I’ve noticed many here mention Shad Raps when favorite crankbait questions crop up. Is the appeal the narrower body or the bait’s action? What makes it different from the thicker body baits?

 

Thanks....Joe

They say its the tight wiggle in colder water. It was a champ for me in the Fall thru Late Spring. The jointed version does well for me in the Summer but for some reason I haven't thrown it all this year. Too many lures..not enough time.

Everyone that says they like them is because they catch fish. It doesn’t matter what characteristics humans find appealing 

 

public service announcement: don’t cast $7 balsa baits against boat docks or rip rap 

These are Rapala oldies I have hanging around, haven’t been used in years. Gonna switch out split rings, hooks, and bring them out of retirement.

 

Top is labeled as a Shad Rap Deep Runner. How deep will it run?

 

Middle are labeled as Fat Raps. The left is a FR7, the right has no other designation. Would these be considered square bills today? Both have squarish bills, but not as pronounced as today’s baits. I’m assuming the FR7 runs to 7, no idea on the other.

 

Bottom is labeled just as a Rapala. Have no idea what model it is or how deep it runs.

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

 

4 minutes ago, 5/0 said:

These are Rapala oldies I have hanging around, haven’t been used in years. Gonna switch out split rings, hooks, and bring them out of retirement.

 

Top is labeled as a Shad Rap Deep Runner. How deep will it run?

 

Middle are labeled as Fat Raps. The left is a FR7, the right has no other designation. Would these be considered square bills today? Both have squarish bills, but not as pronounced as today’s baits. I’m assuming the FR7 runs to 7, no idea on the other.

 

Bottom is labeled just as a Rapala. Have no idea what model it is or how deep it runs.

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

 

Top one goes about 7-13 feet according to the package 

Bottom one is a Risto-rap I believe. I think they run about 10’. 

Take into consideration that the maximum depth is usually a trolling depth. 

Honestly most of the time if it says it will run 7', it'll probably run 5'. If it says 10', it might run 8'. And so on. The advertised running depths are usually exaggerated to some degree for marketing purposes.

The reason I like them is simple: when the water is in the 40s there are 3 hard baits I can get bit on...lipless, jerkbait and shad rap. They get bit under tough conditions.

Caught my personal best on a #5 delta craw shad rap last week of March.  WAter temp was 45 degrees on a central mi lake.  They seem to work well in colder water.  I can’t get them cast worth a crap on my bait casters though.  So I was throwing on a M/l dobyns colt. It appears to me they are a cold water bait. Once your into the spawn water temps I put them away.  I plan doing some fall fishing for once this year.  I’ll wait untill than to break them out. I think they would make a great trolling bait 

I use them all season. Early on to until I wrap it up. Shad Raps and DT’s are very very productive. 
 

It wasn’t all that long ago that I would not ever entertain the idea of No.8 or No.9 Shap Raps. They have become a norm for me now. 
 

As far as the jointed ones I use them as a change up. I’ll be throwing Shad Raps and if I am not getting results I make casts with the jointed. Sometime it is enough to trigger strikes. Sometimes that did save the day. In my fishing I rank a Shad Rap as high as a Rat-L-Trap. Flat out productive. But there are days it doesn’t matter what you are throwing, they are not home. 

I throw them from time to time, I like using the longer profile, it's a break from the norm.  Great in the early to mid fall when the the shad spawn.

Shad raps are excellent baits, it's my "guess I'm out of answers today" plug. I've picked up several nice fish while on the trolling motor back to the ramp. 

 

I also do well with a size 7 glass shad rap in clear water all year round. It's 7/16 oz, so it acts a lot different than the original ones I grew up fishing.  

I throw shad traps year round but more so in the colder months. I throw size 4 up to size 7 mainly. Usually if I have to go bigger, I switch to a different crankbait. I do wish rapala would come out with a rattling version of the balsa shad rap. I have the glass version too, but the action is not the same. The glass version has a more narrow wiggle than the balsa version.

Similar in action and size is the berkley flicker shad. It's cheaper and it has rattles. I'll throw them side by side with the shad raps. Some days the bass prefer shad raps, some days they like the flicker shad better.

I think the combo of the tight wiggle, and the unique buoyancy characteristics of balsa make the Shad Rap a really effective bait for all species.

 

They are on my short list for early spring search baits, but they don't stop catching fish once the water warms.

While I've never used mine much for bass fishing, I have used them in the past for walleyes when trolling.  They were very effective, especially at night.

Thanks all for the info. Out of retirement they come. As one of you mentioned they probably are better on spinning gear. When I think about it, not being able to cast them in a bait caster may be why I quit using them.

6 hours ago, Pickle_Power said:

I think the combo of the tight wiggle, and the unique buoyancy characteristics of balsa make the Shad Rap a really effective bait for all species.

 

They are on my short list for early spring search baits, but they don't stop catching fish once the water warms.

 

I'll drink to that     

 

Roger

1 hour ago, 5/0 said:

Thanks all for the info. Out of retirement they come. As one of you mentioned they probably are better on spinning gear. When I think about it, not being able to cast them in a bait caster may be why I quit using them.

I throw the #4 and #5 on 6 lbs line on a 7' light action spinning rod.

The #6 and #7, I throw on 8 lbs line on a 7'2" med light baitcast rod.

I have a spinning rod I bought specifically for fishing shad raps, so yeah they're kind of a big deal for me. Our bass eat a ton of shad, and I fish all winter long when a shad rap really shines. Makes it kind of a no brainer.

On 7/22/2020 at 12:08 PM, TnRiver46 said:

 

public service announcement: don’t cast $7 balsa baits against boat docks or rip rap 

 

   Some people (like me) have to find things out the hard way! ????      jj

3 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

 

   Some people (like me) have to find things out the hard way! ????      jj

I wish I had pictures of the ones I’ve busted, it looks pretty funny. You reel in a toothpick with two trebles