jigging rapalas

[Ely Lake Expert]

What does everyone think about the use of jigging rapalas for winter walleyes. I know one guy that swears by it, yet I have had little to no success using them. I am just wondering if other people on other lakes are making good use out of them.

Ely lake expert

[Steve Foss]

They are one of my two go-to lures. I keep one jigging rod rigged with a Rap or a Nils Master Jigger (Shad or Shad Jr.) and one with a Northland Rattle Glow Spoon. The spoon is large and in charge, the Rap is a little more subtle, but lots more lifelike.

I tip each with a minnow head, on the Rap I put it on the center treble. I haven't used Raps much this year, but that's because I've done most of my eye fishing with tip-ups or on rivers, and river current makes it a little tougher to use the Raps.

Lift fall, lift fall, a foot up and and lower it back down. Lures goes up and down in a triangle pattern. It calls in fish. Then, when you have fish on the Vex, stop it dead. Often they'll hit. If they don't after you've paused it up to 30 seconds, but they're still there, nod it a big or jiggle it, etc. Do what the fish tell you to do. But don't be afraid to let it sit completely still (even setting down the rod so there's no tremble from your hand) for a long time, as long as the fish hangs around. Sometimes they want it still, sometimes moving.

Also, those front and back hooks are the first thing I cut off with a nippers. I've never caught a fish on a jigging Rap that wasn't hooked on the center treble, and those other hooks just get caught on the edge of the hole. Can't tell you how many fish I lost and how much I cussed before I wised up.

I've had walleyes come up 10 feet to smack a Rap.

But it boils down to what you have confidence in. If Raps haven't worked for you, you have to overcome the tendancy to fish them like they are "excuse me" baits. Try hard and expect to catch fish.

They work well for pike, too, and I've caught tons of perch and crappie on the smaller models. Another hint: on the smallest two sizes, I always switch out the trebles for slightly larger ones.

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"I've driven farther before to catch fewer fish . . ."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[deadeye]

I have done well with them at home (minneapolis) but I can't get them to work up here for some reason. (I'm going to vcc in ely) I usually get northerns, walleyes and crappies on them at home. I lift and drop it about a foot, then let it pause awhile before moving it again, a little jiggle during the pause helps get strikes too. Most of the strikes i have had were on the return to the center after the lure darts out. I'm still not convinced the fish up here will eat them though, I have had many times where a fish will show up and then dart away once they get close to the lure. I have had my best luck on glow demons and hali spoons so far. Maybe the fish are just not agressive enough right now to hit the "rap" style lures but who knows someone will probably prove me wrong. Just my two cents. ><>
Deadeye

[This message has been edited by deadeye (edited 01-09-2003).]

[Wables]

This year, my walleye catch rate has been as follows:

1/3 with Rapalas or Nils Masters
1/3 with Buckshot Spoons and Angel Eyes
1/3 with deadstick/minnow or tipup

Pretty even.

Sometimes they like the rapalas with a minnow head, sometimes not, sometimes with a whole perch minnow. Let them tell you!

[Wables]

ARGHHHH!!! I just saw where you are from! It is a lost cause!!!!

I grew up on Ely Lake, and fished there almost every day for 12 years. I caught more crappie, perch, largemouth, smallmouth, and sunnies than I can remember, but the first walleye I caught was the last time I fished before I moved. I dove in the lake quite often, and the lake is loaded with eyes, I could just never catch the suckers!

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Wables

[Steve Foss]

Wables:

Over time, my ratio of catching 'eyes on various lures matches yours.

I fish two holes in a two-man. One hole is a slip bobber with a minnow on a bare hook or glow demon. The jigging rod has a Rap or a rattle spoon. Most of the bobber fish come from fish coming in attracted to the lures but not active enough to slam them, then they see the minnow twitching around and it's GOODBYE minnow!

[Dr. Bob]

Hi Ely lake expert -

Haven't seen any posts from you for a while. Where ya been?

I think the Rapala lures are great but I am going to try cutting off the end hooks like stfcatfish suggests! I have lost a lot of fish at the hole because of those hooks too:{

The jigs are great though - I have caught everything from crappies to lakers to walleyes on them.

Hows about joining us for the Laker Party on Burtnside on 2/8?

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Crank the Shank!

[Guest]

stfcatfish and other "rappers"
You may want to try this too...
Only nip off the back single hook.
Instead of nipping off the front hook, thread another treble hook over the front single hook through the eyelet. Then curl the single rap hook around it to secure it to the body of the rap. You will now catch about 50% on the front and 50% on the middle. And you will almost never miss one! I also like to replace the middle treble with a larger eagle claw.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Hi Dr. Bob,

You're right about me not being on here for a while. My computer was out of commission for about 6 months and I only had a rare post occasionally at a buddies house or something. Now I will be back on here almost everyday. As to you laker party on burntside on 2/8 I would like to come if I don't have to work. I will ask for it off in advance. I will let you know in the near future if I can make it.

Wables,

I am glad to see someone else understands how hard it is to come across the elusive ely lake hog walleye. Especially when you know they are down there. I have not given up yet though. I tend to do better every year.
Just out of curiosity, where on the lake did you live?

Ely lake expert

[Wables]

Ely,
I lived on the west side of Kaner's Point, in the bay. The brown A-frame up on the hill. My parents and I moved to Long Lake in '91, and I left Minnesota in '94.

