Original Excalibur 1-Knocker(discontinued now )- Not even close.

1/2 & 3/4 oz- Toledo gold & White crawfish

Whichever one they are biting. I am partial to the ole 1 knocker's, but those don't seem to catch em like they use too.

I've got a few of those, matte finish right? I must not be throwing them in the right water, I'll give 'em another chance now!

I bet I know

This is one of my old school methods that I will share. I have noticed over the years that any hard bait once it gets worn with a lot of the Chrome missing down to the bone the better the bait catches. I have experenced this in Mexico where we have the opportunity to catch over 100 per day.
- First Day we catch about 12 on a 3/4 oz lipless and it is scratched up pretty good.
- Second Day it will produce around 15 to 20 and is loosing some paint.
- Third Day it is getting good with 25 to 35 fish and lots of the Chrome is coming off.

This is what it looks like by the end of the week and is producing big time.


This is the Regurgitated Shad that I build from NEW Traps to produce on the first day like it will on the last day.

Old standby Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap...now through March, some variation of red; rest of year, chrome/blk back. My goal is to get enough bites so that my lure looks like Donald Harper's.

Of course I would be partial to big baits, but this bait has worked all year for me - the Imakatsu Magnum Gilsonic.

The 3/4 oz Trap is hard to beat, so I don't try. Red from Oct through March. Still catch them on sale for about $3.50 ea.

BTW, I bet old Don Harper will remember the Smithwick Water Gator. Try removing the rear hook on a RattleTrap and replace with a small spinner.You can fish it much slower in cold water.
Good Luck

I do remember that. I will definitely be running that spinner on them this trip first of Feb. to Mex..

Good Luck on the trip. Wish I could go, too.

Mine either unless it is in a Samich!

Back in the day when my grandparents lived on the lake, if you weren't throwing Bill Lewis 1/2 oz chrome blue on Livingston you're wasting your time, bleeding shiner was a distant second. When Choke Canyon was on, a 3/4 oz Excaliber one knocker in sexy shad would get your arm broke. On Fayette they will knock the paint off a gold black 1/2 Bill Lewis. So I guess for me it varies from lake to lake, and time of year. On an unfamiliar lake chrome/blue and gold/black are usually my go to search traps.
I remember when the hooks were so bad on the old Bill Lewis traps it was a wonder we ever got a fish in the boat.

Red eye shad in sexy shad color

I�m just a bank fisherman, so I can�t use the heavier weighted traps like you guys. I do throw a lot of 1/2 oz sizes but I also throw more 1/4 oz sizes. In the 1/4 oz size I like the company Sebile. It runs true right out of the package and they have pretty decent hooks.I found them at Academy several years ago and bought everyone that was on clearance for .88 cents each. They are called Vibe Machine and I love the red/orange craw.

I to have an old time Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap, that kills them especially in the Spring. Im so afraid of loosing it, (because not made anymore), that's the only time I will throw it now.