Smallmouth being more of a sight predator I dont worry about using many rattling baits. Do you all find there are times when a rattle makes a difference?

All my tubes have rattles.

I catch alot of smallies on a tube.

Maybe it's just for confidence, but it works for me

 

For soft plastics, grubs, tubes, craws and creatures I don’t use any rattles. Majority of my crankbaits do but I do have silent cranks that get a lot of use. I’d like to try a rattle in a tube. 

Don’t really use Rattles but I believe in scent. Gives me confidence. Really like Strike King coffee scent . But crawdads are noisy little guys so I don’t think it would hurt 

I use rattle traps A LOT for smallies. Not sure if the rattle is doing anything or not. I never use them on plastics. Super spook junior is my favorite smallie topwater bait. It's got a clanking deal inside it. I guess it depends on the water too. I fish a lot of clear water but also get smallies in some pretty dark water. So it couldn't hurt in murkier lakes or silty rivers.

I'm more of a crank fisherman, and prefer them with rattles.  I think it's more about annoying them into a strike rather than helping them locate it.

 

Same deal with whopper ploppers.  They don't really look or behave like anything natural, but they tick off smallies.  Like someone parking in front of your house blasting music.  At least that's how I look at it

8 hours ago, Standard said:

I'm more of a crank fisherman, and prefer them with rattles.  I think it's more about annoying them into a strike rather than helping them locate it.

 

Same deal with whopper ploppers.  They don't really look or behave like anything natural, but they tick off smallies.  Like someone parking in front of your house blasting music.  At least that's how I look at it

My favorite past time is ticking off smallies. Its why one of my favorite things is to burn a spinnerbait by the same peice of structure/cover over and over