Post by Fishooked on Feb 20, 2006 13:43:12 GMT -4
Gents,
Stumbled across these links today and they deserve to be posted...by Jan Eggers and others...
How to use your Rapala lure
www.macrepro.fi/rapala/htu.html
Cardinal Rules
1. USE THE LIGHTEST TERMINAL TACKLE
Each Rapala has been "Hand-Tuned" & "Tank-Tested" before going into its box. Using inappropriate terminal tackle can interfere with the finely tuned action of your Rapala. Use the lightest and finest gear available.
2. WHEN IT'S NECESSARY TO USE A SINKER, KEEP IT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE LURE AS POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE INTERFERENCE WITH INBUILT ACTION
Each Rapala is designed to run at a certain depth (see depth chart). When you want to achieve extra depth, split shot should be placed at least 20 cm ahead of the lure. When using heavier weights, place them at least 50 cm ahead. If using a three-way swivel, a leader is recommended.
3. CHECK YOUR RAPALA AT BOAT OR DOCKSIDE FIRST, TO CONFIRM THE PROPER SPEED TO ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE ACTION
By varying the rate of retrieve you will notice that there is an optimum speed at which the Rapala performs its off-center wobble the best. As you gain experience, you may want to vary the speed for certain conditions.
4. WHEN TROLLING, SLOWLY PLAY OUT THE RAPALA FROM THE BOAT
Keep visual contact, checking to make sure that you are trolling at the correct speed to achieve the desired action. If you are trolling near vegetation, pick up periodically to make sure no bit of weed is imparing your action. The Rapala is too perfectly balanced for hitch-hikers.
5. HANDLE YOUR RAPALA WITH CARE
Never use your Rapala as a handle to lift your catch into the boat. This strain can hinder its delicate action. Also pay special attention to its hooks. Even though designed to catch fish, they have been known to snag unwary anglers.
6. THE RAPALA KNOT LETS YOUR RAPALA PERFORM MORE FREELY AND SPONTANEOUSLY
The inbuilt action can be affected by the wrong knot. The Rapala Knot allows the lure to react the way it was designed to. Rapala lures that have a split-ring should be tied on with a Jam Knot as shown in the Rapala Media Bank under section "Tips from the pros".
RECOMMENDED TACKLE
FROM ULTRA LIGHT TO BIG GAME FISHING, By Jan Eggers
Introduction
When an average fisherman visits a well-equipped tackleshop, he often enters into problems when selecting the right tackle for his fishing waters and his favourite way of fishing. No matter if he fishes for carp, catfish, tench or all kinds of small and big predators, it´s important that the rod, reel, line, float, lure, hook etc. he uses, will match and he is fishing with the right tackle combination.
To cast a 40-gram lure with an ultra light spinning rod is already a problem. Presenting this lure in the right way with such light rod is even more problematic and the result is quite often: no fish caught.
When we have a look at the whole range of Rapala & Blue Fox lures, we see quite a variety in shape, weight and resistance in water when you reel them in. For a 3 cm long Rapala Original Floating wobbler that hardly weighs 2 grams, you need a different rod, reel, line etc. than when you intend to fish with a Countdown Magnum 26 cm that weighs 130 grams, in other words 65 times the weight of the F-3. The example shows in a nutshell the difference between the Ultra Light category and the Big Game category at the very heavy end of the 6 lure categories we will describe here. These 6 categories are:
01 UL = Ultra Light
02 L = Light
03 M = Medium
04 MH = Medium Heavy
05 H = Hevy
06 BG = Big Game
01 UL = Ultra Light
There is no official or standard rule which tells you UL fishing stops exactly at a lure weight of 4,25 grams and a nylon line of 0.12 mm. It is more or less an international gentleman´s agreement that tells the fishermen that fishing with lures up to 5 grams is called UL fishing or UL spinning. In general, this way of fishing is used when fishing small creeks, ditches and little lakes for not too big predators. Of course it can always happen that a hungry big pike grabs a small spinner or plug that swims close by her mouth. It can be fun to play such a giant on UL tackle but most of the time the story ends by the strong fish breaking the too light line. Normally the predators you can expect in these small waters are not so big and they give nice sport on this UL tackle.
When we look at the range of Rapala & Blue Fox lures for Ultra Light spinning, we see a number of interesting wobblers and spinners. First of all there are the earlier mentioned Rapala Original Floating in 3, 5 and 7 cms, weighing 2, 3 and 4 grams. If a sinking model is needed in, for instance, fast flowing waters, you´d better use the Rapala Countdown 3 & 5 cm weighing 2 and 5 grams or the Mini Fat Rap 3 cm that weighs 4 grams. Other Rapala wobblers that can be used in the UL category are the Husky Jerk 6 cm with 3 grams weight and the Jointed Floating 7 cm weighing 4 grams, as well as the newest member of the Risto Rap family, a 4-cm, 5-gram lure. Looking at the Blue Fox Vibrax spinners fitting in this UL range, we find the sizes 0 & 1 weighing 3 and 4 grams. Finally there is the 2 cm long Vibrax Minnow Spin with its 4 grams´ weight that can be used for Ultra Light spinning in small waters.
