Bill Lewis Ratl-Trap 2025
WhiteMike1018 reply :
anyone still throw these?
I picked up 8 of them without treble hooks in different colors for 1$ at a fishermans flea market...
Seems lately the re-eye shad and other popular lipless crankbaits have gotten all the attention from anglers over the recent years..
maybe theres someone out there who swares by them?
Tuckahoe Joe reply :
I found one stuck up in a tree a few months ago. Hooks are rusted and need to be changed out but Im planning on fishing it this season. Looks like a good bait to me. Tried it out today just to see what kind of action it had and I gotta say I liked it a lot. Hopefully I can catch some nice chunky fish on it this year.
OkeechobeeAngler reply :
Use them all the time. Great for teaching new people how to catch bass.
TrapperJ reply :
One of my fav go to lures good stuff.
Jake P reply :
I prefer SK's body design, but they both work when a lipless crank is needed. I mainly fish the Red eye shad because I love SK lures so I support them.
In spring when the Lipless crank bite is on fire, my father in law will throw a Rattle trap in chrome/ blue and I will throw a Red eye shad in east Texas special. We both catch the same.
BenB54 reply :
My first lipless cranks were Rat-L-Traps and I caught a lot of fish on them. In the past year or so I've switched to the red eye shads because I think the paint holds up better on them. I always keep a few in the box though.
Sam reply :
Yes. Throw them all the time.
I change out the hooks.
Hooked_On_Bass reply :
Yep, the majority of my lipless selection consists of Rat-L-Traps.
Bankbeater reply :
I don't throw them as much as I use to, but I still fish with them.
TNBassin' reply :
I still use them but the SK RES are the deal.
TrapperJ reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 2:15 PM, Jake P said:I prefer SK's body design, but they both work when a lipless crank is needed. I mainly fish the Red eye shad because I love SK lures so I support them.
In spring when the Lipless crank bite is on fire, my father in law will throw a Rattle trap in chrome/ blue and I will throw a Red eye shad in east Texas special. We both catch the same.
I'm starting to pick up a few of the Red Eye Shads, but that old Chrome and Blue is my favorite Rat-L-Trap.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I don't fish them very often anymore except for white bass but they still catch plenty of bass. Main thing is to change out the hooks.
BrettD reply :
I always have one tied on.
roadwarrior reply :
For simple retrieve and ripping through grass, they are probably as effective as the newer
designs from a number of companies. What seperates the Red Eye Shad is its forward fall
on slack line.
Fishes in trees reply :
I like to fish rattle baits, but not that one. First choice would be an older Berkley Frenzy in a shiny threadfin shad color. (Long since discontinued, I've got 5 left.) Second choice would be a Cordell Spot.
Primus reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 11:32 PM, roadwarrior said:For simple retrieve and ripping through grass, they are probably as effective as the newer
designs from a number of companies. What seperates the Red Eye Shad is its forward fall
on slack line.
On the money, the Rattletraps I've fished fall on their side. They are not my first choice in colder water because it takes a little faster retrieve for the bait to vibrate over a Red Eye Shad or a Sebile Flatt Shad and it's a poor choice for a yo-yo presentation.
That said if you can get them for a 1 $ a piece it's a good deal and I agree with Roadwarrior regarding application. It's a good warm water trap for faster retrieves and grass rippin'.
Darren. reply :
My boys and I have enjoyed catching a few fish on originals during the years. But don't fish them much any more. Picked up some Cotton Cordell last year during the Classic. Lipless cranks are an occasional thing for me, not productive enough to throw on every outing.
Jake P reply :
That color has put more fish in the boat for me than any other. Catch sandies like CRAZY when we run up on a school and take em home for dinner with that color.On 3/1/2013 at 10:37 PM, TrapperJ said:I'm starting to pick up a few of the Red Eye Shads, but that old Chrome and Blue is my favorite Rat-L-Trap.
WhiteMike1018 reply :
One lipless crank that has produced a lot of me is the BPS lipless rattling crankbaits. The one that looks like a shad design. Ive caught a lot of fish on the chrome and blue.
kadas reply :
On 3/1/2013 at 2:56 PM, BenB54 said:My first lipless cranks were Rat-L-Traps and I caught a lot of fish on them. In the past year or so I've switched to the red eye shads because I think the paint holds up better on them. I always keep a few in the box though.
X2
craww reply :
On 3/2/2013 at 12:17 AM, Fishes in trees said:I like to fish rattle baits, but not that one. First choice would be an older Berkley Frenzy in a shiny threadfin shad color. (Long since discontinued, I've got 5 left.) Second choice would be a Cordell Spot.
I got one of the frenzys for free a few years back and have never thrown it. Tough to put down the rattling vibes and redeye shads. Can you elaborate on why you like them?
NC_Bass6 reply :
sometimes i do better on ratl traps than RES but i will throw both. i think they fall different when your jerk and pausing them.
Fishes in trees reply :
Craww - the Berkley Frenzy rattle baits just seem to work better for me. They seem to swim more flatter, on a horizontal plane, whereas the Lewis Rattle Trap looks like it swims with more of a nose down presentation. All I know is that I don't have any confidence in Rattle traps at all. They look pretty similar, but to me the Frenzy looks "better" especially coming through the water.
One thing that the Frenzy Lures and the Rattle Trap lures have is common is that the metallic shiny finishes on both lures suck. It is pretty easy to ding them up, but I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing.
JoePhish reply :
I've caught just as many fish on a Rat-L-Trap as I have on any other lipless.
Recently at Dicks they had the 1/2 oz Chrome Black Zombie on the sale rack for $2.99 so I grabbed a handful. The zombie design wears off and you're left with just the chrome which is fine with me. I find that chrome eventually scratches off too and you now you have a scratchy grey and white bait. Then it hits the junk tackle box with hopes of one day being repainted.
I put Lipless cranks in the same catagory as I do Jigs - baits that I will eventually lose if I fish them the way I want to. So I try not to buy too many of the expensive ones.
I just hate that feeling when I lose a Yozuri.
Something I noticed on the back label of Rat-L-Traps is a date which I assume is the date of manufacturing.
Why is this on there? Do they have an expiration date, lol?
jignfule reply :
Great Lures, I use them all the time
don53 reply :
i use mine quite a bit,mainly firetiger or chrome and black,great baits
Catt reply :
One thing I have noticed is no one mentioned each lipless crank has a different sound which is why I still use Rat-L-traps more than all the rest.
IDbasser reply :
I use them a lot. I really like them and so do the smallies
Primus reply :
On 3/3/2013 at 11:12 AM, Catt said:One thing I have noticed is no one mentioned each lipless crank has a different sound which is why I still use Rat-L-traps more than all the rest.
Good point Catt, this is one of the reasons I have a variety of these bait in my tackle box.
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