Ok, I'm not talking huge rapids here.  I'm talking rapids that you can wade in?  Should you fish these rapids or stay to the calm water?

you should fish in them, and directly below them. you want your bait to move down the current. fish will be facing into the current looking for something to drift to them.

Do you know what the best kind of lure to use in the rapids?

If you are talking about smallmouth, I have NEVER caught a bass IN the rapids. Smallmouth stage in front, behind and on the side, but not in the rapids.

Trout, on the otherhand, are often in the rapids. Bigger fish seem to concentrate in deeper water upstream from rapids, but I have caught plenty of smaller fish in the fast water.

So is it better to fish above the rapids or below? And do you know what lure would be best to use near these rapids?

I fish them both because I'm drifting in a boat, but upstream is generally more productive. Lazy largemouth are more often found in the slack water behind the rapids.

I can't really help with lure selection, I always fish live shiners for smallmouth on the Tennessee River. There are usually a lot of guys throwing artificials, but I never see them catch anything. Go figure.

Since you said something about shiners, I've always used them on the side of the bank, just cast out then leave. How would you use them on a boat?

I posted a response to YOUR thread, "Fishing a Fast River". It describes EXACTLY how I fish the river.

Roadwarrior, sorry bout that. Forgot