Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

These have been around for a long time and are proven fish catchers.
I’ve read articles where when these were first available in the USA that tackle shops would rent these by the hour or by the day. They developed a following to say the least.

My favorite way to fish these is near riprap in spring and early summer mornings.
Find riprap with washed up wood and that spot is is magic.

I fish these on the same tackle I fish jerkbaits on , maybe just a touch lighter rod.

Cast toward rip rap. Right at the demarcation of water and rock.

While lure is at rest. Sharply snap the rod tip. Just like a jerkbait. Then let it rise and rest.
Snap snap pause. Repeat all the way to the boat.
You’d be surprised how many hits you get close to the boat, so finish the retrieve.
You are gonna hear the rip as the line jerks they the water. I think this adds to the attraction.

Then of course , there is the ole stand by , cast and steady retrieve.
Try adding abrupt increase of speed followed by a slow crawl. Just enough to keep it wobbling.

I’ve used them with success on down riggers

Try this. If it’s really windy , Tie a 3 way swivel. Main line tied to one swivel eye
3 ft of line to another with lure tied to other end. And to the third eye , tie a foot of line and a sinker heavy enough to keep bottom contact.
Throw out a cast long enough to maintain about a 45 degree angle , maintaining constant bottom contact. Just let the wind drift you along. Hold on. This will get blasted.

Finally in dam tailraces or anywhere there is lots of current In A stream or river. Especially wing dams.
Cast up stream into any current seam you see.
The retrieve is a constant twitch and retrieve fast enough to keep the lure down and keep up with current.

There are fish in these current seams hunting. Everything that swims will nail this.

Color wise. , plain ole silver / black is always good. As is gold.
Dirty water , fire tiger or chartreuse do really well.

The size 7 is my favorite but at times bigger or especially smaller are better.

You just about can’t fish these wrong. That’s why they have been around so long.

If you don’t have any of these. Pick up a couple. , if you do , blow the dust off em and give ‘em a try. Cause they are old school fish catching machines.

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Tried and true methods still work, they just don’t get the marketing like the new stuff!

bknecht Loc: Northeast pa

Got quite a few old Raps that I’ve not used in many years, you’ve inspired me to break them out this spring Ben.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

And you don't have to be a bass fisher. Trout love them as well. Although I prefer the yozuri Pin's minnow, the Rapala is a damn fine lure.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Man here are real 'fish catching' ideas! Just Sayin...RJS

Ponchobuck Loc: South Central Pa

I have a whole box of them in various colors and sizes that I use ever year for trout and smallmouth in streams and rivers.

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

My buddies and I use the 6"-8" ones to deep-troll for big brown trout at a certain lake, here in So. Oregon. Silver or silverish-blue to imitate the Kokanee they feed on in this lake. Have a couple of large articulated (jointed) ones as well that work well. My PB for brownies in this lake is right at 7lbs. One buddy got an 11lb, but we keep trying to match the 16lb+ that's on the wall of the resort, caught back in the '70's. This lake is one of the only lakes in Oregon where we can fish for trout at night. You can night fish for catfish here in Oregon, but if a ranger checks you much past sunset.... you'd best have "catfish only" rigging and be "still fishing"....I HAVE been checked out in the past, since not much catfishing goes on around here and they wanna know why you're still fishing.

The smaller Rapalas, both floating and sinking (at various rates/depths) are stellar for trout, casting or trolling. Have yet to bring in a steelhead with one, but my buddy has, & I keep trying, every once in a while.
The smaller ones are also deadly for smallies (bass), though that's rarely my target.
I have many colors and sizes, but I have to say, my best producer is ~4" black with red streaks on its sides and I retro-fitted it with red trebles.
They're kinda spendy, so I like to pick them up at yard sales and pawn shop grab baskets. Not a big fan of paying for lures much over $5-$6 new, not that well-heeled nor frivolous. So buying a tackle box at a garage sale for $15-$30, that has a half a dozen or more Rapalas as well as other lures and hardware, makes sense to me.....at least 4 or 5 times now over the years !

I have 2 large Plano flat boxes chock full of Rapalas, 90% garnered in that fashion, plus the other lures/hdwe, and I recently cleaned up and sold 3 of the old tackle boxes acquired, at a garage sale of my own.
One must come up with SOME kind of rationale for gathering so much gear...lol...I have a severe case of G.A.S.
Limited more by storage space, than funds, thank goodness.

Repeated daily..."I will NOT buy another boat, I do NOT need another combo, I do NOT need any more fishing gear, I do NOT need any more fishing gear, I do NOT need any more fishing gear....... my daily mantra gets ignored far too often than is reasonable.

At 68yrs old, I truly embrace the quip of...."So little time and so very many lures"

MoJoe Loc: Springfield, MO

At 73, I retired from Arizona to the Ozarks last year, selling/giving away 2 of 3 boats and about half of my lifetime accumulation of fishing tackle.
Been reading the Stage since last March. Just now bought 5 silver F 7 Rapalas on Ebay, will be selling my 14' Mirrocraft with 9.9 Merc, looking for a Tracker with a 40hp.
Wife thinks I'm crazy. Some things will never change....🦈on!

FixorFish Loc: SW Oregon

Let's see now..... you are retiring TO THE OZARKS, and you were getting RID of fishing equipment ???
Wife may think you are crazy, I just think you were having a logistics-driven senior moment ! Glad to hear that you have "recovered" and are "back to normal" !

I grew up in eastern Kansas, absolutely living for the visits to my great uncle's (the one that taught me fly fishing) near Joplin or to my mom's cousins that lived around Mountain Home, so we could fish the Ozarks. Later in college and as a young adult, many trips to the White and Bull Shoals, Tablerock and others. Mom wasn't into fishing, but Dad and all of us kids were, so we often soothed her by splurging, staying at Tan-Tara Resort, rather than camping........ everybody happy !
Good luck on your retirement, MoJoe, have fun in your new setting !

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Just an additional method: I usually fish a Rapala or 2 inch fat Rapala like a popper. Twitch then let sit until the rings are gone. Twitch again. five twitched and I reel in and recast. I often get hit just as I start to reel in.

hacksaw Loc: Pasadena, Texas

Thanks Ben. I like these lures cause they are productive. I haven’t used one in years. I also like the Rapala Rattle Traps. They work in fresh and salt water.
Hack 🇺🇸🍺🍺🕊

Jeffchow88 Loc: San Francisco

Instead of a heavy weight on your three way swivel, use a jig.

Andy cacciatori Loc: Modesto cal.

Thank Ben I will try it.
I believe the old Rapalas were made with Balsa wood?
What pound test line do you use?
Have great day
Andy

Coachtrich

My favorite go to lure of all time. I have been fishing them for over 50 years. The #7 is my favorite size also.

FinFisherman Loc: Born in Ohio - 40 yrs Florida- Clearwater,Fl

I've used them on caught loads of Spotted Sea Trout on the flats around Tarpon Springs, FL even an occasional Red Fish.