RATTLES RE-VISITED

I have gotten more out of this website than I could of imagined. New places to go, superior products, a health ethic and maybe a few new paddlin buddys (my blow up model keeps getting a leak). So I try and give a little something back. 8-) (Yes, this is a disclaimer for my self-agrandizing "Tip of the month" )

Rattles.........do they help? Could they be hurting us? IMO the answer is yes on both accounts. My personal belief is the shallower and clearer the water the more counterproductive rattles are going to be, especially on fish of size. My exception to this generalized rule is topwater lures and rattles that are very subtle such as "add on" rattles for a jig.

On the other hand, we can take wave/falls generated noise into account and turbidity as well. Rattles, even loud ones, can help us in these situations even in shallower water.

But generally speaking, if it is still, shallow and calm you are far more likely to spook fish, especially big fish, throwing a loud lure. Conversely , I like a rattling lure for the depths. If it is still out I'll still choose one that is somewhat subtle even in deep water. If it is rough out I'll go louder.

Here is an old trick for quieting a loud plastic crankbait (like a long "A" bomber). Take a safety pin and bend out one end. Then take a lighter and heat it. Poke a small hole in the rattle chamber of the lure. Next take a syringe and squirt some cooking oil into the chamber. Re-heat the safety pin and seal. This will quiet them down a bit. Just don't squirt to much oil in lest you change the lures action.

MT