Now that we know which lures can be used, it´s time to have a closer look at the other parts of the UL tackle. First we need a spinning rod with a recommended casting weight of 2-5 grams. These are very light and sensitive rods, length between 180 and 270 cm and if possible with a progressive action. The latter means that such a rod is bending more when it comes under an increasing pressure. On such a light rod you should use a small spinning reel with a good and reliable drag. Because there is no worldwide standard classification on the reelsize, we can simply recommend the smallest reel you can get. On the small spool of such a reel you can only use light lines and the heaviest nylon to be recommend would be 0.15 mm in diameter. If you intend to use the new superlines of Dyneema fibers, 0.12 mm will be the strongest. An advantage of these Dyneema lines is that it doesn´t twist or kink as much as nylon, when fishing with spinners.
What remains to complete the right tackle combination, is the leader. When fishing in waters with only trout, perch, chub or grayling, no leader is needed. You can tie the lure directly on the line with the special Rapala knot. Of course it is also possible to use a very small snap-swivel that doesn´t influence the lure action in a negative way. When you can expect pikes to strike, it´s better to use a short leader of very light, e.g. 10 lbs. breaking strenght, stranded wire with a snap at one end and a swivel at the other.
02 L = Light
Looking in a lot of books and fishing magazines, to find out where light spinfishing starts and stops, you´ll find a lot of differences. Country by country it varies a lot and what is light in one country, is medium heavy in another. For the light category Rapala Normark has chosen a range that starts with lures of 6 grams and stops at lures weighing 10 grams. Looking at the number of Rapala & Blue Fox lures available in this range, you might say it is a very popular fishing category. Early 1999 there are no fewer than 30 different Rapala & Blue Fox lures in many different color combinations that fit this Light category: there is no better way to show that this Light category is very important for the lure fishermen and so are the lures. Here is a list of the lures fitting this Light category:
* Rapala Original Floating wobblers 9, 11 and 13 cm
* Rapala Countdown 7 cm, Husky Jerk 8 & 10 cm
* Jointed Sinking 7 cm and Jointed Floating 9 & 11 cm
* Risto Rap 5 cm, Skitter Pop 5 & 7 cm and Rattlin´ Rapala 4 cm
* Shad Rap Deep Runner & Shallow Runner 5, 7 and 8 cm; Countdown Shad Rap 5 & 7 cm and Shad Rap Rattlin´ Suspending 5 cm
* Rattlin´ Fat Rap 4 cm; Floating Magnum 7 cm and Esko Team 7 cm
* Minnow Spoon 5 & 6 cm and Blue Fox Minnow Spin 3, 5 and 7 cm
* Blue Fox Vibrax spinners in sizes 2, 3 and 4.
As said, quite a wide range and all these lures are responsible for a lot of tears and sadness in many predator families. There´s hardly a predator that isn´t caught on one of these lures of the Light range. Here´s just a few examples: asp, perch, ide, chub, trout, grayling , black bass, pike, zander, herring, mackerel, seabass, garpike, wels catfish and, last but not least, salmon. Of course there are many more predators from other parts of the world caught on these lures of the Light category, but we´d better concentrate on the European ones here.
You can catch these predators with the right Light tackle in quite a variety of waters. From rivers to little village ponds, from deep lakes, where you can fish with sinking models vertically, to shallow weedy waters where the smallest Skitter Pop can be used. Seabass and mackerel from the sea and trout from both reservoirs, small streams and the so-called trout ponds. But for all these different waters, you need the right tackle combination.
A spinning rod with a length ranging from 180 to 300 cm and a recommended casting weight of 5-15 grams fits in this category. The spinning rod can handle a little bit more weight than the weight of the lures we use, the reason being that there is also the resistance of the lures in water when you fish with them. The revolving blade of a Blue Fox Vibrax spinner of size 4 creates quite some resistance and the case is the same when you fish with a Skitter Pop with sharp jerks of your rodtip. Also a 7-cm Shad Rap Deep Runner that weighs only 9 grams, gives a lot of extra resistance in the water when you fish with it.
There may also be some difference between spinning rods of different manufacturers although they have the same recommended lure weight. Some spinning rods feel a little bit stiff and have a so-called tip action. Others with the same length have a much softer action and bend in progressively under pressure. It´s impossible to describe all these different spinning rods in the Light category, but of course it is important that you use one that fits in your way of light spinning.
