went to the bass pro in Savannah this past weekend because of the spring sale, figured I would check it out.

I walk up to the counter to check out with a couple packs of powerworms, a pack of flukes, and the very last king shad in sexy shad color. Then i get stopped by a rapala pro staffer who tells me he can show me a better lure (than the king shad) for less money. After a lot of convincing, I left with a jointed shad rap and a lot of doubts.

The shad rap is in shad color. I'm wondering if I made the right choice.

Great choice! I don't think you will have any regrets.

Shad Raps are the s*#@. You can jerk them, slow roll them, or burn them. Pretty versatile and has a pretty good action.

Believe it or not I think that a sales man helped you and took your money , great lure

Thanks for the info and the confidence booster. One last question, is it good year round?

You can fish this lure effectively year round just change your technique up to match conditions.  In late fall, winter, and early spring fish it more like a jerkbait.  Late spring, summer, and early fall vary your retrieves to see what the bass want.  I've just started using them this year and had success with a jerky retrieve when water temps were still 45 deg.  

The Shad Rap is a fish catching machine. I just wish they would make it in the larger sizes.

Falcon

Go to the Rapala website to view the action video for the suggested

retrieve. It's basically a steady retrieve with an occasional stop and

go. That's not to say another cadence won't work, but the manufacture's

recommendation should be among those you try.

This is Muddy's #1 hard bait. He told me his approach is letting the lure

sit, slow pull and sit longer! His suggestion was to fish it like a topwater

lure, along weedlines and slowly.

8-)

It flat out catches fish! They can't stand it

What size did you say you got? I like them all.

Shad raps rock, the joined shad rap is lethal.

i like them but its non-stop work keeping them swimming straight.

i like them but its non-stop work keeping them swimming straight.

.

Many praises to the JR-7 or 9. Ive slayed bass on these and caught some big gills and trout. I almost always have one tied on.

i like them but its non-stop work keeping them swimming straight.

Do you have trouble tuning them?

You just hit on my absolute favorite crankbait!!! I've got two falcon boxes full of them in different colors, but one and only one is my favorite: Black/Chartreuse. If momma would let me, I'd buy these things by the gross!

I know...I have a disease...can't help myself...darn bait monkey. :

i like them but its non-stop work keeping them swimming straight.

Do you have trouble tuning them?

not really. the bait just stands out to me as something i might adjust a few times in a trip. i do beat them off the rip rap, but not any more than non-jointed baits.

I found one fouled underwater last week after a tournament. A firetiger

#07.  I'll give it a shot next week.  I understand it's a slow retrieve lure so we'll see what happens.

Awesome bait. I have several #5 and #7 in crawdad. A slooooooooooow retrieve on a hot day  

How deep do they dive? And are they suspending?

the jointed shad rap is suspending. running depth is 7' to 15' for the JSR07 model. i just picked one up today that i will be trying out on saturday. i think the smaller ones (JSR05, JSR04) running depth ranges from 4' to 13' or something like that.

the regular shad rap is not suspending. :'( it is a deep diver and floats. their running depth ranges from 4' - 15'.

i love this bait ive been fishing it for as long as ive been fishing and let me tell ya, these things produce. I've used just about every color they've got but my favorite is the blue and orange

you hit the money with this one

the jointed shad rap is suspending. running depth is 7' to 15' for the JSR07 model. i just picked one up today that i will be trying out on saturday. i think the smaller ones (JSR05, JSR04) running depth ranges from 4' to 13' or something like that.

the regular shad rap is not suspending. :'( it is a deep diver and floats. their running depth ranges from 4' - 15'.

So it wouldn't be a good idea to fish the jointed shad rap in shallow water ponds?

If you keep your rod tip high and retrieve slowly you can use it as a surface swimmer. Deadly over weeds.

it is a suspending lure so like was said above. if you take a slow retrieve and keep your rod tip up you can fish it shallow. i think this presentation would be good in cold water when the fish are not chasing. it will keep the lure in the strike zone longer. i will be trying it out this weekend but on a bigger lake. i am curious to see how it works.

the jointed shad rap is suspending. running depth is 7' to 15' for the JSR07 model. i just picked one up today that i will be trying out on saturday. i think the smaller ones (JSR05, JSR04) running depth ranges from 4' to 13' or something like that.

the regular shad rap is not suspending. :'( it is a deep diver and floats. their running depth ranges from 4' - 15'.

So it wouldn't be a good idea to fish the jointed shad rap in shallow water ponds?

It would be fine The only single downside to this bait is that it is not the best one to be throwin around stumps,brush,and cover etc. since it does suspend.

  The jointed 5 works fine in 5-7 feet of water. Also remember to keep the casts short and the bait won't dive as deep