Rapalas

[N Florida Mike]

Got out on the lake yesterday evening.Decided to try an old rapala with my usual soft plastics.First cast small bass clobbered it .2 nd cast-same thing,slightly bigger fish.Ended up catching several more,either on top water or just casting out and reeling in.Got nothing if I jerked it.

Think I'm on to something.Have not fished with them since I was young.All I caught was smaller fish,I reckon because it was a small ( 3 inch ) rapala.Dont know the specific name of it but it has a small rounded bill,a dull finish,Dark on top,off-white side/ belly.and a little red spot where the gills would be.

I could not cast it but maybe 50 feet,which was far enough but just barely.Tha lake is fairly clear( slightly stained).Thinking about using a bigger size next time.Also lost about as many as I caught.Not sure why.Thoughts anyone?

 

[Hez]

Not sure why you lost - but I will say the Rattl' Trap bite was on for me this last weekend too - about the first weekend they have been actively hitting the moving baits.  I think fall is here for us Southerners lol 

[N Florida Mike]

Exactly! I was just thinking the same thing.They were onto anything I threw out yesterday,which was trick worms,senkos,speed craws,and the rapala.

Haven't bit this good since spring.

[Hez]

I had the same feeling this last weekend too - I caught 9 in 2 days on the Harris Chain - which is polar opposite of what I've been experiencing the past month or so.  

Happy days are here again!!!

[jr231]

I have caught some big bass(for my region) on rapala. My favorite one is probably a sleeper on most peoples radar. The jointed shad rap. (Not that the original shad rap isn't a beast) but I never hear people talking about the jointed version. And it has caught many species for me. And has saved me from a skunk more than once. Using a variety of retrieves but I'd say my most successful one is a slow reel, followed with a pause and twitch. I have some colors that are discontinued that I'm a big fan of. But for ones they still make.. perch takes the cake (even where there are no perch) 

Here is the perch I'm talking about.. and the other is "hot perch" but is not made anymore. I wish I could have an extra so I could fish it fiercely. 

[Airman4754]

This time of year I throw Shad Raps as my search bait and they get bit so well. I'm sure others have favorites but I've never found a more productive crank after fall turnover.

[BobP]

It sounds like an Original Floating Rapala to me.  Caught my first bass on one many years ago, followed by a lot more bass after that one.  Still got the lure in my garage but don't fish it any more 'cause it's too light to throw well.  It was followed by the Countdown Rapala.  Rapala still sells both models.

[Ratherbfishing]

On 11/2/2016 at 11:13 AM, N Florida Mike said:

Got out on the lake yesterday evening.Decided to try an old rapala with my usual soft plastics.First cast small bass clobbered it .2 nd cast-same thing,slightly bigger fish.Ended up catching several more,either on top water or just casting out and reeling in.Got nothing if I jerked it.

Think I'm on to something.Have not fished with them since I was young.All I caught was smaller fish,I reckon because it was a small ( 3 inch ) rapala.Dont know the specific name of it but it has a small rounded bill,a dull finish,Dark on top,off-white side/ belly.and a little red spot where the gills would be.

I could not cast it but maybe 50 feet,which was far enough but just barely.Tha lake is fairly clear( slightly stained).Thinking about using a bigger size next time.Also lost about as many as I caught.Not sure why.Thoughts anyone?

 

My experience was very similar to yours this past Monday.  Caught a bunch of bass on a small Rapala but few were very large.  My fish didn't want an erratic retrieve either.

Small hooks have a smaller gap and, thus, less holding ability-particularly on larger fish.  That may be one reason why most of your CAUGHT fish were small.  HOWEVER, in terms of size, it could just be that only the smaller fish were in a biting mood.  Upscaling the lure may or may not increase the fish size.  It's worth trying, however, and you won't regret having some larger Rapala's anyway.