For vertical fishing with a small Rattlin´ Rapala at a depth of 15 meters or jerking on the surface with a Skitter Pop, you´d better use a stiffer light rod than when fishing with a 5 cm Minnow Spoon in a small shallow canal for perch. On such spinning rod you can also use a light reel size 1 or 2, or with other companies size 20 or 25, fits well.
The diameter of the line used depends on the size of the lure, the action of the spinning rod and the way of fishing. Nylon from 0,15 to 0,25 mm is recommended. More and more fishermen prefer the Dyneema superlines for jerkbait and vertical fishing but it is perfect for spinning with various lures as well. Dyneema lines between 0,12 and 0,15 mm will do for this Light category.
Regarding the leaders, the story is the same as with Ultra Light. When you expect predators, which don´t have as many razor-sharp teeth as pike, it´s not necessary to use a leader. But when there´s a good chance a pike will grab your lure, you´d better use a quite light leader made of 15 lb stranded wire. You can also buy such leaders ready made since several companies bring them on the market. This Light range of spinning is a very interesting category for fishermen starting fishing with lures in not too big waters for normal size predators and there are also lots of possibilities.
03 M = Medium
This category is more or less the all-round category, where you have possibilities to fish also with the heavier lures of the Light range and with the lighter lures of the Medium Heavy range. There´s no official standard classification for this category either, but when looking at the lures mostly used, we can agree we´re talking about a lure weighing10-20 grams in this category. A look at the Rapala and Blue Fox lures fitting this category will give the following result:
* Rapala Countdown 9 and 11 cm, Husky Jerk 12 and 14 cm, Husky 13 cm
* Jointed Sinking 9 and 11 cm, Jointed Floating 13 cm
* Risto Rap 7 cm, Skitter Pop 9 cm, Shad Rap Deep Runner 8 and 9 cm
* Shad Rap Shallow Runner 9 cm, Shad Rap Countdown 8 cm, Shad Rap Rattlin´ Suspending 7 cm
* Rattlin´ Rapala 5 and 7 cm, Rattlin´ Fat Rap 5 and 7 cm, Fat Rap 5 and 7 cm
* Countdown Magnum 7 and 9 cm, Floating Magnum 9 and 11 cm
* Rapala Sliver 13 cm, Minnow Spoon 7 cm, Blue Fox Minnow Spin 9 cm
* Blue Fox Minnow Chaser 3, 5 and 7 cm, Vibrax Spinner size 5
The Down Deep Rattlin´ Fat Rap and the Vibrax Spinner size 6, both weighing 20 grammes, aren´t mentioned in this category on purpose. Both lures create so much resistance in the water when reeled in, it´s better to place them in the Medium Heavy category.
A quick look at the lures mentioned reassures us this is quite an important category with more than 30 lures to fish with. The range of predators you can catch with these lures is even bigger than that in the Light category, because more saltwater species; like snook, bonito, grouper and barracuda, can be added to that long list we mentioned earlier. One can also fish in several different types of waters with more or less all the Medium Heavy category lures: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, bigger and smaller canals, ponds and the sea, of course - as long as they have predators - you are able to catch them when you have the right tackle with these plugs and spinners.
The right spinning rods in the Medium category may be from 180 to 300 cm long. The recommended casting weight for these rods varies between 15 and 30 grams - again, bigger than the maximum weight of the lures we´re using. But here also the resistance, when reeling them in, often plays an important role. It´s better to have some extra power in your spinning rod than constantly test it to the limit. It´s also possible to use a baitcasting rod with similar action and power, but it´s just a matter of what rod and reel you like. Casting very small lures with a baitcasting rod and reel may be problematic but you can find lots of baitcasting reels and rods suited for the Rapala and Blue Fox lures introduced in the Medium category.
Besides casting from the bank, you can use most of these lures for trolling behind a boat as well. You can use the same lure for several different purposes, which makes lure fishing so interesting. All kinds of presentations are discussed later on.
Regarding the normal reels we have to use now, just one size bigger than the ones used in the Light range will do. When you prefer to use a baitcasting reel, try the smaller versions of the wide range of the most well known reel manufacturers. You also need a heavier line when fishing with bigger lures. Nylon lines from 0,25 to 0,35 mm are strong enough for catching a bit bigger predators. When using the braided superlines, the recommendation is between 0,15 and 0,20 mm. What comes to leaders, the easiest all purpose leaders for this category are 20 lb, 9 kg, leaders. You can decide yourself, how long leaders you´ll use and whether to use a coated or uncoated wire, as long as the leader doesn´t have a negative influence on the action of your lure.
Probably most of the fishermen use this Medium category for spinning and catching the majority of the predatory fishes.
04 MH = Medium Heavy
When fishermen expect to catch the bigger specimen of certain fish, e.g. pike, catfish and zander, they prefer to use bigger lures. It´s a fact that the grandmother predators are more interested in lures that are bigger and heavier. It´s also safer to play these big fishes on a stronger tackle - the lures from the Medium Heavy range.
