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Bass anglers constantly look for ways to improve their skill. While bass fishing is one of the most exciting sports, it requires some skills and supportive gear and lures to catch more fish, and bigger ones too. If you want to improve your sport, get to know how to fish a rattle trap for bass.
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How to Fish a Rattle Trap for Bass
The rattle trap or Rat-L Trap has been around for years, and many seasoned anglers use this lure to enhance their bass-catching adventures. These lures are lipless crankbaits that set well inside bass and ensure that you get to unhook the fish yourself, without any injuries, and after enjoying the catch.
You can use these baits for bass by using special techniques to get you the fish more conveniently. However, there are ways to make these lures more effective and swift. You can catch more bass when you follow some simple rules.
Rip Through Grass
Rattle traps work well in water areas with heavy vegetation. Bass fish lurk under lily pads and heavy vegetation to prey on baitfish. These traps work well when you rip them through long grass. Anglers will have to pull the line to move the rattle trap, which sets the lure free.
As soon as the lure is free, it darts forward, imitating baitfish that is sure to attract bass, and within a few minutes, you will be retrieving a big fish. This technique is successful, and many anglers try to get their rattles tangled in the weeds to create a frenzy and attract more bass.
Use a Stop-Start Motion
One of the popular techniques to fish a rattle trap for bass is to use the rattle. The rattle helps attract bass fish, and every time you cast the lure, there will be a success. The stop-start motion means that when you cast the lure and pull it back towards the boat, you have to jerk it and stop.
Keep the bait in place as you wind up the slackline. This action will allow the lure to fall, and as it does, the nearby bass will become attentive. As you do this, the rattle will vibrate, and you will feel it through the line. Wait a few moments, and there has to be a snap!
Change the Speed
Live bait fish swim around in the water, feeding on weeds. This fish will stop, then move forward at a different speed, and then slow down again. If anglers try to move the rattle in the same way to change speeds, it will entice bass more, and as a result, you will be catching them sooner.
Bass fishing can be challenging on windy days, so if you burn the lipless cranks on rocks in shallow waters will trigger a reaction from the bass. With this technique, you can cover the shallow water quickly and catch big bass within a short time.
Use the Yo-Yo Effect
Hopping rattle traps off in a yo-yo motion will create a stir in the water. In winter, or when the bass is swimming at a greater depth, you can try this technique to catch bass without having to wait for long. New anglers must try this method to make the most of their bass fishing adventure.
This technique involves lowering the lure to the bottom of the lake and pulling it upward slowly. Anglers have to continue pulling and then resting a few times to make the lure move like a yo-yo underwater. Usually, the bass comes and bites the lure as it moves downwards, so you have to ensure that you feel the bite.
Standard Retrievals Don’t Work Sometimes
When fishing with a rattle trap, don’t pull the lure back to the boat after casting it. Bass fish reacts when there is natural movement. These lures look like live baitfish, and if they move in a manner that is not natural, bass will not come near.
When the lures stop and move like a live fish, there is going to be a bite to follow. Bass feed aggressively on small fish like shad and minnow, and if you cast this bait at the right spot, there will be a catch every time you throw it in.
Size of the Rattle Trap
During different seasons, bass feeds on fish of various sizes. During spring and summer, they feed on crawfish and frogs. In fall, bass feeds on shad. If you select the size of these lures according to the season, the fun and adventure of every trip will be more.
Bass fishing changes with weather conditions, and a cold front can change the lure size requirements within hours. Bass becomes lazy when the water is cold so you will need larger bait. When the bass swim in deeper waters, a large trap will drop deeper and trigger the reaction anglers want.
Rattle Baits According to Seasons
Bass fishing begins in spring when the temperatures start rising. Rains mean more water in lakes and reservoirs and more crawfish for bass. In this season, it will be most suitable for anglers to use rattle traps that look like crawfish with brighter colors.
In summers, bass fishing slows down due to the spawning. Bass fish is at the bottom of the lake during the warm months, although it comes up quickly to feed on shad. Select a shiny rattle bait that looks like a flashing shad when light shines on it. Bass will come up for a bite even when this lure is close to the surface.
Fall means a feeding frenzy for bass as they prepare for winter. The food during this season is shad, and the rattle trap with color variations and chrome-colored bellies will be an excellent lure to attract aggressive and hungry bass. You can work well with rattle traps for bass.
Colors for Rattle Trap for Bass
The colors of rattle traps vary according to seasons to match the bait for bass at different times of the year. When you are collecting these lures, look for the right colors that will attract bass. Try the following colors to get a big catch within minutes:
- Rootbeer
- Red and black candy Crawfish
- Brown top and translucent belly Ozark
- Shimmering gold
- Red Craw
- White and Chrome
Gear to Fish Rattle Trap for Bass
Bass fishing requires the correct techniques, and the traps improve your chances of catching more fish on every cast. If you have the right gear, it will help with the method, and every bass fishing trip to the lake will fetch you more catches than before.
The Rattle Trap Rod and Line
Medium-power and fast action rod will make a suitable fishing rod for the rattle lure you select for bass. Slightly higher power and moderate action rods will also work well because you will need to have reasonable control of the fish while it is hooked and also ensure that you do not exert a force that will pull the hook, snagging the bass.
The moderate action of the rod will help with treble hooks as the tip has substantial give to keep the fish from throwing the lure. Fluorocarbon lines work well with lipless crankbaits, and you can also use monofilament as it helps keep the lure high in the water.
Anglers can select the most suitable traps according to the factors that impact their fishing trip. However, there are a few lures that are more commonly used than others.
- Billy Lewis Rat-L-Trap
- Rattle Trap Candy Craw
- Rat-L-Trap 1.5ounce Super Trap
Conclusion
Anglers should learn how to fish a rattle trap for bass as it adds more excitement to the sport. These lures ensure more catches because they move faster and more naturally. If you improve the use by adopting some techniques and selecting traps according to seasons, the results will be more exciting.