[txflytier]

I was running arround wal mart with the old lady and we happen to walk down the fishing isle ( dont know how that happen lol ) .
Well i was looking at the rubber skirts and there they were WORM RATTLERS pack of 10 for a buck..

I never tied with them but i figured what the hack i will get a few packs.. They are about 3/4 inch long and about 1/8 wide with 3 balls in them.. You can almost cut off a 1/4 inch and still be ok.

Just thought i would share the idea for rattles..


Chance

[sniksoh]

yeah ive been thinking of getting some. somewhere i read about a guy making his own. i havnt tried it yet but tend to. this is what he did:

took a .22 rifle shell and took a bb like the ones you would find in a kids air rifle and it fit inside the .22 shell nicely. then he put some hot glue on the open end to close it up and there ya go. you could make a ton of rattles for cheap this way. just go to your local gun club and pic up the spent shells. they wont mind, just cleaning up there dirty work. haha.

sniksoh

[txflytier]

hmm sounds good to me might have to try it...

Thanks for the idea..


Thanks Chance

[flytosser]

I too was a wally world today and I bought a bunch of the rattles. Going to use them for some bass patterns. Can't beat the price.

Go catch a fish,

Gary

[CoachBob]

I use 3mm and 4mm rattles all the time for several patterns.
They are glass so you have to cover them with something in the pattern, but they work well.
I usually super glue them to a thread base on the shank.

[txflytier]

yea i have seen the glass ones but never got any and have never tied with any rattles befor...

[smalltownfisherman]

Great idea.

I might even have to try it.

[bowfin47]

I’ve been using Woodie's Rattlers for streamers, crawfish, and shrimp patterns for more than ten years.

Here is their web site: http://www.woodiesrattlers.com/html/rattle_inserts.html

Why do I like them? Here are few reasons:

1. The shape, blunt on one end and tapered on the other, allows for smoother transitions and better looking flies, especially in streamers, shrimp and crawfish!!

2. The plastic bodies are more easily locked into place with thread than are slick glass rattles.

3. They never break like a glass rattle. Yes glass rattles do break - sometimes very easily!

4. They can be trimmed on both ends.

5. I've caught a bunchs of reds and specks on flies that included these rattles.

6. Woodie's Rattlers are cheap, i.e. inexpensive!

7. Ya' can even get them at Wally World!!

By the way, some of ya' may already have some of them in your tying kits, as I have given away hundreds of small packets of these neat rattles to tyers at several FFF Southern and SE Council Conclaves.

No. I don't own any stock or have any financial ties with Woodie's, but the owner, Larry G., is a great guy who would like to see these rattles utilized by more tyers. I agree!

Bowfin47

[TxEngr]

There's a great article by Bill Heugel about using rattles in flies in one of the older newsletters from the Gulf Coast Council of the FFF. The link is http://www.gulfcoastfff.org/index.php?page=communications but unfortunately the newsletter links don't seem to work. I discovered the info after I had started tying some flies using rattles from both WalMart and BassPro from the worm section. Here's an example:


I was tying them up to fish in colored water. We had a huge amount of rain one spring and visibility was nil in the lakes. Seemed to work pretty good too.

TxEngr

Update - I got the article from Bill Heugel and have posted it to read. Go to http://www.flyfishvideo.com/Shake%20Rattle...nd%20Hookup.pdf to read it.

[txflytier]

Great ty TxEngr.. Looks great.

I’ve been using Woodie's Rattlers for streamers, crawfish, and shrimp patterns for more than ten years.

Here is their web site: http://www.woodiesrattlers.com/html/rattle_inserts.html

I will have to look in to them..

Thanks Chance

[smfisher]

I've used the rattles from walmart on several of the flies I tie and they work fine. Just wrap and crazy glue them and your fine.

[Tying Beads]

Thanks, have to go see if the wal mart near me has them....

[txflytier]

Thanks, have to go see if the wal mart near me has them....

Hey just let me know if they dont and i can send you some so you can try them out...

Tell you what just send me a pm with your addy and i will send you some...

Chance

[tidewaterfly]

flytosser, I've been using rattles for a long time, I started with the glass after reading an article, but prefer the plastic ones, they just sound louder to me. I still use both however.

TxEngr, I make most of my rattle flies in that same manner, but epoxy over the body, which does 2 things, 1), makes it more durable, and 2) makes the rattles louder. Soft materials seem to dampen the rattles. I've wrapped them on with thread too, and that also seems to dampen the noise, especially the glass rattles.

TxEngr, tie that same fly with a rabbit strip back too, like a zonker, it's a killer bass & redfish fly.

bowfin47, thanks for that link, I'm always looking for new suppliers! I'll be checking them out!

If you make "Bob's Banger" style poppers, try inserting a rattle in the back side of the head, and epoxy over the whole head. I make them with a PVC foam & with balsa wood, and they're both real loud. Stripers & Largemouths like them!

[jschmidt63]

I have been using the glass and plastic rattles for years for warm and salt, really like tying with them. The glass ones do require protection as noted but can really help to get flies down deep if needed.