Again, there is no official register, but for classifying this category, lures with a weight of 20-30 grams and lighter lures that cause a lot of water resistance suit the best. For this category we have chosen fewer lures, simply because it´s mostly a minority of specialists and specimen hunters that go for this kind of spinfishing. A glance at the available Rapala and Blue Fox lures will show this:
* Rapala Original Floating 18 cm, Jointed Floating 13 cm
* Rattlin´ Rapala 8 cm, Down Deep Rattlin´ Fat Rap 7 cm, Risto Rap 8 and 9 cm
* Countdown Magnum 11 cm, Magnum Floating 14 cm, Minnow Spoon 8 cm
* Deep Suspending Husky Jerk 12 cm
* Blue Fox Vibrax Spinner size 6
A quick look at these lures will tell that the most of them are designed for fishing in deeper waters, e.g. bigger bodies of water and rivers. These lures can be used for both casting and trolling. Even spinners can be effective when trolled behind a not too fast running boat. The spinning rods used for this category must have a casting weight ranging from 30 to about 50 grams. When fishing from the bank rods can be as long as 330 cm but for boatfishing 180 cm is often long enough. Generally speaking, it´s much easier to cast a longer distance with a longer rod. Most of the spinning rods in this Medium Heavy category have a fast tip action that also makes them suitable for making long casts. When you compare a 40- gram spinning rod from one manufacturer to a similar rod from another, you´ll probably find several differences. In any case, it´s up to the fisherman to decide which length of rod and what kind of action suits best for his way of fishing.
At the moment, with both nylon, e.g. 20% elongation, and dyneema lines, with almost no stretch, on the market, it becomes even more complicated to select the right rod for your needs. If you fish with nylon, it´ll be an advantage to use a pretty stiff rod. When using dyneema lines, you´re better off with a rod for softer action - otherwise you´ll risk breaking the tip of your rod. Some of the bigger spinning reels, e.g. model 40 or 50, and average size bait casting reels can be used for these rods. On the spools I prefer 0,30-0,45 mm nylon. What comes to super lines, I prefer lines with a diameter of 0,20-0,25 mm. The wire leaders I use for this category have a breaking strength between 9 and 14 kilos, about 20-30 lbs., and the length of the leader depends on the kind of lure and method used.
Because the price of these bigger lures is higher than that of the smaller ones, it´s equally more important that you can rely on the quality of your tackle - getting lots of lures stuck on the bottom of the lake or river during a day of fishing can become a costly affair.
05 H = Heavy
The number of Rapala and Blue Fox lures for this category is limited. Some of the bigger lures are designed mostly for the Big Game category although there are always big freshwater predators you can catch with these lures, them having more weight than the 30-grams upper limit of the former category. A look at the Rapala lures weighing over 30 grams shows the following:
* Countdown Magnum 14, 18, 22 and 26 cm, Rapala Sliver 20 cm
* Floating Magnum 18 cm, Super Shad Rap 14 cm
Only seven lures, but these seven lures are responsible for many huge predators getting caught from both fresh- and salt-water - these are the lures designed for catching big pedators from big waters. There is always the exception on the rule: believe it or not, small pikes and perch have been caught with the 14 cm Magnum and Super Shad Rap wobblers.
Heavy lures in the Heavy category require heavy tackle. Spinning and baitcasting rods should have enough power to cast these lures in the right place. The minimum casting weight on such rod should be around 50 grams. When trolling, you shouldn´t use the maximum weight with the biggest lures because of the water resistance or just use a stronger rod. It´s the same with the reels. For this category the sturdy baitcasting reels may be more popular than the biggest spinning reels. It´s surprising to see that in some European countries spinning reels are more popular while in others most fishermen use baitcasting reels for both trolling and casting.
Nylon lines used can go up to 0,40-0.70 mm. When you use the superstrong dyneema lines you can start from 0,25 mm and end up to 0,50 mm. Strong leaders are a must and especially the snap at the end should be strong, of excellent quality and very hard to open.
06 BG = Big Game
When talking about Big Game Fishing we mean fishing in salt-water for big predators. There are small salt-water predators, like bonito, snook, barramundi and barracuda, that can be caught with the smaller Rapala salt-water lures. But there are also the bigger ones, like the different tuna and shark species - not to forget the black marlin and the huge silver tarpon.
The range of Rapala lures for Big Game is rather wide. There´s just the question whether you should call trolling with smaller salt-water lures for smaller sea predators Big Game or Little Big Game?
The answer can be given by fishermen themselves - we just list the range of Rapala lures equipped with salt-water hooks and give their weights, so fishermen will know what kind of tackle to use.
* Jointed Floating 13 cm/18 g, Sliver 13 /18, 20cm/38 g
* Countdown Magnum 7/12, 9/17, 11/24, 14/36, 18/70, 22/100 and 26 cm/130 g
* Magnum Floating 7/7, 9/13, 11/17, 14/28 and 18 cm/40 g
* Super Shad Rap 14 cm/45 g (although considered the best pike crankbait available, it´s also a very good saltwater lure).
