Jigs- Rattle or no ratlle???

[Shadcranker]

My personal thought is only to use rattles in three situations:

1. dingy water

2. flippin thick grass

3. flippin other thick cover (buck brush, stump rows, thick lay downs)

My idea is that if the fish have a hard time finding the bait visually (above situations) the rattle is necessary.

In clear water, open water, pressured water it can actually be a turn off for the fish.

Your opinions???

[Siebert Outdoors]

It mostly depends on your confidence.  I dont really like them in brush or weeds.  But thats just me.  I primarily use them in dirtier water.

[CJ]

I use them on jigs when I am fishing deep.I am usually fishing a brushpile or stumpbed.I can't say that they help but I haven't noticed them hurt.

[Catt]

I use Oldham's Lures Trailer Hitch Jigs in all situations; they don't have rattles  

[lunchbox508]

i prefer rattles

[.ghoti.]

I'm pretty much of the opinion that rattling baits, in clearer water, present negatives cues. One factor is the CPR, catch, photo, release, ethic. I have no idea how many times a large bass, say a five pounder, has been caught and released. With the proliferation of rattling baits that taken place over the last ten years or so, it would be fair to say that that fish has been caught several times on a rattling bait. Has this fish become conditioned? It may be possible. I've read that all creatures can "learn" to a limited degree. I've also read that fish can not "remember" anything that happened 30 minutes ago. I have a couple of students who fit that description, so, the idea is not so far fetched. Which theory is correct? I have no clue. I'm operating on the concept of negative and positive cues.

Whan cranking, I have this silly idea that the crankbait should bear a passing resemblance to a baitfish. If it's the right shape, the right size, and looks mostly natural, it is presenting positive cues. If you can break up the retrieve, and make it appear to be struggling, you have presented even more positive cues. Since baitfish have no rattles, I can't help but think that the noise is a big negative cue. You may have gotten the fish's attention with the noise. It may be drawn to the source of the noise. A younger, smaller, "dumber" fish will probably try to eat it. But an older, bigger, "smarter" fish may just be turned off after he realizes that the thing he was tracking was making all that racket. The bigger, older fish did not get that way by swinging at the first pitch. This, in my mind, applies to crankbaiting, a situation where we are trying to get the fish to believe that we have another fish there, struggling, and thus easy pickings, ready to eat. The more natural, the better. There is nothing natural about a rattling fish.

It's getting harder to find crankbaits without rattles. All the hype from the bait companies, who are all trying to make the loudest baits, have convinced many of us that we need louder and louder baits. Who knows, they may be right. It would appear to be a major miracle that we all caught a lot of fish, back in the day, on all those rattle-less wooden plugs. We must have been damded good fishermen back then.

With jigs, it's a different story. The rattles on a jig only make noise when the bait changes direction. So it's not clanging away all the time. It's also on the bottom, doing it's best to look like a crawdad, which will make some subtle clicking noises. A subtle rattle on a jig thus presents a positive cue.

The above is all about clearer water. In dingy water, I believe some noise is essential. You can't get bit if the fish doesn't know your bait is there. The sound will alert the fish to the presence of your bait. When it goes past, the fish does not have time to sort out positive or negative cues. He has to react. I'm of the opinion that you get a lot more reaction bites in dingy, muddy water.  Unnatural colors and noises give the fish more of a chance to find your bait, and the lack of clarity reduces their "decision" time.

I'll use a jig with a rattle all the time. I'll try to pick a louder one the dirtier the water. I want a wooden, rattle-less crank when the water is clear, and a rattling crank in dirty water. I no longer bother with putting rattles in my tubes and worms.

Just my fifth of dimes worth, who knows, I may be all wrong.

Cheers,

GK

[Catt]

ghoti very will thought out   8-)

Now explain a Rat-L-Trap    

[CJ]

My thought excactly,Catt.I know alot of fish that didn't mind rattles at all.

[flyphisher #]

Baitfish make noise....BioSonix plays it back when used.... Now the volume of the lure may make a difference in different conditions. Current makes noise.  Fish hear or feel alot of stuff.....Although I have had days where a more quiet crank such as a DT will get more bites than a louder bait of the same size. Most jig rattle will fall of anyway. Dont think it makes a difference. I get more jig bites with rattles.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

My personal thought is only to use rattles in three situations:

1. dingy water

2. flippin thick grass

3. flippin other thick cover (buck brush, stump rows, thick lay downs)

My idea is that if the fish have a hard time finding the bait visually (above situations) the rattle is necessary.

In clear water, open water, pressured water it can actually be a turn off for the fish.

Your opinions???

You already summed it up good job

[jiangtao]

I read on a couple of different sites {about crawfish}  that when they are mating they will make clicking noises to attract each other. I don't use rattles now, but have in the past. I guess it's about the same for me, but the crawfsh mate is about the same time of year that Bass do if I'm not mistaken. Interesting indeed!!

[Valascus]

I agree with what has been said so far. Like GMAN, I think having extra rattles and whatnot hanging off your bait will only make it more idficult for it to come through the brush or slop. But in dirtier water I am a fan of rattles. I think in clearer water they can be used if the fish are not real spooky. If the clear water fish bolt at any sound then obviously I ain't using my rattlin' jigs.

Ghoti, that is an interesting train of thought. Worded very well...and pretty easy to see yor perspective.

The Rat-L-Trap is a tough one to explain though...maybe it is along the same lines of a buzzbait to a degree. Maybe the loud rattles annoy the fish into striking the bait. The fish is just sitting there minding his own business...suddenly this un-Godly loud noise starts coming at him. The fish thinks..."Man that little thing is annoying...and it's starting to give me a headache...I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!" Then he smashes it.  

[Gorgebassman]

I use jigs with rattles in all situations except for extremely clear water I suppose I am of the school of thought that noise is a great attractant to fish.

[Rob G.]

The answer is moot.