The classic fish-shaped bait called Rapala was developed in 1936 by the Finnish fisherman Lauri Rapala who wanted a bait that moved and looked like a real wounded fish. The first prototypes were made of cork and covered with a thin layer of aluminum paper and fused photographic film. Currently they are produced in balsa in 5 countries and sold in more than 140. The Rapala name is now linked to a series of lures and other equipment, but continues to be popular with anglers around the world for its effectiveness with the sea bass, zander, trout, salmon and even some sea fish. The classic floating fish remains the most popular among Rapala lures and this article tells you how to use it.
Steps
Step 1. Choose the equipment suitable for the species of fish you want to catch
Rapalas and other similar baits are used to fish many different types of fish, so the feature of the bait that you need to take into greater consideration is its size, as well as the type of rod, reel and line.
- If you go fishing for bream, pomoxis and small sea bass or trout you need to choose small baits. Use them with light or ultralight rig and a spincast or spinning reel. The line should be 3-5 kg (if you fish in very clear water you can also use a very thin lure and an even lighter line).
- For larger catches like largemouth bass, zander and pike, rely on bigger baits. You can combine them with a spinning, spincast or baitcast reel mounted with a 5 kg or larger line.
- Consider graphite rods to help you feel the movement of the lure as you retrieve and to feel the contact of the sinker with the bottom when using a three-way, as will be explained later.
Step 2. Choose the right color
Rapalas are available in a wide range of shades and color schemes that mimic live bait, but there are also very simple models with dark back and light shades on the abdomen. Your choice depends on which color you prefer.
- The basic rule of many anglers is: "bright day, clear water, clear lure; cloudy day, cloudy water, dark lure." But as with all "rules" of fishermen, there are exceptions.
- Some prefer the more likely lures, especially if the waters are clear. When the water is cloudy, a less natural but very visible color is preferred.
Step 3. Attach the line to the bait to optimize its action
There are several ways to do this:
- Snap hook or swivel. This small fitting allows you to change bait much faster than having to cut and re-tie the line; a rounded snap carabiner gives you greater freedom of movement than pointed ones. However, many anglers do not like to use this type of connection with rapalas because its weight and concave profile could affect the mobility of the bait. If you decide for one of these solutions, choose the smallest snap-on muskets possible.
- Broken ring. It is a lighter fitting than the clamp and guarantees a great freedom of movement. However, to change the lure you have to open it with your fingers or with special pliers, if you don't want to cut the line and knot it again.
- Noose knot. Many fishermen prefer to tie the bait with this type of knot directly to the line to allow the fake fish to move naturally, without weighing it down with other fittings. You will have to cut and re-tie the line every time you want to change the bait and some nooses slip near the eye of the bait when the fish bites.
- Direct knot. Other fishermen, on the other hand, tie the line directly to the rapala's eyelet with a Palomar, Trilene, a jam or uni knot.
Step 4. Make sure that the weight is away from the bait if you use a sinker
Just like a large swivel, it can interfere with the movement of a floating rapala, even a ballast weight too close to the fish inhibits its action. Your rapala fishing technique determines the type of weight you need to use and especially if you need to use it.
- To fish on the surface or in shallow water, you absolutely do not need to ballast your line. The original floating rapala lure is designed to remain at a depth of between 0, 6 and 1.8 meters.
- If you want to fish deeper, you can use broken sinkers 0.3-0.6 meters from the end of the line (the lighter the line, the lighter the sinkers must be to weight the bait).
- If you need to launch or tow in deep water, use a three-way swivel mount. Attach a swivel to the line and another link to the bait with 2.1m of monofilament or fluorocarbon leader. Attach 0.9m of line to the third swivel with an 85g bell weight or other type of sinker.
Step 5. Try various recovery techniques
Rapala and other fish baits can be recovered in many ways, but all depend on how you have mounted the bait on the line. Here are some suggestions:
- To fish on the surface, cast the lure and let the ripples fade, then wave the rapala to simulate an injured fish stirring. You can also let the lure be led by the current up to an area impossible to reach with a direct launch due to the branches above it.
- Retrieve the rapala constantly. You can use this technique with or without ballast.
- Retrieve the bait for a couple of seconds, then take a short break and retrieve again. Continue at this pace to simulate the movement of a little fish in distress. You can use this technique with either a leaded line or not.
- Troll the bait behind the boat while maintaining a constant speed. This method is best with three-way swivel rigs in deep water, but you can also try it in shallower water with a weighted lure with broken sinkers. Maintain a speed of 1.6-3.2 km / h; if you have decided to use a thin and articulated lure you have to go even slower.
Advice
- The instructions contained in this article can also be used for other minnow lures such as the Storm Thunderstick, the Husky 13 Floating Minnow and the other products of the Rapala line such as the Flat Rap and the Shad Rap. Large body lures such as Fat Raps are not effective when used according to these techniques.
- Consider replacing a jig lure with a bell sinker when using a three-way swivel mount. It can prove effective for catching zander.
- To increase the oscillation of the rapala baits, fold the eyelet on the nose downwards with the help of a pair of pliers. Be careful not to twist it sideways, however, otherwise the bait will move sideways, overturn and float back to the surface.
Warnings
- The word "Rapala" is pronounced exactly as it is written.
- As the largest rapala lures, they are equipped with anchor hooks and get dirty with weeds and algae very quickly. If you decide to fish for a long time in waters with a lot of vegetation, consider removing the central hook, or remove a hook point from each hook.
- The instructions in this article assume that you are fishing with a floating minnow bait. Rapalas that sink or float suspended in mid-water do not have the same functionality.
- Some anglers believe that jointed rapalas and other minnow lures tend to tangle around the lines during the casting phase, so they do not use them in this operation. However, there is no problem in the towing phase.