In these six categories we have classified all presently available Rapala & Blue Fox lures and given a rough indication how to match them with the right tackle. Now that you know the necessary basic infirmation, it´s time to take a more in-depth look at the various predators, their different kinds of habitats and the methods and lures you can catch them with.
PRO-TIPS
www.macrepro.fi/rapala/tips.html
COLOR RECOMMENDATIONS
"Tips from the pros" by Jan Eggers & Sirpa Glad-Staf
RAPALA COLOUR RECOMMENDATIONS
The following list provides with some useful hints for selecting the optimum lure colour for each fishing condition:
1. Natural colours imitate bait fish and therefore are always worth a try, whatever the conditions. Pay attention to the fact that the colouring of different species of fish varies a great deal in different waters, due to adaptation to local conditions. Therefore, the lure colours and their shades must also vary.
2. Bright or fluorescent colours, such as bright red, orange, yellow, green etc. do not naturally belong to our waters and their habitat, but still they can be used in lures as so called super-normal effects. They can be successful, when fishing in the dark or in very deep or coloured waters.
3. The proverb "cold water, cold colours and warm water, warm colours" seems to be surprisingly right. For example, the absolute favourites for fall and spring are blue, violet, white, silver etc.
4. Choose the colours on the basis of the surrounding nature. Some fishermen look at the sky, others at the banks of the river, the bottom of the lake and so on and try to match their lures with these colours. For instance, pitch black in the dead of the night, green during mid-summer etc. As a contrast sometimes a dark colouring, forming a visible silhouette against the light may be the right gimmick in bright conditions.
5. Vary your colours. Do not get stuck with casting the same lure to the same spot over and over again, as fish get used to the lure very quickly. Just changing the colour or/and the lure type can make wonders.
CARDINAL INSTRUCTIONS
www.macrepro.fi/rapala/tips1.html
Stumbled across these links today and they deserve to be posted...by Jan Eggers and others...
How to use your Rapala lure
www.macrepro.fi/rapala/htu.html
Cardinal Rules
1. USE THE LIGHTEST TERMINAL TACKLE
Each Rapala has been "Hand-Tuned" & "Tank-Tested" before going into its box. Using inappropriate terminal tackle can interfere with the finely tuned action of your Rapala. Use the lightest and finest gear available.
2. WHEN IT'S NECESSARY TO USE A SINKER, KEEP IT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE LURE AS POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE INTERFERENCE WITH INBUILT ACTION
Each Rapala is designed to run at a certain depth (see depth chart). When you want to achieve extra depth, split shot should be placed at least 20 cm ahead of the lure. When using heavier weights, place them at least 50 cm ahead. If using a three-way swivel, a leader is recommended.
3. CHECK YOUR RAPALA AT BOAT OR DOCKSIDE FIRST, TO CONFIRM THE PROPER SPEED TO ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE ACTION
By varying the rate of retrieve you will notice that there is an optimum speed at which the Rapala performs its off-center wobble the best. As you gain experience, you may want to vary the speed for certain conditions.
4. WHEN TROLLING, SLOWLY PLAY OUT THE RAPALA FROM THE BOAT
Keep visual contact, checking to make sure that you are trolling at the correct speed to achieve the desired action. If you are trolling near vegetation, pick up periodically to make sure no bit of weed is imparing your action. The Rapala is too perfectly balanced for hitch-hikers.
5. HANDLE YOUR RAPALA WITH CARE
Never use your Rapala as a handle to lift your catch into the boat. This strain can hinder its delicate action. Also pay special attention to its hooks. Even though designed to catch fish, they have been known to snag unwary anglers.
6. THE RAPALA KNOT LETS YOUR RAPALA PERFORM MORE FREELY AND SPONTANEOUSLY
The inbuilt action can be affected by the wrong knot. The Rapala Knot allows the lure to react the way it was designed to. Rapala lures that have a split-ring should be tied on with a Jam Knot as shown in the Rapala Media Bank under section "Tips from the pros".
RECOMMENDED TACKLE
FROM ULTRA LIGHT TO BIG GAME FISHING, By Jan Eggers
Introduction
When an average fisherman visits a well-equipped tackleshop, he often enters into problems when selecting the right tackle for his fishing waters and his favourite way of fishing. No matter if he fishes for carp, catfish, tench or all kinds of small and big predators, it´s important that the rod, reel, line, float, lure, hook etc. he uses, will match and he is fishing with the right tackle combination.
To cast a 40-gram lure with an ultra light spinning rod is already a problem. Presenting this lure in the right way with such light rod is even more problematic and the result is quite often: no fish caught.
