Rat-L-Traps are still made in the U.S.A.
All anglers are familiar with the legendary Rat-L-Trap lipless crankbait. This lure has been putting fish in the boat for both pro and amateur anglers for decades now. The company has built their name as one of the best artificial lures on the market. The simple, but iconic Rat-L-Trap has been responsible for winning many a bass fishing tournament over the years.
Amazingly, at a time when most companies are probably switching to automation and shipping lure production overseas, Rat-L-Traps are still assembled by hand here in the U.S.A.
They have some talented people on staff painting and assembling these lures by the dozens. Get a small peek into the process and the faces behind these lures below.
This was a process that I think we all assumed was completely automated. It was surprising to see people are still adding the rattles and hooks by hand. Even more surprising than that was seeing that many of the tiny details in the pattern are painted onto the lures one at a time by a person. Talk about making lures in an old-school way!
Rat-L-Traps have something of a reputation for being expensive, but now you know why. How many lure companies are still assembling and painting lures by hand like this? This is probably why the lures have remained such high quality over the years.
In addition to seeing the love and care that goes into making these lures, we appreciated the story at the end that explained how this lipless crankbait got its iconic name. We had never heard that one before. It just gives us a greater appreciation for this iconic lure.
Thanks Rat-L-Trap for continuing to make your product here in the states and for putting so much time and effort into your products!
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
NEXT: WHAT TO USE FOR SPRING BASS: A COMPLETE GUIDE
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