Rat L Trap Modification

carolina-rig-01 · 01-07-10, 07:36 PM

Kevin, with all the changes to the forum I don't know if this is where this belongs or not so feel free to move it if it's in the wrong place.

I was out in the garage digging through a bunch of fishing stuff when I found a box rull of lipless crankbaits that I modified a long time ago and thought that this tip might help some of the guys on here who through a Rat L Trap a lot (Listen up Bama).

If you put a Rat L Trap in boiling water for a few minutes you willl notice that the sides of the bait will start to swell. I do this until the bait about doubles in size because if you go too much the bait will pretty much explode and ruin the bait. This will give the bait a different action and different sound. It may work on other lipless crankbaits too but the only ones I have done were Rat L Traps. A subtle difference like this can be huge when fish become conditioned to the same baits.

BassBandit · 01-07-10, 07:59 PM

Never heard of that tip. Great idea. Will give it a stab.

Bama ain't gonna read your tip cause he's still busy mumbling cross the living room before the game start in an hour

BlueDaksi · 01-07-10, 08:38 PM

Sounds like Rat L Trap stew...

BassinID · 01-07-10, 08:47 PM

Might want to take the hooks off first

Bubba_Bruiser · 01-07-10, 10:44 PM

You might want to put a disclaimer on this 1 C-Rig. Like anyone under 18, please get your parents' consent before blowing up a Rat-L-Trap in your Mom's kitchen. And wear clothing capable of protecting from boiling water and hot plastic hahahaha. Just playing, good tip though. I have had a few Zara spooks do this when I left them in my shed one summer. They don't walk as rythmic anymore, but they still have a good darting acting action and catch fish.

BeaverIslander · 01-08-10, 07:32 PM

Very nice trick. Thanks for the tip.

bamabassman · 01-09-10, 09:18 AM

Post a pic of these for us Kory.

Bassboss · 01-09-10, 09:40 AM

Sounds really cool man! I'll try to give it a try sometime!

You can also drill a hole in the bottom, and put a few drops of glue the whole some the BB's stick together and make one clacker. But a few will not be glued into the clacker, so their will be a few rattles in there too. It gives it really cool sound, very unique!

bassthumb32 · 01-09-10, 11:14 AM

It also slows the fall when you stop reeling too. It really gives it an overall different appearance.

TN_Bassin · 01-10-10, 02:52 AM

Did boiling the Traps mess with the paint any?

carolina-rig-01 · 01-10-10, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TN_Bassin

Did boiling the Traps mess with the paint any?

I can't guarentee you it won't but it hasn't seemed to so far.

TN_Bassin · 01-10-10, 03:44 AM

Did you just let them sink to the bottom of the pot or did you sort of suspend them in the boiling water? How exactly does it change the action of the bait? Does it give it a wider wobble or a tighter one is what I am really asking?

bassthumb32 · 01-11-10, 12:31 PM

It will mess up some paints but rarely just be careful.

BeaverIslander · 01-15-10, 08:02 PM

Krylon Fusion would be a quick easy paint for repairing the bait if the paint peels off. Countless people use it to paint ugly,underwater PVC pipes in saltwater coral reef aquariums. These tanks are super sensitive and adding a newly painted piece doesn't effect the corals and fish at all, so I'm fairly certain the bass won't taste or smell it on a bait. I paint lead bullet sinkers red or crimson with this stuff.

buzbait88 · 01-16-10, 12:28 AM

Thats a good tip. I might have to try it.

WTL · 01-16-10, 06:44 PM

Wonder what that would do to other lures like spooks.

I have a box full of yo zuris that sat out in the sun and several warped in weird ways, havent tried them but thats mostly cause I tend to dislike plastic jerkbaits compared to balsa.

01-07-10, 07:36 PM	#1
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	Rat L Trap Modification Kevin, with all the changes to the forum I don't know if this is where this belongs or not so feel free to move it if it's in the wrong place. I was out in the garage digging through a bunch of fishing stuff when I found a box rull of lipless crankbaits that I modified a long time ago and thought that this tip might help some of the guys on here who through a Rat L Trap a lot (Listen up Bama). If you put a Rat L Trap in boiling water for a few minutes you willl notice that the sides of the bait will start to swell. I do this until the bait about doubles in size because if you go too much the bait will pretty much explode and ruin the bait. This will give the bait a different action and different sound. It may work on other lipless crankbaits too but the only ones I have done were Rat L Traps. A subtle difference like this can be huge when fish become conditioned to the same baits. __________________ You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.