When we have a look at the whole range of Rapala & Blue Fox lures, we see quite a variety in shape, weight and resistance in water when you reel them in. For a 3 cm long Rapala Original Floating wobbler that hardly weighs 2 grams, you need a different rod, reel, line etc. than when you intend to fish with a Countdown Magnum 26 cm that weighs 130 grams, in other words 65 times the weight of the F-3. The example shows in a nutshell the difference between the Ultra Light category and the Big Game category at the very heavy end of the 6 lure categories we will describe here. These 6 categories are:
01 UL = Ultra Light
02 L = Light
03 M = Medium
04 MH = Medium Heavy
05 H = Hevy
06 BG = Big Game
01 UL = Ultra Light
There is no official or standard rule which tells you UL fishing stops exactly at a lure weight of 4,25 grams and a nylon line of 0.12 mm. It is more or less an international gentleman´s agreement that tells the fishermen that fishing with lures up to 5 grams is called UL fishing or UL spinning. In general, this way of fishing is used when fishing small creeks, ditches and little lakes for not too big predators. Of course it can always happen that a hungry big pike grabs a small spinner or plug that swims close by her mouth. It can be fun to play such a giant on UL tackle but most of the time the story ends by the strong fish breaking the too light line. Normally the predators you can expect in these small waters are not so big and they give nice sport on this UL tackle.
When we look at the range of Rapala & Blue Fox lures for Ultra Light spinning, we see a number of interesting wobblers and spinners. First of all there are the earlier mentioned Rapala Original Floating in 3, 5 and 7 cms, weighing 2, 3 and 4 grams. If a sinking model is needed in, for instance, fast flowing waters, you´d better use the Rapala Countdown 3 & 5 cm weighing 2 and 5 grams or the Mini Fat Rap 3 cm that weighs 4 grams. Other Rapala wobblers that can be used in the UL category are the Husky Jerk 6 cm with 3 grams weight and the Jointed Floating 7 cm weighing 4 grams, as well as the newest member of the Risto Rap family, a 4-cm, 5-gram lure. Looking at the Blue Fox Vibrax spinners fitting in this UL range, we find the sizes 0 & 1 weighing 3 and 4 grams. Finally there is the 2 cm long Vibrax Minnow Spin with its 4 grams´ weight that can be used for Ultra Light spinning in small waters.
Now that we know which lures can be used, it´s time to have a closer look at the other parts of the UL tackle. First we need a spinning rod with a recommended casting weight of 2-5 grams. These are very light and sensitive rods, length between 180 and 270 cm and if possible with a progressive action. The latter means that such a rod is bending more when it comes under an increasing pressure. On such a light rod you should use a small spinning reel with a good and reliable drag. Because there is no worldwide standard classification on the reelsize, we can simply recommend the smallest reel you can get. On the small spool of such a reel you can only use light lines and the heaviest nylon to be recommend would be 0.15 mm in diameter. If you intend to use the new superlines of Dyneema fibers, 0.12 mm will be the strongest. An advantage of these Dyneema lines is that it doesn´t twist or kink as much as nylon, when fishing with spinners.
What remains to complete the right tackle combination, is the leader. When fishing in waters with only trout, perch, chub or grayling, no leader is needed. You can tie the lure directly on the line with the special Rapala knot. Of course it is also possible to use a very small snap-swivel that doesn´t influence the lure action in a negative way. When you can expect pikes to strike, it´s better to use a short leader of very light, e.g. 10 lbs. breaking strenght, stranded wire with a snap at one end and a swivel at the other.
02 L = Light
Looking in a lot of books and fishing magazines, to find out where light spinfishing starts and stops, you´ll find a lot of differences. Country by country it varies a lot and what is light in one country, is medium heavy in another. For the light category Rapala Normark has chosen a range that starts with lures of 6 grams and stops at lures weighing 10 grams. Looking at the number of Rapala & Blue Fox lures available in this range, you might say it is a very popular fishing category. Early 1999 there are no fewer than 30 different Rapala & Blue Fox lures in many different color combinations that fit this Light category: there is no better way to show that this Light category is very important for the lure fishermen and so are the lures. Here is a list of the lures fitting this Light category:
* Rapala Original Floating wobblers 9, 11 and 13 cm
* Rapala Countdown 7 cm, Husky Jerk 8 & 10 cm
* Jointed Sinking 7 cm and Jointed Floating 9 & 11 cm
* Risto Rap 5 cm, Skitter Pop 5 & 7 cm and Rattlin´ Rapala 4 cm
* Shad Rap Deep Runner & Shallow Runner 5, 7 and 8 cm; Countdown Shad Rap 5 & 7 cm and Shad Rap Rattlin´ Suspending 5 cm
* Rattlin´ Fat Rap 4 cm; Floating Magnum 7 cm and Esko Team 7 cm
* Minnow Spoon 5 & 6 cm and Blue Fox Minnow Spin 3, 5 and 7 cm
* Blue Fox Vibrax spinners in sizes 2, 3 and 4.
