Super User the reel ess Posted January 29, 2017 Super User Posted January 29, 2017 I went yesterday from 12:40-3:30 with my buddy. I enjoy holding down the back of his Tracker. Weather had been warm in SC for the last week or so but it had gotten to freezing at night and around 52 for a high the last two days. The water temp was about 51-53. We tried Trick Worm, I tried T rigged craw and a black spinnerbait. But we caught all 5 on a gold Rat L Trap. The biggest being this 4.5 lb that crushed my very slowly retrieved Trap in deep-ish water. She swallowed the bait and nicked one of her gills. It was clear most of the fish were on the deep side of the boat. And the bass were not biting on the sunny side of the lake. 14 Quote
jbw252 Posted January 29, 2017 Posted January 29, 2017 Nice catch. Congrats. I love fishing lipless cranks! 1 Quote
Super User the reel ess Posted January 29, 2017 Author Super User Posted January 29, 2017 28 minutes ago, jbw252 said: Nice catch. Congrats. I love fishing lipless cranks! I have to say, I've never had luck with them anywhere else as well as I do at this particular lake. It was one of those lures that just never produced for me before. But this place had grassy bottom for probably 3/4 of it's area. I guess that's the difference. And we've tried burning the bait and yo-yoing it, but the slowest possible retrieve that doesn't haul in a bait covered with weeds seems to be the most productive. And this bait will occasionally snag a big crappie. I could have taken one rod yesterday. 1 Quote
jbw252 Posted January 30, 2017 Posted January 30, 2017 Just like any lure that you present, the fish will let you know what they want. You choose the right lure for that situation. Here's hoping for a good year of fishing. 1 Quote
Super User RoLo Posted January 30, 2017 Super User Posted January 30, 2017 Great Catch! Yup, you can spend 4 times more for a lipless crank, but it won't catch 4 times more bass than a Rat-L-Trap Roger 5 Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted January 30, 2017 Super User Posted January 30, 2017 Nice catch. You can't beat a Rat-l-trap. 1 Quote
TravisVirginiaAngler Posted January 30, 2017 Posted January 30, 2017 I'll throw a gold or silver rat-l trap all day in the winter. Especially on windy days with murkier, stained water. Fish go bonkers for it! Nice catch bro. 1 Quote
curtis9 Posted January 30, 2017 Posted January 30, 2017 This is something I need to throw more, I've never had much luck, but never spent enought time with a ratl trap Quote
Vero Man Posted January 31, 2017 Posted January 31, 2017 I've had luck with them on fresh and saltwater fish. Chrome with blue or pink back has been good for me 1 Quote
Super User the reel ess Posted January 31, 2017 Author Super User Posted January 31, 2017 2 hours ago, TravisVirginiaAngler said: I'll throw a gold or silver rat-l trap all day in the winter. Especially on windy days with murkier, stained water. Fish go bonkers for it! Nice catch bro. That is exactly the kind of water I usually fish. Rarely is visibility more than a few feet to my human eyes. My buddy remarked that the water was clear for January and I stuck my rod in and could only see three guides. In late summer and early fall, it gets a little more clear. Southeast of here, in the coastal plain, the water gets "black" from the cypress tannin. 2 hours ago, curtis9 said: This is something I need to throw more, I've never had much luck, but never spent enought time with a ratl trap I went for many years trying it with little success, but it really pays off in spades at this one place. 2 hours ago, TravisVirginiaAngler said: I'll throw a gold or silver rat-l trap all day in the winter. Especially on windy days with murkier, stained water. Fish go bonkers for it! Nice catch bro. Gold is really THE TICKET at this particular body of water. Other finishes just don't produce. Gold even catches crappie. 1 Quote
mllrtm79 Posted January 31, 2017 Posted January 31, 2017 we throw black and silver for stripers, and white, gold, or shad patters for lmb 1 Quote
TravisVirginiaAngler Posted January 31, 2017 Posted January 31, 2017 1 hour ago, the reel ess said: That is exactly the kind of water I usually fish. Rarely is visibility more than a few feet to my human eyes. My buddy remarked that the water was clear for January and I stuck my rod in and could only see three guides. In late summer and early fall, it gets a little more clear. Southeast of here, in the coastal plain, the water gets "black" from the cypress tannin. I went for many years trying it with little success, but it really pays off in spades at this one place. Gold is really THE TICKET at this particular body of water. Other finishes just don't produce. Gold even catches crappie. I just caught a 1.1 pound crappie on gold Saturday! 1 Quote
S. Sass Posted January 31, 2017 Posted January 31, 2017 A lake close to me for years has been good with a chrome blue back lipless. It doesn't have to be Rat-L-Trap brand either. I've used Cotton Cordell, Cream Lures knock offs and I am sure some others. I'm pretty sure its the flash more so than the specific rattle since different brands all produce in this color. But this lake likes them more regularly than others I've been on. If the lipless bite is to be had chrome blue back is the color 90% of the time. 1 Quote
Super User soflabasser Posted February 1, 2017 Super User Posted February 1, 2017 Nice catch. 1 Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted February 6, 2017 Super User Posted February 6, 2017 'Tis 'Trap season. Quote
MikeWright Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 @the reel ess I remember one night I was fishing a dock with my friend, and a count of other guys down there...long story short...they didn't catch a darn thing and I ended up catching 3 bass, 1 crappie, 1 bluegill, and a black drum all off of a small rat-l-trap..the 1.5in one? Or maybe inch..it was tiny. But it worked that's for sure!!! It's definitely an all season bait!!! My favorite color is the white with gray back!! Here's the drum...that's a black drum right? 1 Quote
Super User the reel ess Posted February 6, 2017 Author Super User Posted February 6, 2017 10 hours ago, MikeWright said: @the reel ess I remember one night I was fishing a dock with my friend, and a count of other guys down there...long story short...they didn't catch a darn thing and I ended up catching 3 bass, 1 crappie, 1 bluegill, and a black drum all off of a small rat-l-trap..the 1.5in one? Or maybe inch..it was tiny. But it worked that's for sure!!! It's definitely an all season bait!!! My favorite color is the white with gray back!! Here's the drum...that's a black drum right? Awesome! We don't have drum around here, so I'm no expert, but I believe so. Quote
JoeD320 Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 lipless cranks are usually my go to when I pull up to a new or old lake. helps me get a feel for the bite/layout of the lake 1 Quote
MikeWright Posted February 7, 2017 Posted February 7, 2017 Does anyone have any experience/or tried a Rapala Rippin Rap before? I have a few but never tied them on.. Quote
Super User Paul Roberts Posted February 8, 2017 Super User Posted February 8, 2017 On 2/6/2017 at 10:53 PM, MikeWright said: Does anyone have any experience/or tried a Rapala Rippin Rap before? I have a few but never tied them on.. I've got a few, but cannot yet give an adequate review (I'm not a fan of the "my new toy" reviews). I acquired some bc I believe they were designed for ripping vegetation. They are compact little buggers and fall like a hot knife through butter, no skating to one side like some lipless. They have a tight shimmy that does not feel as strong a vibration as some others. I pictured their use on weed edges, knifing down in and ripping out. However, I'm seeing many people using them, and liking them, in other situations. Best I can do at present. I've not really given them the work-out they deserve. 1 Quote
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