What Stickbaits to replace Bay Rats, etc.

[SusanJames]

Seems impossible to find our old go to stick baits, especially the SS Bay Rats. What's everyone using in their place. Anyone run the Yozuri Crystal Minnows for spring browns/cohos?

[lost a lure]

Storm lures

[fisherman21]

Bayrat is coming back. Dreamweaver bought them. 

[spoonfed-1]

  On 2/18/2025 at 6:24 PM, SusanJames said:

Seems impossible to find our old go to stick baits, especially the SS Bay Rats. What's everyone using in their place. Anyone run the Yozuri Crystal Minnows for spring browns/cohos?

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I've run Yozuri Crystal Minnows on the big pond for browns many times because they work so well on my home waters. They caught fish but not like I was hoping and not as good as Rapalas or Smithwicks.. Never ran Bay Rats as I didn't find the need to. Mexico Bay for 20 yrs and ran Charters for about 15. Retired now. Assorted Rapalas , especially split bodies, at a slow troll and Smithwicks when the water started to warm up, the Browns got more aggressive and I increased my trolling speed.

Edited February 18 by spoonfed-1

[Legacy]

  On 2/18/2025 at 6:24 PM, SusanJames said:

Seems impossible to find our old go to stick baits, especially the SS Bay Rats. What's everyone using in their place. Anyone run the Yozuri Crystal Minnows for spring browns/cohos?

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Bay Rats were reintroduced by Dreamweaver at this past weekends Niagara Fishing Expo. 

[SusanJames]

That's GREAT news Legacy. Hopefully they're back in retail soon.

[Legacy]

  On 2/18/2025 at 11:10 PM, SusanJames said:

That's GREAT news Legacy. Hopefully they're back in retail soon.

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Soon you will find them here...

https://www.fishusa.com/Dreamweaver-Short-Shallow-Diver/#variant-selection

 

SS now but next will be Long Shallows

 

[Doc]

Smithwick’s been killer sticks for us. Rattling rogue.  Fish USA did some customs, ridin dirty, citric shad, etc….a while back, probably tough to find now but they have some great ‘stock’ patterns that are deadly. The black back, silver body with orange belly was our best producer last spring, with or without black stripes. There were days we ran that pattern on 5-6 out of 8 flatlines. Learch is another good pattern. 

[Yankee Troller]

These are all great options below. I also posted two videos below that. One shows our favorite baits. The other shows underwater footage of the Smithwick and Bomber.

 

Brad's ThinFish  - https://alnk.to/880BBQV

Smithwick Rattlin Rogue - https://alnk.to/faCUQsZ

Bomber Lures - https://alnk.to/9bv9uHv

Dreamweaver Lures Bay Rats Short Shallow - https://alnk.to/8iVmQqE

 

 

 

 

 

[SusanJames]

Thanks Rich.....just waiting for the Short Shallows to be available again! I do like the Thin Fish if I need to run a little deeper.

[SusanJames]

Thanks Doc. I think that orange belly is key on many baits.

[Silver Fox]

  On 2/19/2025 at 3:19 PM, SusanJames said:

Thanks Doc. I think that orange belly is key on many baits.

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Those transparent goby colored Bombers with the orange belly could be the best Brown trout Bomber I’ve ever owned. Thank god I have a many of them still.

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

There is many blanks to be had online 3" to 5"  (they all work very well)shapes and sizes shallow deep suspending etc... the closest I've found to a bayrat S3 was from Dynamic Lures. Step #2 contact Zach Baker to do his magic with the painting. Affordable fun project to create your own colors/patterns. Hope this helps put a few more Browns and Spring Kings in the boat🇺🇲

[Yankee Troller]

Some GREAT looking stuff right there! Thanks for sharing that.

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

  On 2/20/2025 at 3:26 PM, Yankee Troller said:

Some GREAT looking stuff right there! Thanks for sharing that.

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Your welcome! load the box up for cheap have fun with it make your own patterns designs just be sure to keep plenty of "Tricky Ricky's " on the ready LOL

[SusanJames]

Thanks Shultz. Those look awesome. Ive been tying my own flies for 40 years and dont really wanne go down that rabbit hole with hardbaits. My bank account can't handle another addiction!

[SchultzFishingTeamOutdoors]

  On 2/20/2025 at 4:35 PM, SusanJames said:

Thanks Shultz. Those look awesome. Ive been tying my own flies for 40 years and dont really wanne go down that rabbit hole with hardbaits. My bank account can't handle another addiction!

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Well take a look into it if you have free time. I thought the same thinking it would be more expensive and have also been waiting for bayrats. So last season I teamed up with Zach Baker and experimented with some blanks and have been having alot of success for less than half the cost of a factory bait.