Museum Archive: Vintage Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap, fishing lure #17065

A striking gold chrome finish covers the flat-sided profile of this Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap, a design specifically engineered to signal fish in low-visibility environments. This specimen, identified by product code 17065, is fitted with two sharp red treble hooks that provide a stark visual contrast against the metallic body. The line tie is located on the dorsal edge near a small molded-in fin, a hallmark of this model's balanced construction for its tight wobbling action. Within the body, extra-loud rattles are housed to generate a signature sound that carries through the water column, often audible even through a boat hull. Its condition is exemplary, appearing unused with no signs of wear on the reflective gold plating. While commonly cast to cover vast areas of water, the sinking nature of this lure allows it to be worked vertically around deep wintering holes or submerged structure to trigger neutral fish. The gold finish is particularly effective when fishing in stained or darker water where a high-flash profile is necessary.