As said, quite a wide range and all these lures are responsible for a lot of tears and sadness in many predator families. There´s hardly a predator that isn´t caught on one of these lures of the Light range. Here´s just a few examples: asp, perch, ide, chub, trout, grayling , black bass, pike, zander, herring, mackerel, seabass, garpike, wels catfish and, last but not least, salmon. Of course there are many more predators from other parts of the world caught on these lures of the Light category, but we´d better concentrate on the European ones here.
You can catch these predators with the right Light tackle in quite a variety of waters. From rivers to little village ponds, from deep lakes, where you can fish with sinking models vertically, to shallow weedy waters where the smallest Skitter Pop can be used. Seabass and mackerel from the sea and trout from both reservoirs, small streams and the so-called trout ponds. But for all these different waters, you need the right tackle combination.
A spinning rod with a length ranging from 180 to 300 cm and a recommended casting weight of 5-15 grams fits in this category. The spinning rod can handle a little bit more weight than the weight of the lures we use, the reason being that there is also the resistance of the lures in water when you fish with them. The revolving blade of a Blue Fox Vibrax spinner of size 4 creates quite some resistance and the case is the same when you fish with a Skitter Pop with sharp jerks of your rodtip. Also a 7-cm Shad Rap Deep Runner that weighs only 9 grams, gives a lot of extra resistance in the water when you fish with it.
There may also be some difference between spinning rods of different manufacturers although they have the same recommended lure weight. Some spinning rods feel a little bit stiff and have a so-called tip action. Others with the same length have a much softer action and bend in progressively under pressure. It´s impossible to describe all these different spinning rods in the Light category, but of course it is important that you use one that fits in your way of light spinning.
For vertical fishing with a small Rattlin´ Rapala at a depth of 15 meters or jerking on the surface with a Skitter Pop, you´d better use a stiffer light rod than when fishing with a 5 cm Minnow Spoon in a small shallow canal for perch. On such spinning rod you can also use a light reel size 1 or 2, or with other companies size 20 or 25, fits well.
The diameter of the line used depends on the size of the lure, the action of the spinning rod and the way of fishing. Nylon from 0,15 to 0,25 mm is recommended. More and more fishermen prefer the Dyneema superlines for jerkbait and vertical fishing but it is perfect for spinning with various lures as well. Dyneema lines between 0,12 and 0,15 mm will do for this Light category.
Regarding the leaders, the story is the same as with Ultra Light. When you expect predators, which don´t have as many razor-sharp teeth as pike, it´s not necessary to use a leader. But when there´s a good chance a pike will grab your lure, you´d better use a quite light leader made of 15 lb stranded wire. You can also buy such leaders ready made since several companies bring them on the market. This Light range of spinning is a very interesting category for fishermen starting fishing with lures in not too big waters for normal size predators and there are also lots of possibilities.
03 M = Medium
This category is more or less the all-round category, where you have possibilities to fish also with the heavier lures of the Light range and with the lighter lures of the Medium Heavy range. There´s no official standard classification for this category either, but when looking at the lures mostly used, we can agree we´re talking about a lure weighing10-20 grams in this category. A look at the Rapala and Blue Fox lures fitting this category will give the following result:
* Rapala Countdown 9 and 11 cm, Husky Jerk 12 and 14 cm, Husky 13 cm
* Jointed Sinking 9 and 11 cm, Jointed Floating 13 cm
* Risto Rap 7 cm, Skitter Pop 9 cm, Shad Rap Deep Runner 8 and 9 cm
* Shad Rap Shallow Runner 9 cm, Shad Rap Countdown 8 cm, Shad Rap Rattlin´ Suspending 7 cm
* Rattlin´ Rapala 5 and 7 cm, Rattlin´ Fat Rap 5 and 7 cm, Fat Rap 5 and 7 cm
* Countdown Magnum 7 and 9 cm, Floating Magnum 9 and 11 cm
* Rapala Sliver 13 cm, Minnow Spoon 7 cm, Blue Fox Minnow Spin 9 cm
* Blue Fox Minnow Chaser 3, 5 and 7 cm, Vibrax Spinner size 5
The Down Deep Rattlin´ Fat Rap and the Vibrax Spinner size 6, both weighing 20 grammes, aren´t mentioned in this category on purpose. Both lures create so much resistance in the water when reeled in, it´s better to place them in the Medium Heavy category.
A quick look at the lures mentioned reassures us this is quite an important category with more than 30 lures to fish with. The range of predators you can catch with these lures is even bigger than that in the Light category, because more saltwater species; like snook, bonito, grouper and barracuda, can be added to that long list we mentioned earlier. One can also fish in several different types of waters with more or less all the Medium Heavy category lures: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, bigger and smaller canals, ponds and the sea, of course - as long as they have predators - you are able to catch them when you have the right tackle with these plugs and spinners.
