with unique designs or profiles. Is there any class of bait that the company doesn't already have a silver bullet? Whether we are looking at the finesse crosstail shad, deadly gill imitating Gantarel swimbait, or proven Aska cranks, the brand knows how to make baits that draw both anglers and fish. The Chubble stands apart from the rest of the lineup with a squarebill lip paired with a longer body that is designed to imitate minnows and exhibit a more natural swimming action than traditional squarebill cranks. 

 

Jackall Chubble Crankbait Specifications

Type Crankbait
Length 3.1 inches
Weight 1/2 ounce
Material Plastic
Patterns 8+
MSRP $15.99

 


Jackall's slender Chubble is a different take on the traditional squarebill

 

Impressions: When it comes to JDM styled hardbaits the list of baits in my arsenal is pretty short, and I find myself continually turning to Lucky Craft, Megabass, and Jackall when it comes to shallow and mid-range cranking. There are a lot of great baits out there but with baits as productive as the Megabass S-Crank Jackall Aska it is often difficult to force myself to cut them off and try something new. So when Ariel Biley, Manager at Jackall USA, sent me the Chubble crankbait it took me a while for me put down my confidence baits and really put the Chubble cranks to work.

 


The Chubble doesn't have the stout profile of most squarebills as it is designed to imitate minnows and other baitfish

 

The first thing that anglers will notice about the Chubble is that it has a longer, and more slender, profile than other stubbier more traditionally profiled crankbaits. This is because the Chubble is designed with a profile that is intended to mimic minnows and other small baitfish.

 


The bait comes in a range of patterns including some RT finishes

 

Real World Tests: I've been fishing the Jackall Chubble for two seasons targeting largemouth, spots, and even a few smallies in the California Delta and Northern California lakes. I have fished this crankbait on a variety of setups including rods specifically designed for fishing crankbaits, as well as rods that are intended more for contact baits, just to see how the bait handles with various setups.

 


The Chubble Black Back Craw pattern features a matter finish

 

Castability: Most crankbaits that weigh 1/2oz. or heavier usually cast pretty easily but with some baits you will notice a tumbling effect, or that the baits are more impacted by the wind, during casts. To counter this the Chubble houses an internal magnetic cast control system which aids with casting, then shifts into balance mode during retrieves. The system is simple and very well executed. 

 


The Chubble is easy to cast and is able to be fished with a wide range of gear versus just application specific sticks. I enjoyed fishing the bait with contact sticks and fluorocarbon for sensitivity and quicker dives

 

Dive Time: Once the Chubble hits the water the squarebill design pushes the bait down to 2 feet pretty quickly, but with the shallow bill it does take a little longer for the bait to get down to the max 4 feet range. Using fluorocarbon line helps dive time but in general I found the Chubble best suited for shallow water work, and very effective at attacking structure that was closer to the surface. The Chubble has a composite bill that is tougher than traditional plastic bills, and it holds up well as it bumps into stumps and rocks. Though it does get scuffed up over time I didn't experience any chipping on any of our test lures.

 


Time to see what the Chubble is all about. There are a variety of ways to fish this bait effectively

 

Quality of Movement: During retrieves the Chubble has a surprisingly tight wobble for such a long bait. Though you might expect such a long crank to really swing, or wobble, the Chubble exhibits more of a tight shimmy during retrieves. It doesn't swing as hard, or wide, as some other crankbaits, and resistance on the end of the line is similar to what you would expect from most shallow running cranks. This makes it easy to fish the Chubble with reels that have 7:1 retrieve ratio, or even higher.

 


The RT Scale Minnow pattern was my favorite and the details from the fins and scales help it mimic just about every type of junkfish in the water

 

I'd even describe the Chubble's action during straight retrieves as somewhat finesse-like as far as shallow running crankbaits go. That is until you see the bait deflect off structure. When the Chubble hits a rock, or submerged wood, it quickly bounces off the obstruction, and because it is so long you can really see the tail section whip out after that contact. This is also when fish seem to react very strongly to the bait, and I caught numerous fish during all but the coldest months aggressively bouncing the bait off structure.

 

During the pre and post spawn months I also found the Chubble to be very effective. I'm not sure if it is because the bait does a better job mimicking shad and fry than other squarebills, or if it just looks different, but it is during these periods that bass seem much more eager to crush these baits in open water.

Next: Other effective ways to fish the Chubble...

 

   

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