When I first started bass fishing, one of the first baits I bought was a Rapala floating minnow, in silver color. I bought this bait from reading( before the internet) about it's effectiveness and fish catching ability. Florida fisherman Doug Hannon ranked it as one of the very best baits, in the larger sizes for catching big bass in his state, and many outdoor writers of the time called it a " must have" in your box. For some reason, my catch rates on the original Rapala have been poor. I've caught many bass on Smithwick Rogues, Bomber Long A and similar long plastic minnow plugs over the years, but the floating Raplala hasn't worked well for me. I've always liked the looks of these baits, and the balsa construction. The new ones come with VMC hooks, which appear to be good. I have four of these baits. F9, two F11, and one F13, in silver/black, gold, and blue colors. For users of this old classic, how do you rig and fish them? Snap or split ring? What retrieve has worked best, and under what conditions have you had the best results? I'm hoping I can put these to good use as I've had them so long.
