Rapala of course is one of the best lure manufactures in the world, but their lipless cranks don't live up to the rest of their products.

I also can't catch a cold with the rattlin raps. I like to throw:

1) Rattletraps

2) Yo-Zuri Rattle Vibes

3) Spro Aruko Shads

Bill Lewis Rat-L-Traps extremely deadly in cold water

Yes indeed. Spring and fall favorite.

Do people think the body shape is what makes the red eyes better?

Have always been loyal to the traps (because they produce) but have bought three red eyes this year because of how highly everyone speaks of them.

Why do people think the red eye is better? I have to wonder if sometimes the trap suffers from the fact it is classic and "not new" hence some people tend to think "old=worse"

The Red Eye Shad has a nice wobble on the fall. Many brands of traps have very little or no wobble on the fall, including the Bill Lewis Rat L Trap. The RES is a great bait when you're fishing traps yo-yo style.

I think the popularity of the Rat L Trap has suffered as the price has risen into the $5-7 range, for the same bait that was $2.50-3 not so long ago. The Bill Lewis trap has followed the recent trend of the over-priced crankbait without changing the lure itself, other than adding slightly better Set Lok hooks that aren't very sharp.

I agree. %100 increase in price is rediculous for a rattle trap.

Traps are great lures but I agree that the hooks need to be replaced right out of the box. Gammi #4 & #5 work best for me. The #5 can be hard to find but they don't get caught on the nose of the trap like #6 do. I also have found that about 1 out of 4 will not swim straight, but the ones that do really catch fish. Chrome/Blue and Smokey Joe are my go-to colors. That being said I find myself fishing Red Eye Shads 90% of the time.

its funny how everyones had so much success with the res. I have three that ive fished over the past two years and have barley caught anything on them. Ive had much more success with the rattletraps and rapalas. Maybe just the conditions of the waters im fishing...

I'll take an XR 50 over any of the rest. I have caught a ton of bass on the Bill Lewis rat-l-trap but it seems like you have to tune it after every catch and that gets to be a pain in the butt.

I carry a number of brands, but Rat-L-Traps are

not among them. My most productive lipless crank

by far is a Xr50, blue/chrome.

8-)

I carry several brands of lipless cranks:

Rat L-Trap

Rattlin Rapala

Bayou Boogie silent

Bayou Boogie rattling

Sonic

Super Sonic

Ratl RRR

Spot

Some are quite old, some are even discontinued ( like the silent Bayou Boogie, Sonic and Super Sonic, Rattlin RRR ), in can 't say this one is better than this one I catch fish with all of them, what I can say is that there are days that, for example, the Rattlin RRR oufishes all the others and I 'm shure it 's because all of them sound different in the case of the rattling ones or in the case of the silent ones they wobble at a different rate. It 's a matter of trying and finding which one produces best that day.

I have a few Rat-l-traps I throw occasionally.  Mostly throw the XR50's or the Red Eye shads.

Rattletraps.  If the bass won't hit them the muskie usually will.

Wow, not much love for the Rattlin Rapala.  How about the Clackin' Rap? Anyone use that??  I just spent $9 on it, it better catch fish!

I have caught a ton of fish on Rattlin' Rapalas. They have one of the more durable chrome finishes. Lasts longer than the two casts a BL original does.

Anyway, I throw more Aruku Shads and D-7 for Weedcutter these days.

I very rarely use lipless cranks.  I have some, but just don't use them.  I think I am going to have to start using them and see which ones work better for me.  I have both the Bill Lewis and the Rapala.

Wow, not much love for the Rattlin Rapala. How about the Clackin' Rap? Anyone use that?? I just spent $9 on it, it better catch fish!

They sink like a rock  :-/

I have caught a ton of fish on Rattlin' Rapalas. They have one of the more durable chrome finishes. Lasts longer than the two casts a BL original does.

.

That is one thing that can be said about the Raps is that you'll never have a problem with paint chipping. The hooks are also way better.

Rattletrap... im a classic kinda guy...

I have caught a ton of fish on Rattlin' Rapalas. They have one of the more durable chrome finishes. Lasts longer than the two casts a BL original does.

.

That is one thing that can be said about the Raps is that you'll never have a problem with paint chipping. The hooks are also way better.

Mine are from the early/mid 90s, so the hooks have been changed out several times, LOL.