Few lures have impacted the fishing industry as rapidly as have chatter-style baits.

Their initial success on the bass tournament trail led competing manufacturers to develop their own chatter-style offerings quicker than an office worker grabbing a free donut.

With the dust now settled, the opportunity exists to determine what niches chatter-style baits fill. The current variety of such lures lends itself to application beyond the pursuit of largemouth bass. Smaller versions have established themselves worthy of use by trout anglers, particularly in stream situations where trout respond well to moving baits.

A metal non-rotational blade ¿ which varies in shape among manufacturers — is what gives a chatter-style bait its chatter. The blade doesn't revolve; rather, it's hinged to the trailing bait.

As the bait is retrieved, the blade's bite in the water transmits an irregular pull, resulting in a random action, which many days can be an intense trigger.

Most chatter-style baits incorporate a leadhead jig design, with plastic trailers of several shapes, including minnow-shaped bodies and synthetic skirts. More recently, stickbaits employing a chatter-style blade have hit the market, these too having a place in trout fishing.

In either case, smaller versions of chatter-offerings are most appropriate for stream trout. Regarding jig-style baits, consider ones 3/16th of an ounce and lighter to be best suited for trout.

Skirted trailers, while good for bass, should be switched out for a minnow or twister-shaped dressing more likely to trigger a positive reaction from trout. In stick-style baits, choose the smaller versions in the two- to three-inch range.

While they function best as a moving bait, chatter-style baits are surprisingly versatile, and will catch trout from the frigid waters of the early season right up until when the water becomes uncomfortably warm in early to mid summer. The key lies in altering bait choices and presentation tactics to the conditions faced with.

Stick-style chatter lures have the inclination of turning back on themselves during the cast, an annoying trait that can result in too many lost casts if a couple of preventative measures aren't taken.

One goes back to the use of the superline, which results in smooth casts where the lure doesn't tumble. Lob-style casts (as opposed to snap casts, where the rod is loaded during the back cast) should be made, like when casting live bait, for the same reason.

Use a fluorocarbon leader in the 16- to 20-pound test range. While this may seem ridiculously heavy for stream trout fishing situations, the stiffness of the leader effectively thwarts the lure's penchant for turning back on itself. And fluorocarbon is nearly invisible underwater, so the thicker line won't turn away fish.

Chatter lures rely on the bite of the water to work. As such, make casts across the current, bringing the lure back against the current. You need the resistance of the water to activate the blade. The blade won't bite during an upstream cast.

During high, cold water, conditions so common during the early season, trout will often be tucked in close to the bank, where they can escape the heavy current. A favorite tactic is to cast a stick style chatter lure across the current, then let the blade chatter as the bait swings downstream. Then begin a slow retrieve that guides the bait through the more quiet water below.

Jig-style chatter lures can be worked in much the same manner, though they won't "hover" quite as well. Having a more compact body shape, they will sink to the bottom. But this trait allows them to be worked as a jig, slowly along the bottom, with the bite of the blade giving the lure some side-to-side kick during the upstroke of the retrieve.

Jeff Knapp is a fishing columnist for the Butler Eagle