Rapala DT series

[Davis]

Again the baitmonkey is helping me to store up on things for next spring. Bought my first DT series bait.

DT-06 in a Bluegill pattern. Since I fish mostly small and large ponds. Wondering what other colors are effective or is it really not an issue. Have had good luck with Rapalas as a kid and I want to get back into fishing them. Thinking a baby bass color for my next one. Thoughts?

[MALTESE FALCON]

I've had success with Blue Shad and Parrot.

Falcon

[Guest muddy]

CRAWFISH!!!!!!! by far, bounce it off every rock,stump and boulder you can 8-)

[Davis]

CRAWFISH!!!!!!! by far, bounce it off every rock,stump and boulder you can 8-)

That's the problem I don't have many rocks, stumps, and boulders in my ponds.

[SwampMan]

I've had fair luck using the Hot Mustard color.  It's a pretty good line of baits, you might just collect a few colors as you will probably enjoy the success of them.

[Grey Wolf]

Adjust your color scheme to how clear your lakes are.

[Davis]

Adjust your color scheme to how clear your lakes are.

Clear to semi- cloudy is how it is most of the time. Never really hits a coffee color at all.

Not lakes but my ponds. Don't fish any lakes.

[bocabasser]

i only use the dt-6 and the dt-10 in 3 colors. baby bass, brown, and blue chrome.

[Raul]

Wondering what other colors are effective or is it really not an issue. Thoughts?

85% of all my crankbaits are Rapala, when you speak of over 600 cranks, 85% is a lot of cranks and I have them in almost any available color the models is or has been manufactured throughout the years; you know why I have almost every color  ? because I LIKE to have them in every color, plain and simple.

The color issue is greatly overrated in most instances, location, presentation, depth and built in characteristics ( wobble or wiggle, sound or the lack of it, vibration ) are by far more important than the color of the bait. Choose the color you like or you feel most confident with and fish it.

The "wrong" bait in the right hands is going to catch more fish than the "right" bait in the wrong hands.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

If you fish ponds you are going to need some 4's and also some flat 3.colors pretty much boils down to what you have confidence in,what works on my water may not be the ticket for you.I own every color in dt 3,4,6,7 and most of the 10's. It seems though that there are four colors that I constantly use the most on my lakes.I use two hot colors, and two shiny ones,chart/purple back,parrot,olive flash, and silver are my deadly four.

[jwo1124]

I was just looking at these the other day thinking about which ones to pick up for next spring. I was thinking about getting the bluebill, baby bass, and probably the perch one too. On top of those maybe add a craw and a firetiger. That's already over $35 right there. buying an insurance bait of each kind throws your tab up over $70. This is the only aspect of fishing I don't like.... draining my bank.

You don't really need every color, just a couple right colors for the water you are fishing. Since you are doing a lot of pond fishing, like me, I would definately suggest the bluegill and baby bass patterns. One because most of the bass' diet in those pond are probably coming from bluegill and baby bass. On top of that you mentioned that the water you fish is clear, so you want a natural pattern that is not going to throw the bass off. You want to give them just enough color to spot and react to the bait. You don;t need to throw Vegas lights and an amplifier on it, but bright colors in stained water won;t hurt.

Like I always say, if a bass can find their prey, which is naturally camoflagued, they'll be able to find a lure in a natural pattern without a problem.

Raul struck on a good point. Most of what is going to get a fish to strike your lure is the built in attributes like profile, action, vibration, sound, flash. Then you have to present it in the correct manner: fast, slow, stop start, twitching like an injured prey, burning it by them.

If you are planning on getting any DT 10's or 16's I would go with colors that stand out deeper in the water column like blues and purples.

[.dsaavedra.]

yea dude your in ponds you need to get set up w/ some 3's 4's and 6's.

more of a reaction bait really, so color isnt that important, but since it mimics a baitfish, i like to stick w/ baitfish colors. my top killer colors for any rapala are:

-Pearl Grey Shiner

-Bleeding Olive Shiner

-Silver Shad

-Silver

[5bass]

CRAWFISH!!!!!!! by far, bounce it off every rock,stump and boulder you can 8-)

That's the problem I don't have many rocks, stumps, and boulders in my ponds.

You should go find some rocks, stumps and boulders and throw them in the pond.....no lie.

[Davis]

CRAWFISH!!!!!!! by far, bounce it off every rock,stump and boulder you can 8-)

That's the problem I don't have many rocks, stumps, and boulders in my ponds.

You should go find some rocks, stumps and boulders and throw them in the pond.....no lie.

I've thought about it.

But it is my dads pond. He has a problem with having any sort of weed cover. Trying to talk him out of killing off the vegetation next year. So throwing more stuff in may be a sore spot.

I keep telling him its a great setup for bass to thrive. He wants that nice crystal clear blue water though with no plants. Crazy...... ;D I WANT IT MESSY!!!!

But since I don't live there and have a place of my own....I really don't have a say in HIS pond.

[5bass]

some people say that the lip is not strong enough.

The first DT's that came out did have weak bills, no doubt about it, I broke several when they first came out. Rapala has rectified that problem and I havent broken one since. They are good cranks.....only real problem I see with them now is that everybody is throwing them and the fish see them alot.

[Branuss04]

The bluegill pattern in 6 is one of my fav in small ponds.  The ponds that I know have craw, I throw nothing but deaper divers to make sure they bumb off of everything.  

[mpharris1989]

;D i'm also doing my rapal crankbait shopping, and was originally gonna go with the hot mustard or firetiger, but now probally the bluegill from what everybody else has said

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

the chart/purple back is similar looking but is better than the hot mustard in stained water imo

[volpster31]

ive had great sucess with the dt-4 in bluegill in small ponds.....its a great lure

[5bass]

;D i'm also doing my rapal crankbait shopping, and was originally gonna go with the hot mustard or firetiger, but now probally the bluegill from what everybody else has said

The chartreuse colors are more for stained water. The bluegill pattern is more effective when the bluegills are spawning. Baby bass patterns are best in post spawn when there are all the bass fry leaving the nest.

[.dsaavedra.]

;D i'm also doing my rapal crankbait shopping, and was originally gonna go with the hot mustard or firetiger, but now probally the bluegill from what everybody else has said

bluegill is a good color. its very realistic on rap's and it fits the profile of dt's very nicely. i'd also pick up a silver one (w/ shad spot).