I know Bill Lewis has the original Rat-L-Trap, but how is the "pro" version? How do these traps compare to others on the market right now? What are your favorite traps? Also, and sorry if I'm going on a tangent, when do you guys typically throw lipless cranks?

Early spring and anytime after that.. Very productive! They cover a lot of water and get a lot of reaction strikes. I prefer Rapala's version and Cabela's makes one that I like.

Bill Lewis Ratl-Traps are great when ripped through grass and burned over the top of grass in early spring.  I rather the Strike King Red Eye Shad tho because the seem to be a little more weedless due to the wight being shifted more towards the front which allows the body of the bait to protect the hooks a little better.  Although, most strikes are gonna be reaction strikes, so I dont think it matters to muh between brand and color, just preference I guess.

Throw lipless cranks year round. At least down here we do. They are always productive. I love late winter and early spring for throwing an xcalibur xr50 and xr75 in rayburn red color. And the Bill Lewis you speak of, If that's the one with the spinner on back, it's a good productive bait.

Throw an Excalibur Xr50 in hatch matching colors for your waters year round.

http://www.***.com/descpageXCALLPSCRNK-XCRB.html

I fish rat-l-traps anytime that I can't get a fish to hit anything else. I favor Rat-L-Traps mainly because that is the brand that I have thrown the most. I also like the Cotton Cordell's.

The Pro Trap is just a re-introduction of that same assembly from a couple decades ago.

I didn't care for them then and don't now. I prefer the tail hook.

Rattle-traps are one of my favs.  I prefer the Rapala's.  Baby bass is my most productive.

The Pro Trap is a tail spinner which only comes in 3/8 & 1/2 oz; I prefer The Original Rat-L-Trap® 1/2 oz .

Throw an Excalibur Xr50 in hatch matching colors for your waters year round.

http://www.***.com/descpageXCALLPSCRNK-XCRB.html

Best traps in my book. 

The xcalibur one knocker is really cool as well.

The Pro Trap is a tail spinner which only comes in 3/8 & 1/2 oz; I prefer The Original Rat-L-Trap® 1/2 oz .

How much does size matter when throwing traps? Will the bigger ones reduce frequency of strikes?

Rat-L-Trap's come in sizes starting with the Tiny-Trap @ 1/8oz. all the way up to the Blue Water Traps @ 3 1/2 oz.; I miss quoted the Pro Trap comes in 3/8 & 5/8 oz. The different weights offer different lengths, more vibration, runs at different depths, different Rates of Fall ect.

Most anglers throwing a Lipless Crankbaits will either use a straight retrieve or rip it out of grass but there are numerous retrievals that are very productive. I use a fluttering retrieve (yo-yo), ricochet it off wood, knee & reel, slow roll, wake it just under the surface.

I will throw a trap all year. My favorites are the Red eye shad and the Original Rat-l-trap

I've caught more bass on a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap than any other lipless crank,

but ONLY because it had a head start. I now use only one lipless crank

which is destined to catch up and pass the Rat-L-Trap and that's the "Spro Aruku Shad".

Unlike the Rat-L-Trap, the Spro Aruku Shad remains erect when it's paused,

which is a deadly feature during the bedding period.

Roger