Rapala Shad Rap...used To Be 'deep Diver" ?

[Jig Meister]

Found an old tackle box that someone gave me when I was around 8.

 

There is a lot of older cranks in there, 3 Rapala Deep Divers...which are I think are now the Shad Raps...can anyone confirm this?

 

Also some old Bagley's Diving Killer B-II's and FAT CAT's

 

and more Rapala baits, definitely from between '85-'95

 

There is also a super old balsa Rapala Floater look-a-like, it has japan on the plastic lip, is hand painted, black top silver middle, creamy white bottle, with a red V on the underside of the head. Any clues?

[gripnrip]

Post some pics.

[Jig Meister]

Pictures. 

 

Q's: Are the 'deep divers' todays 'shad raps' / anyone know if that 'floater' is any certain type or just some knock off, says 'japan' on the bill, and is old...

 

Maybe it is my ignorance, I dont own any Shad Raps, so maybe the Shad Rap bill really says 'deep diver' on it....

[gripnrip]

I believe they are shad raps.  Although, with my A.D.D. I don't recall if the one's I have older and newer have deep divers on the bill.  

[Jig Meister]

They look just like the shad raps on the TW page, so that is what I wrote them down as, glad I found all these. I do not usually fish cranks, and now that I have some good choices for the 3'-11' ranges I will have to try is out.

[gripnrip]

They are excellent baits for colder water.  The pros on Grand will be using the 07 and 08 a bunch this next week!

[Rangerphil]

The shad rap that is a gold color ( second pic second lure down on left ) is a killer early spring crank! I have caught lots of bass on that crank. Also I love the fat cat!

[Bluebasser86]

Those are certainly shad raps on the upper left. They're great cold weather/high pressure baits. I like to put a few suspend dots on them so they float really slowly so I can crawl them along and pause them once in awhile.  I wouldn't really consider them a deep diver unless you get up to a #8 or #9, those ones in your picture look like #7 or maybe even #5's. The fish easiest on spinning gear for sure. 

[Quillback]

Yep, look like Shad Raps to me.  As an addition to the tactics the guys have talked about, they're also a great bait to use when bass are on top busing shad.  Just throw them at the boils and twitch on the surface.

[Jig Meister]

yeah they are for sure 7's

 

Thanks, my idea of fishing cranks is just to cast and yo yo, it is nice to hear some tips on these.

 

aside from lipless I have next to no experiences with other styles.

 

jigs and plastics all day, cranks always were a novelty to me......they seem so technical.....probably how a lot of people view what i fish  

[gripnrip]

Ya just chunk and wind.  Vary your retrieve just like you would a lipless.  If it hits cover, a rock or stump, give it a pause.  Sometimes when you start it back up after that pause, it feels like a Mack truck just hit the end of your line!

[plumworm]

I believe the "Rapala look alike" is probably a "Rebel" They came out shortly after the Rapala craze hit, but were made of plastic instead of wood.

[Jig Meister]

I believe the "Rapala look alike" is probably a "Rebel" They came out shortly after the Rapala craze hit, but were made of plastic instead of wood.

 this is most defiantly made of balsa.

[plumworm]

my mistake.

[tbone1993]

I will seriously buy the fat r in the bottom left of picture one. My favorite rapala bait of all time. I still use mine to this day, just changed the hooks on it. 

[Jig Meister]

I will seriously buy the fat r in the bottom left of picture one. My favorite rapala bait of all time. I still use mine to this day, just changed the hooks on it. 

 

If I wasn't so stoked to try this I would sell it to you. I have heard from a few people already that they love that bait a lot. The color isnt something that I would buy, but I am sure it will catch something, if I have no luck I will just ship it to you man.

[Marty]

I've been a big fan of Shad Raps since they were introduced some 30 years ago and they're very high on my list of confidence cranks. I use them from spring through fall. "Deep" is a relative term; they are available in Shallow and Deep-running models, with Deep meaning deeper than Shallow, not deep as in DD22.

[tbone1993]

If I wasn't so stoked to try this I would sell it to you. I have heard from a few people already that they love that bait a lot. The color isnt something that I would buy, but I am sure it will catch something, if I have no luck I will just ship it to you man.

 Change the hooks out and make sure it runs true. If it runs to the left or right check out a video on "tuning crank baits" , be careful though the older baits break easily.  This bait is really productive in creeks for small mouth. Find a nice clear water creek with about a foot to 3 feet with weeds and throw it down stream. Pull it through the weeds and it will get smacked every time.  Goodluck .

[jhoffman]

That black silver one a smithwick?

[Jig Meister]

That black silver one a smithwick?

 

I dont know TBH. I found it in an old tacklebox my brother had given me. It is balsa and looks to be hand painted. The bill says japan on it, same size as a rapala og floater.

 

I know it is old, and has been in my family, probably my grandpas, have not really found a lead on what it might be. I am thinking a knockoff perhaps but not sure.