I know frogs have a big following here, but how many actually fish rats? I might try the smaller profile spro that is coming out.

I'm also curious about this... when do you choose a rat over a frog?

i fish rats in the fall , frogs in the summer . being that there is more top water grass(slop) in the summer and frogs have single or double hooks that don't get hung up . most rat baits , and i'm talking swimbait rats that have bottom treble hooks, i fish shallow or next to tules also paralell to banks and get good blow up/hook ups !! the spro rat is a good bait !! i use that and some rat baits i make my self .

Every once in a while I will throw the LT mouse. I will throw it when I feel the top water bite will produce, but know that the frog is just not cutting for that day. 

Agree with pgersumky, but I also use my rats around rip-rap at night, or real early in the morning.

I have fly fished for bass with a deer hair mouse and the bass love them.I use these in the spring and usually early morning but i bet they would work just about anytime you would fish a frog.

A rat like BBZ-1 is a wake bait with a tail. Rats have to compete for time with me and I prefer BD slow sink wooden shell cracker in the mornings and early afternoon. Rats get there time on the water at dusk and night when rodents are active.

Tom

Rat over a frog for me every time, just more fun to fish. I also don't have any thick surface slop in my neck of the woods so never fish a frog. I like the BBZ Rat, the CL8 water vole, CL8 mighty mouse, the El Raton, and there's another one I'm getting soon, the ABT Camo Rat....looks wicked! Looking forward to the smaller SPRO rat selections too!

They should make more rats tail with rabbit hair like the Slither k.  Killer lure right there

They should make more rats tail with rabbit hair like the Slither k.  Killer lure right there

i make my rats with black rabbit fur

I have had some success on the Spro Rat but I'm looking forward to the smaller sizes also. The big one is great but a lot of our baitfish are pretty small right now and I'd also love a smaller one to toss at some smallies. 

Yup, waiting for the bbz30 rat

The rat is an awsome bait. Don't get hung up on the idea that you can not fish them around mats. Its obvious that you can't fish them over mats but you can fish them on the edges and in open holes. People tend to limit themselves because they can't fish a bait from start to finish on a cast. Like any other bait its not going to work all of the time. Contrary to what some will say I have caught more rat fish in the middle of day rather than early morning or evening. Nite time is another story. I have had most of my success around trees, riprap and rising water. 

The Watson Wrat was a fur rat lure and cast like a wet mop!

Tom