Dark water, rattle? No rattle? Thoughts?

[Alexlovesfishing]

All the lakes around me are dark water reservoirs. Half my crank baits don't rattle. Am I wasting my time, using a non rattling Lure?
For example I use a lot of Rapala originals, jointed, shad raps, count downs....

Is there a point in throwing them if visibility is only 6 inches all year round?

 

[TheTallFisherman]

Fish have better eye sight than most people think.

As you retrieve lures they cause a "vibration" (water is being disturbed) which they sense with their lateral line.

In short, no you are not wasting your time at all!

If the water is very dark, it helps to create a target by using bright high visibility colours such as UV, oranges and yellows (or even glow).

If the fish are not aggressive (sitting on the bottom) You may want to consider using different tactics - such as live bait or other scented items too.

Vibrations help fish locate baits, but not always required!

 

[wschinke]

Fish have better eye sight than most people think.

As you retrieve lures they cause a "vibration" (water is being disturbed) which they sense with their lateral line.

In short, no you are not wasting your time at all!

If the water is very dark, it helps to create a target by using bright high visibility colours such as UV, oranges and yellows (or even glow).

If the fish are not aggressive (sitting on the bottom) You may want to consider using different tactics - such as live bait or other scented items too.

Vibrations help fish locate baits, but not always required!

Agreed. And the main issue with using lines which are too heavy when fishing for "line-shy" fish has a lot to do with the fish sensing the line with their lateral line (hearing and feeling; not seeing). Where I'm from in Northeastern Ontario the lakes tend to be pretty tea-stained. While rattle baits have their place, there's plenty of "noise" produced by spinners, spoons and wiggling stick baits that have no dedicated rattle system that work just fine.

 

[rich_ace_G]

First off, what are you targeting? Pike and Bass usually hold weedlines for ambush. I find bass would hit with reckless abandon...while pike, would like to take a few good looks before striking. I have casted some senkos behind bass only for them to turn around and hit..so as a theory, it seems they can also sense vibrations and probably by that alone they can tell if it's predator or prey.

 

[fisgfreek]

Are you shore fishing or off a boat and what species are you targeting ?

 

[Alexlovesfishing]

Great tips thanks guys!
Right now I am targeting shallow water pickerel. Once summer arrives I only fish 15 feet of water for bass/pickerel/pike. It just seems to be the key depth I can find them in

 

[rich_ace_G]

If you're fishing 15ft of water. you may have murky water on top. but it could be crystal clear below. Fishing pike, I used to go for Daiwa db minnow. it has ball bearing in it and it worked really well. But I belive it's discontinued or has been hard to find. I have switched to this lure. Lixada 8 segment jointed lure. My catch rate has increased.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXHyhqqDg2Q

first video wasn't mine just a sample of the lure. here's my Son catching his first pike on the same lure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGTxvADgzi4&t=64s