01-07-10, 08:38 PM	#3
BlueDaksi BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 148	Sounds like Rat L Trap stew... __________________ -Paul Shipman, Ph.D., Team FishGator.com, Team Malibu Kayaks Pro-Staff

01-07-10, 10:44 PM	#5
Bubba_Bruiser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South MS Posts: 3,659	You might want to put a disclaimer on this 1 C-Rig. Like anyone under 18, please get your parents' consent before blowing up a Rat-L-Trap in your Mom's kitchen. And wear clothing capable of protecting from boiling water and hot plastic hahahaha. Just playing, good tip though. I have had a few Zara spooks do this when I left them in my shed one summer. They don't walk as rythmic anymore, but they still have a good darting acting action and catch fish. __________________ \,,,,/ ROCK ON! HRN4L!

01-09-10, 09:18 AM	#7
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	Post a pic of these for us Kory. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

01-09-10, 09:40 AM	#8
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	Sounds really cool man! I'll try to give it a try sometime! You can also drill a hole in the bottom, and put a few drops of glue the whole some the BB's stick together and make one clacker. But a few will not be glued into the clacker, so their will be a few rattles in there too. It gives it really cool sound, very unique! __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die.

01-07-10, 07:59 PM	#2
BassBandit BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kernersville, NC Posts: 430	Never heard of that tip. Great idea. Will give it a stab. Bama ain't gonna read your tip cause he's still busy mumbling cross the living room before the game start in an hour

01-07-10, 08:47 PM	#4
BassinID BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Too far from largemouth, Idaho Posts: 672	Might want to take the hooks off first

01-08-10, 07:32 PM	#6
BeaverIslander BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota Posts: 275	Very nice trick. Thanks for the tip.

01-09-10, 11:14 AM	#9
bassthumb32 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Fort Loudon, PA Posts: 682	It also slows the fall when you stop reeling too. It really gives it an overall different appearance. __________________ MY LIFETIME GOAL IS TO KEEP AT LEAST A SMALL CASE OF BASSTHUMB FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

01-10-10, 02:52 AM	#10
TN_Bassin BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bon Aqua,TN Posts: 1,013	Did boiling the Traps mess with the paint any? __________________ Other anglers are tough, but the fish are the real competition.

01-10-10, 03:44 AM	#12
TN_Bassin BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bon Aqua,TN Posts: 1,013	Did you just let them sink to the bottom of the pot or did you sort of suspend them in the boiling water? How exactly does it change the action of the bait? Does it give it a wider wobble or a tighter one is what I am really asking? __________________ Other anglers are tough, but the fish are the real competition.

01-11-10, 12:31 PM	#13
bassthumb32 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Fort Loudon, PA Posts: 682	It will mess up some paints but rarely just be careful. __________________ MY LIFETIME GOAL IS TO KEEP AT LEAST A SMALL CASE OF BASSTHUMB FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

01-15-10, 08:02 PM	#14
BeaverIslander BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota Posts: 275	Krylon Fusion would be a quick easy paint for repairing the bait if the paint peels off. Countless people use it to paint ugly,underwater PVC pipes in saltwater coral reef aquariums. These tanks are super sensitive and adding a newly painted piece doesn't effect the corals and fish at all, so I'm fairly certain the bass won't taste or smell it on a bait. I paint lead bullet sinkers red or crimson with this stuff.

01-16-10, 12:28 AM	#15
buzbait88 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Clinton, Iowa Posts: 33	Thats a good tip. I might have to try it.

01-16-10, 06:44 PM	#16
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	Wonder what that would do to other lures like spooks. I have a box full of yo zuris that sat out in the sun and several warped in weird ways, havent tried them but thats mostly cause I tend to dislike plastic jerkbaits compared to balsa.

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