Ponkapoag today - chatterbait aggravation, please help...

I took a long lunch today and hit Ponkapoag Pond. Incidentally, good luck to those going out tomorrow. Hope the weather isn't too bad! Anyway, I've been throwing the Z-Man Original Chatterbait series a decent amount so far this season. Today I tied on a Bluegill color in 3/8 oz with a Lake Fork Boot Tail Live Magic Shad trailer in Sun Perch. The thing looked GREAT in the water. I got a number of hits, but could not get a fish hooked up. The aggravation culminated when I finally hooked a BIG boy. Had that heavy feeling on the end of rod, and I got a wonderful glimpse of its broad shoulders about 5 feet out as he turned hard and waved goodbye. He came unhooked, and when I reeled the bait back in, the hook had bent out. So annoying, would have easily been my biggest Ponkapoag bass, and possibly a new PB.

Now I'm reading some reviews online and I see many others mentioning bad experiences. I guess I figured the Z-Man line was a decent place to start out with chatterbaits. Anyone else had bad luck with them? More importantly, any recommended alternatives? There is the Z-Man Elite Series that steps up to a Gamakatsu hook, although reviews still aren't great. Anyone tried the Strike King Tour Grade Rage? Looks a bit different, but reviews are good so far (sample size is small though). The D&M Custom Baits Piranha also seems to get nothing but rave reviews, but they're on the pricier side.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_Tour_Grade_Rage_Blade_Swim_Jig/descpage-SKTGRB.html

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/DM_Custom_Baits_Piranha_Swim_Jig/descpage-DMPR.html

I feel your pain, I was using an elite series Z-man for the first time the other day. first bass I hooked into was probably a 3 pounder got it to the boat and she spit the hook. A few min later tossed it under a dock hooked what I'm pretty sure was gonna be a pd for me,same deal as you she turned sideways spit the hook. Didn't bend the hook but does me know good if I cant keep them hooked.so far those are the only hits ive had on it. Very disappointing.
Ill try it again hopefully with better results. These are the first chatter baits I have ever used.

You shouldn't be bending hooks out if your drag is properly set! Were you fishing braid with the drag locked down? If so, there lies the problem.

Good point about the line. I meant to specifically mention the fact that I was not using braid. Hell, I wasn't even using my baitcaster with fluoro, it was 14lb mono. And I usually ere on the side of cranking the drag too low, but even if I was off, I'd think the stretch of the mono would prevent a hook from bending. Never bent a hook before in my life. Have you specifically used the Z-Man chatterbaits before? Sounds like I'm not alone in having problems with weak hooks, both holding fish and bending in some cases. It's not like it bent to 90 degrees, but it was noticeable.

I have never had any problems with the z-man chatterbaits. Ive got many up to 4lbs with that brand and the hook held up fine. I do agree that they could use a better quality hook. Not sure how that hook would hold up with 5 + linker on the line!!

are the new z man chatterbaits better?

You might have just been getting short strikes. The bass might (in mid-May) could have been post-spawn and therefore a little lazy. And that trailer adds a lot of distance between the hook and the back of the bait. And it's a relatively fast-moving reaction lure, so yeah they can definitely short strike it.

I use the Pro 2 series (3/8 oz) with a trailing hook I put on there myself. The hook seems perfectly fine to me, never had it bent, not even with the trailer hook being a heavy duty Trokar. I don't think the long skirt on the Pro 2 does any worse than a paddle tail or fluke... but even if it does, the trailer hook more than makes up for that, and even though I don't use any added plastic I still think it could still fit trailing plastic with good action.

are the new z man chatterbaits better?

Yes, they have done away with the annoying snap where you have to tie your line.

I personally don't mind the snap on my zman chatterbaits. I've only fished chatterbaits a couple of times and haven't caught a fish on them. I'm going to Ponkapoag probably on the 4th, so maybe I'll try for my first chatterbait fish then. I also like the idea of putting a trailer hook on a chatterbait, by the way. I might just do that now that jacobageller mentioned it.