Super User roadwarrior Posted March 5, 2015 Super User Posted March 5, 2015 Just acquired a few, but have not fished them yet. Working them a little in my pool to see the action, they look pretty good, both the shallow and deeper models. 1 Quote
AllTerrainAngler Posted March 6, 2015 Posted March 6, 2015 we just got them in where i work and they flew off the shelf Quote
Robeng Posted March 6, 2015 Posted March 6, 2015 Will be interesting to try one. Last year was the Livingstons. 1 Quote
primetime Posted March 6, 2015 Posted March 6, 2015 I want to see one in person, have not looked, they look like the shape of the yo-zuri floating trembler ripbait which is a good bait so hopefully it has the reflection of light like yozuri and the cutting shape. Rapala always makes good stuff but I still think the BX wake and swimmers are new as well as scatter raps....Cant keep up, I have way too many original rapala's and minnow baits but I am a sucker if colors are good. Quote
Coonedawg Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 I caught a decent fish today on about my 9th cast with the Shadow Rap. Caught him letting it sit beside a brush pile I had planted for some crappie. Didn't fish it long, because the fish were choking down a crankbait instead. The jerkbait bite here in SC should explode over the next 2 weeks with the water temps rising. 5 Quote
wytstang Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 I caught a decent fish today on about my 9th cast with the Shadow Rap. Caught him letting it sit beside a brush pile I had planted for some crappie. Didn't fish it long, because the fish were choking down a crankbait instead. The jerkbait bite here in SC should explode over the next 2 weeks with the water temps rising. Really looking forward to that early morning buzz bait/Rage tail toad bite as well. Quote
PaFrogThrower9 Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 How are the hooks holding up? I have a few shadow raps and I'm not thrilled with the hooks. Had some friends straighten them out on 2 pounders already. They seem too light. Not sure what hooks to put on them without upsetting the balance. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted March 7, 2015 Super User Posted March 7, 2015 I tried throwing one but it keeps getting stuck in the ice 6 Quote
Smokinal Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 How are the hooks holding up? I have a few shadow raps and I'm not thrilled with the hooks. Had some friends straighten them out on 2 pounders already. They seem too light. Not sure what hooks to put on them without upsetting the balance. Rapala has always used cheap, light hooks it seems. Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted March 7, 2015 Super User Posted March 7, 2015 Rapala has always used cheap, light hooks it seems. Rapala bought VMC years back. All there hooks are VMC since. Quote
Smokinal Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 ^^^That's surprising Dwight. I have had to replace all my HJ hooks because of straightening. I just picked up 2 Shadows and as soon as pulled them out of the package I thought, "I'll be replacing these soon..." Quote
lecisnith Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 Picked one up in olive green today. Pretty excited to be able to use it. In a month or so... Quote
primetime Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 they use barbarians on higher end..balsa lures require light line so if you put a 2x strong hook on a balsa minnow you kill the action, if you try throwing a floating minnow on 15 lb test you will bend hooks or if using heavy braid, I never have problems on bigger x rap walks with heavy braid as they are 3x strong vmc, with ewg on back, same with skitter walks as they go up in size, that is why I love Bomber, Rebel, and Cordell, I can fish em on heavy line in jungles when a rapala f-13 needs 8-12lb test tops for best action or even distance..... Quote
Super User Felix77 Posted March 7, 2015 Super User Posted March 7, 2015 Picked up 2 @ DSG. Going to try them on the Bassresource unofficial trip. 1 Quote
PaFrogThrower9 Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 The best hook combo that I've found after extensive bathtub test is a Mustad KVD TG76bln #8 in the back and #6 Mustad KVD TG76BLN's in the front and middle. Only combo I've tried that kept that slow nose down sinking action. Don't care for such a small hook in the back but it is what it is I guess. Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted March 7, 2015 Super User Posted March 7, 2015 ^^^That's surprising Dwight. I have had to replace all my HJ hooks because of straightening. I just picked up 2 Shadows and as soon as pulled them out of the package I thought, "I'll be replacing these soon..." Yes I just got two shadow raps today & noticed the split rings looked sprung & the hooks were a size too small for my liking. Hook tips were sticky sharp but they were light wire. I'll probably try them as is & then switch them out if they don't hold up. Quote
Super User Jrob78 Posted March 7, 2015 Super User Posted March 7, 2015 I saw Mark Fisher, (Rapala lead designer) on Al Linder's show fishing the Shadow Rap. He said they purposely used light wire hooks to stick those fish that just swiped at the bait. He also said the lighter hooks don't negatively effect the action of the bait as much as a heavier hook would. Take that for what it's worth. Check out the new Gamakatsu Aaron Martens treble hooks. They are made of some new wire that is thin and light but really strong. They're supposed to be great for jerkbaits. Quote
rchiuz Posted March 8, 2015 Posted March 8, 2015 Caught my 1st bass with the Shadow rap today but when I had it a foot from the bank, the bass threw it It was my real 1st bass on a jerkbait too Quote
Smokinal Posted March 8, 2015 Posted March 8, 2015 The best hook combo that I've found after extensive bathtub test is a Mustad KVD TG76bln #8 in the back and #6 Mustad KVD TG76BLN's in the front and middle. Only combo I've tried that kept that slow nose down sinking action. Don't care for such a small hook in the back but it is what it is I guess. I bought a bunch of KVD #6's but I am scared it may hurt the action. The HJ comes with 3 6's but I'm sure they are lighter than the KVD's. Only one way to tell and that's a month away. Yes I just got two shadow raps today & noticed the split rings looked sprung & the hooks were a size too small for my liking. Hook tips were sticky sharp but they were light wire. I'll probably try them as is & then switch them out if they don't hold up. That's my plan too. I saw Mark Fisher, (Rapala lead designer) on Al Linder's show fishing the Shadow Rap. He said they purposely used light wire hooks to stick those fish that just swiped at the bait. He also said the lighter hooks don't negatively effect the action of the bait as much as a heavier hook would. Take that for what it's worth. Check out the new Gamakatsu Aaron Martens treble hooks. They are made of some new wire that is thin and light but really strong. They're supposed to be great for jerkbaits. Quote
PaFrogThrower9 Posted March 8, 2015 Posted March 8, 2015 I'd really like to know what hooks Iaconelli, Wheeler, Tharp, and the other Rapala pros are using cause I can guarantee they aren't using the stock hooks. 1 Quote
Super User David P Posted March 8, 2015 Super User Posted March 8, 2015 The bait flat out sucks... Okay I take that back, it's OKAY, but absolutely nothing special and doesn't come close to Lucky Crafts or Megabass. Yes, I know, they are considerably cheaper, so for the cost they're average I suppose. I consistently had the front treble hang up on my line (never an issue for me with other ripbaits), the colors are flashy and not very appealing, and the action is only average, and the casting distance is atrocious. Saying all this after catching a 3lber on the first cast. I took it off an hour later after frustration from it.. Tied on a megabass and proceeded to catch 7 more in about 30 minutes. In regards to the hooks, yes they suck, as do just about all hardbait stock hooks. KVD Triple Grips short shank are AMAZING, sharp, and far sturdier than every other 1x hook. The aaron martens trebles I have been playing with lately and those too are a major upgrade and are more of a "standard" treble hook shape. I prefer the triple grips for my cranks and larger trebles, where as I really like the finesse look of the aaron martens ones for smaller and more finesse stuff. Quote
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