Rat Rumble: Fish the Sneaky!
(continued)
Price and
Availability: The
Sneaky isn’t a cheap
bait at $158 dollars
for a wood grain rat
and $188 for a
painted rat but
based on the
exceptional
craftsmanship and
durability I feel
like the bait is
very fairly priced.
Like so many other
garage-built swimbaits, and
especially those
constructed from
wood, obtaining the
Sneaky will likely
be more of an
obstacle than the
price. The Sneaky is
not one of those
baits that you can
simply order from an
e-trailer, they are
custom built by
Brady for anglers,
and are offered
through an order
list once a year.
The best way to
secure a Sneaky is
work out a trade
with other anglers
via platforms like
Swimbait Underground
or Swimbait
Universe, and be
sure to follow
Sneaky Baits on
Instagram and
Facebook for
opportunities to get
on that yearly build
list.
My second Sneaky was
painted with a white
belly but I still
wanted to see the
beauty of the raw
wood grain
Brady has been
expanding the number
of baits, as well as
the wood and color
customization on
these baits, with
each season. At the
beginning of the
season Brady will
post a notification
on Instagram and
Facebook letting
people know the time
to place a request
and those that are
lucky enough to make
the list will
receive their baits
sometime during the
season. I’d
recommend most
anglers to get a
unpainted Sneaky
first, as the wood
grain just makes the
bait feel so
special. Each bait
is truly customized
for the angler. For
example on my second
bait I still desired
the exposed wood
grain but also
wanted to get a bait
with a white belly,
so Brady put
together the exact
combination I
requested.
A look underneath,
and what the fish
see. I like white
bellied rats because
they imitate both
rodents and baitfish
well
These days I
primarily fish the
Sneaky with the
white belly during
the daytime and
prefer the original
darker Ambrosia rat
when the sun goes
down. Together these
two Sneaky Baits are
a one two punch for
those warm days when
rats are the ticket.
After fishing the
Sneaky for over a
full season I can
confidently say it
has become one of my
favorite rats and is
always in my arsenal
The Sneaky ranks way
up there as one of
my top three
favorite rats of all
time and is also one
of the front runners
in this season’s Rat
Rumble. There is
just something
magical about wood,
and while resin can
be an excellent
option, especially
for crankdown rats,
it is very difficult
to beat the high
float and loud knock
of wood, not to
mention the beauty
that the material
can exhibit in the
hands of a true
artist, like Brady.
Readers that have
read my other rat
reviews know that I
previously declared
the Illude Rad Rat
as my favorite
wooden rat. So the
question is how does
the Sneaky compare?
The two rats are
actually quite
different in action,
profile, and sound.
The Illude Rad Rat
is a longer rat with
a wider swinging
action, it’s also
has a lower pitched
knock due to the
Alaskan Cedar build
and painted finish.
The Sneaky on the
other hand has a
compact but taller
profile and that
wide lip causes it
to hunt a little
more on the
retrieve, while the
hard gloss shell
gives the lure a
higher pitched
knock, or clack.
I discussed the
actions with our
contributing Editor,
Jason Karol, as he
also fishes both
rats routinely.
Jason’s take was
very similar and we
both found the Rad
Rat, and Triple
Double, to be
excellent cast and
crank baits which
are very effective
at drawing followers
and strikes from
open water and over
submerged structure.
The Sneaky on the
other hand is
compact and easy to
cast into tight
cover situations,
and because it
weighs over 3oz. It
is easy to cast far
and accurately. The
added durability of
the Sneaky’s extra
hard shell really
makes the rat ideal
for fishing in, and
alongside, heavy,
cover.
Ratings:
(We've
re-calibrated our
ratings standard for
2008 and have
included a key at
the bottom of the
following matrix as
a guide):
|
Sneaky
Baits
"Sneaky"
Rat Swimbait
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
The
Sneaky
is
everything
that you
want in
a custom
rat made
from
wood.
The
construction
is
absolutely
beautiful
and
showcases
the wood
grain.
It is
almost a
shame to
cover up
the
beautiful
wood
with
paint
but
Brady
does
offer
some
great
finishes.