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Wables

[Guest]

Rap,
I agree to a point. The walleyes don't always inhale the whole bait. This is even more so with crappies. I lose fish with jigging rap style baits however I use a six inch hole and that may contribute some to the losses. I'm gonna try that front hook thing. That sounds like a good idea.

[rap]

i wouldn't clip off those hooks myself... i use no bait when i use nilsmaster and raps and most of the time i will catch walleyes that inhale the whole lure and are caught on the front or rear hook... when you are using bait with them, i can see how they'll concentrate on the treble hook, but u really don't need bait on these lures unless the fish are negative..

[Ben Trod]

Ely Lake Expert and Wables

I grew up in the Ely Lake area too. In fact, I went through the ice while skating when I was about 11 years old right off of Kaners Point. How old are you guys? Maybe we know each other.

BT

[Ely Lake Expert]

Ben,

I bet you fell through where that sand bar comes out off kaners point. It is always a little soft there. I am 19, maybe you would know me, but I doubt it.

Ely lake expert

[Ben Trod]

E.L.E.

Why don't you email me and tell me who you are. I lived on Woodlawn Avenue and Woodlawn Circle before I moved to Virginia. If you have older siblings I may know them.

BT
[email protected]

[Guest]

I like to use jigging rapalas when fish large bodies of water like Mille Lacs or LOW. They provide a lot of attraction and triggering power. Also work well for pike and the smaller ones work for perch and crappie.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Stiff]

Very interesting you guys. What sizes and colors do you favor for walleyes? I'm guessing gold up on LOW and probably perch colors on Mille Lacs. Is that right?

Any rules of thunmb to follow concerning how much to jig and how much to let it sit? Do you "snap" it and let it fall on a slack line, or do you try to maintain a tight line?

I've alaways been curious about these lures but I never really stayed with them long enough to let my confidence grow.

[Wables]

Ben,
I am 27, Graduated from Eveleth in '94. We must have been neighbors, as I lived on Woodlawn Drive. Small world, eh? I fell in skating on the lake too, right in front of my house.

[email protected]

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Wables

[Wables]

Stiff,
Interesting question. I usually start by lifting it around 6" or so, and letting it fall gently. I do this for a while. Then I start to work it harder. As soon as I see a fish on the vex I really slow it down, raising and dropping it and inch very slowly, maybe jiggling a bit, or holding it still. I guess I worry about spooking a close fish as soon as I drop it, then when I determine that there is nothing close that wants to eat it I try to call them in.
On Little Bay de Noc, my "now" home waters, I use size #7's and #9's, and know people who use #5's. Whatever you use, put the next size bigger treble hook on the bottom, and make sure the "singe" hook is to the rear. This is the hook you want to bait. I sometimes don't bait, sometimes I use the head of a 2" or 3" minnow, and sometimes I use a whole perch minnow. You need to watch your Vex and let the fish tell you what they want.
I recently started to use Nils Masters, which are very similar to the Jigging Raps, but have a long shanked treble on the bottom, are a little bit wider, and come in some neat colors including several in glow. I catch anything from 8" perch to 28" walleyes on both the Nils Masters and the Jigging Raps. Just do some experimenting, and watch what your electronics tell you about what's going on. What probably helped me the most was watching my Rap with a camera for a day, and watching how the fish reacted to its movement. Good Luck!

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Wables

[Ely Lake Expert]

Dr. Bob,

I did get the 8 of feb. off with the intention of coming to your laker party on burntside, but yesterday I read about the tournament on pike lake on the same day. What to do, I don't know. Hmmmmmmmm!

Ely lake expert

[Stiff]

Just thought I'd bump this thread back up for "Minnetonka". Some good thoughts here.

[Minnetonka]

Thanks for the "bump" Stiff.

This answered all of my questions and then some.

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[Minnetonka]

Sorry: One more question? What is the significance of which hook on the treble you put the minnow head on? I am sure it has to do with affecting the action, but how and why?

[Steve Foss]

Put the minnow head on the rear or front tine. If it goes on one of the side tines, it'll ruin the circular action (unelss you're actually trying to ruin it to change your presentation).

As for jigging, as one asked higher up the thread. I keep the line tight even on the fall, letting the lure's weight tell me how fast to drop the rod. Best thing to do to learn about the action is do some jigging right below the hole so you can see how the lure behaves.

[Guest]

I'll share a inside tip on JR's with you guys.

Take the treble off the JR and slip on a scented tube body. Pop the front hook through, do the same with the top eye and bottom eye, reattach the treble to the bottom eye. Don't worry about if the front hook is fully exposed, it is seldom the one a fish gets in his jaw anyway bu they work well to hold the tube in place.

What you get by doing this trick is a larger 3-D profile bait with some extra jiggle-de-wiggle, and added scent. You can also add a minnow head or whole minnow on the rear hook for scent.

They have a big hop and still do a great job of horizontal coverage.

I have found that pike, walleye, trout, even cats go for this trick. I have not tried it on the tiny #3 JR's. It should work on perch and crappie with tiny tubes, worth a shot anyway?

Another tip is those old JR's that have broken tail fins, they work just as well with this tube trick, maybe even better. So if you have been saving them up now you know what to do with them junk tail-less JR's.

The tube baits I have been using are the Millennium Bass Candy tubes as well as the Berkley power tubes. I have caught some big pike and Walleye on the white and the purple Millennium 4" tubes this season.

(Now remember, everyone that reads and user's my tip has to send me a buck in the mail.)

Give it a shot, see what you think of it.

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