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opinion of rattles

3K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  C&CRods 
#1 ·
I started tying giant flies for pike this year, and after doing alot of research and watching videos of some great fly pike guys I started using rattles in my pike flies. I am curious what people's opinions are of rattles for other species, namely silver flies (but any others that you have an opinion about). Never hear much talk of them, but would imagine them to be quite effective the way a popper would be for many species.
 
#4 ·
I think they make a huge difference. I tried to identical cray fish patterns for smallies in murkier water. The one with the rattles out fished the non rattle one. Trout, the same thing.
I'd think since silvers like hanging out in froggier water, the rattles would only help.
 
#5 ·
That's kind of my thoughts as well. I was only thinking for pike at first, but the first ones I bought are much too small. So I was thinking other uses. I did put one in a tube hobo last weekend, and I thought it was magic. I was on fire all day, but then switched flys to a standard spey fly with no rattle, and had the same luck. Not conclusive, and I can't get my mind totally around the idea of adding them to any more flys for steel or trout. Maybe I'll get some made up for those frog water situations with Silvers though. Thinking blue ice dub, with blue and white rabbit and a small rattle when stripped might really get some viscous attacks.
Really interested in any other people tying in rattles also, havnt ever heard too much about them before Pike fishing.
 
#6 ·
That's kind of my thoughts as well. I was only thinking for pike at first, but the first ones I bought are much too small. So I was thinking other uses. I did put one in a tube hobo last weekend, and I thought it was magic. I was on fire all day, but then switched flys to a standard spey fly with no rattle, and had the same luck. Not conclusive, and I can't get my mind totally around the idea of adding them to any more flys for steel or trout. Maybe I'll get some made up for those frog water situations with Silvers though. Thinking blue ice dub, with blue and white rabbit and a small rattle when stripped might really get some viscous attacks.
Really interested in any other people tying in rattles also, havnt ever heard too much about them before Pike fishing.
I might try throwing some on musky flies for next year. Good idea.
 
#8 ·
I spent about 5 years obsessed with Bass and striped bass. Fished alongside bass pros who were evaluating tackle in the Sac River Delta. I tied a lot of rattles. The good thing is that because of my job I got them for free... I am sold on rattling crankbaits. They kick around quite well. But I just don't believe, after lots of observation, that the connection between the fisher and the fly (hand to fly line, through rod, to leader, to fly) is direct enough, and that we move them enough to make any noise whatsoever.

Just my opinion.
 
#9 ·
I spent about 5 years obsessed with Bass and striped bass. Fished alongside bass pros who were evaluating tackle in the Sac River Delta. I tied a lot of rattles. The good thing is that because of my job I got them for free... I am sold on rattling crankbaits. They kick around quite well. But I just don't believe, after lots of observation, that the connection between the fisher and the fly (hand to fly line, through rod, to leader, to fly) is direct enough, and that we move them enough to make any noise whatsoever.

Just my opinion.
 
G
#11 ·
Those rattles work "better" because they mimic the sound of a retreating cray fish, I'd imagine that a few that eats shrimp would respond the same way, I've heard shrimp make the same noise in the water -- might try a deeper sounding rattle?
 
#12 ·
I spent about 5 years obsessed with Bass and striped bass. Fished alongside bass pros who were evaluating tackle in the Sac River Delta. I tied a lot of rattles. The good thing is that because of my job I got them for free... I am sold on rattling crankbaits. They kick around quite well. But I just don't believe, after lots of observation, that the connection between the fisher and the fly (hand to fly line, through rod, to leader, to fly) is direct enough, and that we move them enough to make any noise whatsoever.

Just my opinion.
But don't you think that a fly that swims good or has a lot of action would shake the rattle, I can see a tightly swung fly not having so much motion but I know the strip produces sounds
 
#13 ·
A rattle is generally 3 or more hard beads, in cylinder. They have to move all the way from one end to the other to make any significant noise because the noise generally comes from their interaction with the tube, not each other. When you strip a clouser, let's say the beads move all the way to the back. They would have to move all the way forward and hit the front to make noise when the nose dips, and then all the way back again when you strip. Trouble is a clouser doesn't work like a football head jig, or even like a rubber worm with a bullet weight. Those lures get moved a significant distance by the rod tip, and accelerate more quickly into motion than your hand strip, and drop faster due to their weight. A clouser's "jigging action" is very smooth, and often very subtle, especially in moving water. More like a submarine diving, or worst case, like a leaf settling, than a herky jerky motion. There's always tension on the fly. There's never any true slack. Just less forward motion from the fisherman. Goes back to what I said about the lack of a "direct connection". Kind of like when your line is going into the water straight in front of you, and the hooked fish jumps 8 feet to the left of that direction. Unless they've spent some time observing how flies behave in the water most folks don't have real clear picture of what's going on. Any time you fish the sound in clear water it's a great idea to watch the last 15 or 20 feet of the retrieve, and to play around with different strips, just so you know how you're really "puppeteering " your fly when it's 60 feet out
 
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