Rattle traps, clackin raps, livetarget rattlebaits.

[srfishin15]

anybody ever used them for walleyes? read a little about them last year and am seeing even more about them this year.. just wondering if anyone has had sucess with them?

[LeeMB]

On lake winnipeg we use all 3 you mentioned. The last couple of years the live target has been the best by far. The rattles will call fish to you.

[Random guy]

We used them for year on Upper Red to help produce when our water gets ultra cloudy. With the advent of the Lindy Darter that incorporated rattles into an ice fishing sized bait that has a stronger horizontal swim action the Raps some what fell by the wayside.

[popriveter]

I've got a Salmo Zipper that looks great to me, but I've never given it a real shot.

I imagine using it for river ice fishing. Anybody use these verticle rattle baits on the Croix or Mississippi?

[manitobawalleye2]

Live Targets and Rattlin Raps are my first and second choice on Lake Winnipeg.

Have not had as good success with Zippers, but Salmo Chubby Darters in a size 3

are one of my favorite throwback lures. I had heard Salmo was considering making a smaller Zipper......maybe Ed can elaborate.

[fiskyknut]

Yepper the Rat-l-trap, the original darter style ice lure!! They still work well at times, like the rest of the imitators do sometimes as well. Musta been late eighties on the LOTW when I first gave them Rat-l-Traps a try after watching an old crusty guy smackin eyes with them. These surely don't get the hype like some other darter types but they do get the fish some days.

For sure have to get me some of those live targets in their new smaller size.

There must be 20 or so Rat-l-trap type lures out there these days.

srfishin, search our archives there are alot of posts regarding these Darter types going back 5-6 years and some are quite informative and/or comical!

[Northlander]

anybody ever used them for walleyes? read a little about them last year and am seeing even more about them this year.. just wondering if anyone has had sucess with them?

Just like anything else they have their time and place. I really like them for lakers.

[Ed Carlson]

I have used Blade Baits and various vibrating wide body chamber type baits under the ice for over 30 years. I found true Blade Baits have there place on rivers and a select few wide profile rattle baits also do well on rivers as well as on lakes.

Many rattle style casting baits out there just rattle and bounce but do not "fly right" in the vertical. I have also fond only a few baits achieve true vertical and horizontal swimming action while fished under the ice. This darting and evasion action is most often the key to triggering strikes and catching predator fish under the ice. Almost anything can bounce and rattle at the end of a line, very few fly right and catch fish consistently. Yet there are days when bounce and rattle is sufficient, but the best lures in this class, can do both well.

Some of my top pics from the 3-D profile rattle bait category for performance and productivity under the ice are as fallows.

1 - Salmo Zipper

2 - Spro Aruku Shad Jr.

3 - Koppers Live Target

4 - Spro Viv-40

[LeeMB]

tried the new small live target and caught a walleye on the first drop yesterday. I am going again today and will give more of a test drive.

[srfishin15]

i think if i get one i wll get one of the smaller live target lures.

[topcat3820]

Only one ???

[Ed Carlson]

Ya Lee, I think the LT Jr's will do very well. What is the price for the LT Jr's up North?

Still waiting for the new Salmo Little Zippers to hit the USA/Canada. Not sure if it will be this ice season or not, likely not, at least for in store retail sales.

[LeeMB]

Don't know what the price is retail. I don't get them in stores. I used the live target 1/2oz size the other day and caught a fish on the first drop. They will work well.

[srfishin15]

yeah, that gaurentees ill break it off and have to buy more

[JBMasterAngler]

I would think rat-l-traps would work great for lakers since they can get down to deeper depths faster I have alot of rat-l-traps, I'll have to give them a try.