The first thing you must do when retrieving a rat is to learn to make that rat work with some erratic moves, then pause it and let it sit, sometimes for 45 seconds. At times you just need to move it very slowly and consistent but with pauses and twitches to entice a bite. Think about your bait, make it act like the baitfish you see on top as it turns or rolls and moves with quick sharp directional change. This is what it takes to get that big bass to attack your rat.
The next important issue is finding grass that a bass can attack in and is feeding in. This is sometimes the biggest issue. As stated above, not all grass beds are created equal. You first need grass that has deep water near, that comes to thin spotted clumps where the top of the grass is mushy and shows a trail when your rat comes through it. When you have these elements coupled with grass points and baitfish you have an area that can hold a lunker fish. Another big plus is if the grass area happens to be a hump with deep-water edges on 3 sides or more, that deep edge around the grass is just the ideal location for the bass as then can move in and out of the deeper water and into the grass as needed.
Rat fishing is a lot of fun and can have big rewards!