My
recommendation
for your
first
Sneaky
is to
get a
raw wood
one. It
is the
type of
build
you can
fish
forever
and even
pass to
the next
generation |
9.5 |
|
Performance |
The
Sneaky
absolutely
delivers.
Not only
does it
get bit
but it
can
deliver
quality
fish as
well. I
think
that the
size of
this rat
is
perfect
and
represents
an easy
kill for
many
fish.
The only
rat that
I have
caught
more
fish on
is the
Illude
Rad Rat,
and the
Sneaky
is right
up there
in terms
of
drawing
power.
It also
is an
exceptional
cover
rat due
to the
durability |
9 |
|
Price |
Retailing
for $155-$185
dollars
the
Sneaky
Rat is
not
cheap
but it
can cost
twice
that in
the
aftermarket.
The
retail
price is
totally
reasonable
and I
would
jump at
the
opportunity
to buy
one if
you can
get on
the
list...
this rat
is that
good and
will
hold up
well
over
time |
8 |
|
Features |
The
wooden
build is
the top
feature
and the
Sneaky
also
makes
use of
quality
hardware
that
holds up
to
abuse,
and the
hard
candy
shell is
extremely
durable.
I have
never
had any
issues
with the
lips on
these
rats
either |
9 |
|
Design
(Ergonomics) |
A little
heavier
than
other
rats of
similar
size due
to the
solid
wood
build.
This is
good for
lobbing
accurately
and long
distance
casts
but it
also is
best
fished
with a
stouter
XH
swimbait
specific
stick
than
other
2-2.5oz.
rats. It
takes a
little
extra
effort
to fish
the
Sneaky
all day
but it
is still
easy to
fish
compared
with
oversized
glides |
9 |
|
Application |
Like
other
rats the
Sneaky
is best
in
warmer
conditions
when
fish are
feeding
near the
surface.
The
Sneaky
is great
both in
the day
and
night,
and
while it
can
deliver
on a
retrieve
over
open
water it
absolutely
excels
when
fished
near
structure.
This rat
can take
a
beating
and is a
perfect
size to
entice
bass of
all
sizes to
commit |
9.5 |
|
Total
Score
|
9.0 |
Ratings
Key:
1 =
terrible
: 2 =
poor : 3
=
lacking
: 4 =
sub par
: 5 =
mediocre
: 6 =
fair : 7
= good :
8 =
great :
9 =
excellent
: 10 =
unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus |
Minus |
|
+
Outstanding
build that
really
showcases
the beauty
of the wood |
-
Like other
great custom
wooden rats
the price
isn't the
biggest
barrier to
entry as
demand is
greater than
supply |
|
+
Puts out a
high pitch
knock |
-
Weighing
over 3oz.
this rat
really is
best fished
with a
dedicated
swimbait
stick |
|
+
Able to be
cranked,
twitched,
and even
walked |
|
|
+
Can be
fished over
open water
but really
shines as a
great cover
rat |
|
|
+
Available in
both raw and
painted
options.
This rat is
really
customized
for each
angler |
|
|
+
Outstanding
durability.
The hard
shell finish
on this bait
is
exceptionally
durable and
protects
both the
wood and
paint well |
|
Conclusion:
If you like fishing
rats the Sneaky
should be on your
target for
acquisition, but if
you like wooden rats
the Sneaky is an
absolute must-have.
The Sneaky puts the
wooden grain on full
display, it floats
just as you would
expect from a
quality wooden rat,
it knocks loudly,
and to top it all
off it is among the
most durable rats on
the market,
regardless of
material.
If you are lucky
enough to get your
hands on the Sneaky
then don't let it
sit idle. Fish the
Sneaky!
The Sneaky really is
everything that you
expect from a custom
wooden rat, and
more. Due to the
rarity of this bait
it takes a bit of
work to acquire one
but it is absolutely
worth it. This bait
represents an
instant classic for
rat collectors, but
to simply admire the
wooden construction
wouldn’t do this
fish catching tool
justice. If you can
get your hands on
one of these baits
you should
definitely fish it,
and don’t be afraid
to fish it hard. The
Sneaky is an
excellent cover rat
and one that will
deliver both numbers
and quality fish
from Spring through
Fall when fish are
aggressively feeding
on or near the
surface. Simply put,
get the Sneaky. Fish
the Sneaky!
