How do you fish your Rat-L-Traps?

[FishingMastah1]

Well I caught a fish with the yo yo retrieve but was curious how you guys did it, Do you simply cast and pull back, stop and go, yo yo, or just go crazy? I personally try all three and if it isnt working I switch lures.

[Castamasta]

im not a big rattle trap user but my friends usually use a medium to fast retrieve with a few twitches every couple of feet, and they are usually successful with it

[eyedabassman]

In the summer I like to slow therm over a rock bottom, like you would a spinnerbait for smallmouth! And it works good on largemouth as well. Or try a yo-yo back the boat.

[AKFerzy7]

YES

[rondef]

I catch a lot of lmbs on rat-l-traps and use various techniques depending on what works at a particular location. Some times just a normal return, other times stop and go and some times a yo yo return. Once I find what is working I stay with it. I will also swap traps between wide and narrow wobble patterns as well as trying both light and heavy traps.  This lmb in my avatar was caught on a trap with a stop and go technique, she weighed 6lbs 8ozs and was caught on a Kinami trap.

[wagn]

I tend to fish rattle traps poorly and with little success. Probably not the best technique, but I like to think that I've honed it to perfection

[Cory20]

This time of year I like to fish them fast and if that's not working I fish them faster.  And if that isn't working, I try something else.

[Catt]

When: early pre-spawn

Where: main lake points 10-15' of water

Technique: reel keeping the trap a couple of feet below the surface and bounce it off wood.

When: pre-spawn

Where: feeder creek channels 10-15' of water

Technique: make a long cast, let the trap free fall to the count of 10, kneel on the deck, sticking 1 ½ to 2' of your rod tip in the water and slowly reel.

When: slightly before spawn

Where: feeding/spawning flats 3 to 5' of water

Technique: slow roll like you would spinner baits

When: post spawn

Technique: reverse the first three

I prefer Bill Lewis' Rat-L-Traps in either ½ oz Red Chrome or Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly.

[paragon]

I tend to fish rattle traps poorly and with little success. Probably not the best technique, but I like to think that I've honed it to perfection

I like your style

[fooman]

This time of year I like to fish them fast and if that's not working I fish them faster. And if that isn't working, I try something else.

Same here,I burn them as fast as I can..the fast speed doesn't give the bass time to check it out and its usually a rod jarring reaction strike

[roadwarrior]

This time of year I like to fish them fast and if that's not working I fish them faster. And if that isn't working, I try something else.

Same here. When the fish are active and focused on baitfish, the bite can be amazing, but when they are not, I would rather try something else than force the issue. I'm sure a variety of techniques are successful, depending on the situation, but there are other lures I would rather fish. If it ain't easy, I'll use something else.

8-)

[Bankbeater]

I let it drop all the way to the bottom and then bring it in fast, or I bring it in fast as soon as it hits the water. If those two don't produce, I will shake the rod as I bring it in.

[7magJake]

Well, I live in Alexandria,La where they are made. So they are a bit cheaper and everybody has a handfull in their box, I fish them fast,slow, pull pull pull reel pull pull pull reel, any way possible you think of a new way if the bass want them they will take it, I like the blue and chrome, the smokey joe, and the chrome and black.

[lknbassman]

Fast and erractic meaning jerking it, letting it fall, ripping it up off the bottom and cranking the heck out of it.  Makes them nuts if that bite is happening and they are keying on moving baits.

Strike King red eye shad 1/2 oz is the best there is in my opinion with the way it falls and swims.