who here uses rattles?

[clarkman]

Let's see how you rig them? I usually would put them into a rubber sleeve going off the back. I've gotta figure out a better way that doesn't take up much real estate on the hook shank because I feel it will affect the action less if it's in a solid form vs, flopping around off the back....e.g. more consistent and predictable action. The entire reason I started going with the sleeves that go off the back. gotta be a better way, or better rattle?

 

[rattlesnake]

When not tying on the hook, I’ll use mylar tubing. Cut about 2.5” piece or so, bind one end with thread and hit with glue. Then Insert the rattle in the open end. Should have 1/3” or so of mylar at end so I’ll cut it longwise to make it easier to bind to hook shank. I then connect it to the hook off the back like a tail then cover it with material. If you leave a little extra mylar you can swap out a broken glass rattle but cutting the thread, inserting new rattle and re wrapping. But these new plastic rattles are much tougher. Never tried rubber sleeve but felt the mylar tied in the way I do is on line with the hook and didn’t do too much to kill the action of the fly

 

[Chucker]

When not tying on the hook, I’ll use mylar tubing. Cut about 2.5” piece or so, bind one end with thread and hit with glue. Then Insert the rattle in the open end. Should have 1/3” or so of mylar at end so I’ll cut it longwise to make it easier to bind to hook shank. I then connect it to the hook off the back like a tail then cover it with material. If you leave a little extra mylar you can swap out a broken glass rattle but cutting the thread, inserting new rattle and re wrapping. But these new plastic rattles are much tougher. Never tried rubber sleeve but felt the mylar tied in the way I do is on line with the hook and didn’t do too much to kill the action of the fly

That’s what I have done too - but I have never found that having a rattle made any difference to how effective the fly was. Only ever tried them for LMB, might be different for other fish.

 

[tyler]

I go with the Rattle Rouser style on Mustad 34011. Insert the rattle into a section of mylar minnow body and tie down the back end first; then wrap your thread forward on the hook shank and tie down the front; turn the fly over and tie in whatever materials you want for the wing! For added flash cut the tubbing a bit longer and use your bodkin to unravel it at the back. The rattle serves as a keel and the fly rides hook up.

 

[rattlesnake]

I’ve used doll eyes on some smallie jerkbait flies. I think it helped make them effective but it also caused the fly to dart more since they had air in them but not sure the actual rattle made a big difference. But I didn’t like that the doll eyes didn’t last too terribly long and would break on rocks or after a handful of fish.

I tend to only put rattles on muskie flies at this point but I’m not entirely sold on them making the fly more effective either, but mentally I like them on some patterns and I have them so I use them. When I run out of em will be the real test to see if I buy more.

 

[clarkman]

When not tying on the hook, I’ll use mylar tubing. Cut about 2.5” piece or so, bind one end with thread and hit with glue. Then Insert the rattle in the open end. Should have 1/3” or so of mylar at end so I’ll cut it longwise to make it easier to bind to hook shank. I then connect it to the hook off the back like a tail then cover it with material. If you leave a little extra mylar you can swap out a broken glass rattle but cutting the thread, inserting new rattle and re wrapping. But these new plastic rattles are much tougher. Never tried rubber sleeve but felt the mylar tied in the way I do is on line with the hook and didn’t do too much to kill the action of the fly

that's what I used to do (off the back), and it works better than the little rubber things designed specifically for it. The entire reason for going to the rubber holders is that I can swap out rattles if they fail. No other method allows me to do so (also part of a reason I moved away from glass rattles).

If I remember to take a pic of one I recently tied up. I've got the foam off the hook bend and the rattle underside (takes up some hook gap, but on a 4/0, it's pretty negligible). Acts as both a rattle (obvi) and a keel and a counterbalance to the foam. actually really works well for those larger flies because it's also super easy to cover it up with a clump of bucktail (or other).

regarding whether or not they're effective or not, I have no idea but I seriously doubt it hurts. I don't use them on all flies, mostly just some of my musky stuff.