A number 5 shad rap weighs 3/160z.  Anything less than 3/8oz for me is spinning rod territory.  What rod and line do you use for throwing a shad rap 5 in early spring 40-50 degree water? A number 6 is only a 1/4oz - same setup?

I have no trouble throwing lures 3/16th ounce on casting gear . !/8 th ounce is possible but spinning handles them much better . 

I throw that size on an Avid AC70MM with a Daiwa Alphas and 10# copoly.  Spinning, probably and 7-ish foot med/m-light fast gen purpose spinning rod will work well too.

I'd rather throw spinning, so what spinning rod and line setup ?  Thanks JFrancho

7' MLF St Croix Triumph, Shimano Stradic 1000, 10 lb braid with some sort of leader. Pike love shad raps.

2 minutes ago, Cgrinder said:

7' MLF St Croix Triumph, Shimano Stradic 1000, 10 lb braid with some sort of leader. Pike love shad raps.

I always hesitate throwing braid with any bait with treble hooks, because it's what we've been taught and it makes sense.  But, I love throwing braid and I think it should work with a medium light.  Thanks for your input. 

Just now, n8cas4 said:

I always hesitate throwing braid with any bait with treble hooks, because it's what we've been taught and it makes sense.  But, I love throwing braid and I think it should work with a medium light.  Thanks for your input. 

Braid on a soft rod with sharp trebles shouldn't cause you any issue. Plus the leader adds a bit of stretch. Personally I won't throw not-braid on a spinning reel anymore after using 10 lb power pro.

2 minutes ago, Cgrinder said:

Braid on a soft rod with sharp trebles shouldn't cause you any issue. Plus the leader adds a bit of stretch. Personally I won't throw not-braid on a spinning reel anymore after using 10 lb power pro.

sharp trebles and setting the hook wouldn't be the problem - but rippin' it out their mouths before they can get it good or during a rough fight - that's another thing.  

Skyline 6005 (6ft); ABU Cardinal 3; 8lb (.010) mono or FC. In other words, a medium spinning rig.

Thanks, Paul.  Trying to up my game when the water temp is 40-50

You can also add weight to the front treble or belly (via SuspendStrips) which not only adds casting weight but also slows the rise which can help in cold water.

Any medium or medium light spinning rod and 6-8# mono will work fine. Braid also will not be an issue with the softer rod. 

43 minutes ago, Paul Roberts said:

You can also add weight to the front treble or belly (via SuspendStrips) which not only adds casting weight but also slows the rise which can help in cold water.

Even a small split shot a few inches in front of the bait will gain some depth

I used to do that alot for crappie when I was in NC. 

I use a 7'6" medium light avid spinning and 2500 size reel for most of my shad rap fishing. Usually with 10lb power pro braid and a short piece of mono leader just to keep the braid from tangling around the treble hooks. That set up will launch a shad rap with ease even on a brutally windy Midwest spring day. 

 

 

I'd fish them on either a M or ML rod. Action on rods is less important to me during cold water period as bass don't seem to fight nearly as hard as they do when the water warms up.

Question for you guys, will your avg 7' M/F with a baitcaster cast a 1/4oz shad rap?

PXL Type R is now on my Expert 6'9" L, but I was using an older gold colored Carbonlite on it before buying the PXL  Also have another Carbonlite on a 7' ML Crankin' Stick.  A third combo is a TD-Z 105H on an older 7' ML HMG Fenwick.  Quite sure my Curado 51Es and a couple other rods such as the 6'10" MF Smallmouth would also handle a #5 Shad Rap, but a person only needs so many set-ups for that weight.

More experienced casters can handle 3/16 oz.  on combos that I probably couldn't.

1 hour ago, JustinU1X said:

Will your avg 7' M/F with a baitcaster cast a 1/4oz shad rap?

My reels are not fine tuned (or supremely maintained) enough to throw 1/4oz the distance you would want with a shad rap.  My curado's E's are getting old.  

I fished my shad rap set up this afternoon for the first time . And I liked it . Caught fish with it .. It has such a faint wobble in the water . Took a while to get used to it verses other cranks I'd been used to. I use a duckett micro magic 7ft medium spinning rod with a stradic ci4+ 3000. 8lb fireline :.. And 8lb p-line sinsei fluorocarbon leader .  Here were some results of messing around in the paddle boat behind the house 

I think I am going to be getting a medium light action rod for this technique though ... And the new ci4 hagane in 2500 size 

 

 

 

Funniest part of day was when I check my phone and see my son has already posted my fish as his on Instagram and his female followers swooning over him for it

Nice backyard! That's a happy boy.

I am throwing my #5 shad raps on a drop shot rod, Dobyns 701 with a Diawa Certate, low gear ratio and the smoothest drag I have ever felt and use 8lb. Berkeley professional grade flouro but have purchased some 7pound Gamma flouro to try this year. This is one of my favorite bites.

Falcon ml/moderate  casting rod with pflueger asaro reel and 8lb gamma line.

I guess the shad rap spinning vs casting preference is similar to preference for throwing a jerkbait.  Some people (more towards the North) prefer throwing a jerkbait with a spinning rod, while some people prefer throwing them with baitcasters.  It's tough to get used to throwing a crank with a spinning rod, I have to admit.  

6' 8" M/F spinning rod with a 30 size President and 8lb copolymer 

Spinning set-up 8' MediumLight Moderate Avid, 6# Nanofil, reel Shimano Stradic 1000

Casting 7'6" MediumLight Mod-Fast Shimano Cumara rod 10# PPS8S braid Core50mg reel. Will switch out the Core this year for DaiwaSV105P see how that handles. I throw MFR-3's as well, bit more compact for the weight thrown.