The right spinning rods in the Medium category may be from 180 to 300 cm long. The recommended casting weight for these rods varies between 15 and 30 grams - again, bigger than the maximum weight of the lures we´re using. But here also the resistance, when reeling them in, often plays an important role. It´s better to have some extra power in your spinning rod than constantly test it to the limit. It´s also possible to use a baitcasting rod with similar action and power, but it´s just a matter of what rod and reel you like. Casting very small lures with a baitcasting rod and reel may be problematic but you can find lots of baitcasting reels and rods suited for the Rapala and Blue Fox lures introduced in the Medium category.
Besides casting from the bank, you can use most of these lures for trolling behind a boat as well. You can use the same lure for several different purposes, which makes lure fishing so interesting. All kinds of presentations are discussed later on.
Regarding the normal reels we have to use now, just one size bigger than the ones used in the Light range will do. When you prefer to use a baitcasting reel, try the smaller versions of the wide range of the most well known reel manufacturers. You also need a heavier line when fishing with bigger lures. Nylon lines from 0,25 to 0,35 mm are strong enough for catching a bit bigger predators. When using the braided superlines, the recommendation is between 0,15 and 0,20 mm. What comes to leaders, the easiest all purpose leaders for this category are 20 lb, 9 kg, leaders. You can decide yourself, how long leaders you´ll use and whether to use a coated or uncoated wire, as long as the leader doesn´t have a negative influence on the action of your lure.
Probably most of the fishermen use this Medium category for spinning and catching the majority of the predatory fishes.
04 MH = Medium Heavy
When fishermen expect to catch the bigger specimen of certain fish, e.g. pike, catfish and zander, they prefer to use bigger lures. It´s a fact that the grandmother predators are more interested in lures that are bigger and heavier. It´s also safer to play these big fishes on a stronger tackle - the lures from the Medium Heavy range.
Again, there is no official register, but for classifying this category, lures with a weight of 20-30 grams and lighter lures that cause a lot of water resistance suit the best. For this category we have chosen fewer lures, simply because it´s mostly a minority of specialists and specimen hunters that go for this kind of spinfishing. A glance at the available Rapala and Blue Fox lures will show this:
* Rapala Original Floating 18 cm, Jointed Floating 13 cm
* Rattlin´ Rapala 8 cm, Down Deep Rattlin´ Fat Rap 7 cm, Risto Rap 8 and 9 cm
* Countdown Magnum 11 cm, Magnum Floating 14 cm, Minnow Spoon 8 cm
* Deep Suspending Husky Jerk 12 cm
* Blue Fox Vibrax Spinner size 6
A quick look at these lures will tell that the most of them are designed for fishing in deeper waters, e.g. bigger bodies of water and rivers. These lures can be used for both casting and trolling. Even spinners can be effective when trolled behind a not too fast running boat. The spinning rods used for this category must have a casting weight ranging from 30 to about 50 grams. When fishing from the bank rods can be as long as 330 cm but for boatfishing 180 cm is often long enough. Generally speaking, it´s much easier to cast a longer distance with a longer rod. Most of the spinning rods in this Medium Heavy category have a fast tip action that also makes them suitable for making long casts. When you compare a 40- gram spinning rod from one manufacturer to a similar rod from another, you´ll probably find several differences. In any case, it´s up to the fisherman to decide which length of rod and what kind of action suits best for his way of fishing.
At the moment, with both nylon, e.g. 20% elongation, and dyneema lines, with almost no stretch, on the market, it becomes even more complicated to select the right rod for your needs. If you fish with nylon, it´ll be an advantage to use a pretty stiff rod. When using dyneema lines, you´re better off with a rod for softer action - otherwise you´ll risk breaking the tip of your rod. Some of the bigger spinning reels, e.g. model 40 or 50, and average size bait casting reels can be used for these rods. On the spools I prefer 0,30-0,45 mm nylon. What comes to super lines, I prefer lines with a diameter of 0,20-0,25 mm. The wire leaders I use for this category have a breaking strength between 9 and 14 kilos, about 20-30 lbs., and the length of the leader depends on the kind of lure and method used.
Because the price of these bigger lures is higher than that of the smaller ones, it´s equally more important that you can rely on the quality of your tackle - getting lots of lures stuck on the bottom of the lake or river during a day of fishing can become a costly affair.
05 H = Heavy
The number of Rapala and Blue Fox lures for this category is limited. Some of the bigger lures are designed mostly for the Big Game category although there are always big freshwater predators you can catch with these lures, them having more weight than the 30-grams upper limit of the former category. A look at the Rapala lures weighing over 30 grams shows the following:
* Countdown Magnum 14, 18, 22 and 26 cm, Rapala Sliver 20 cm
* Floating Magnum 18 cm, Super Shad Rap 14 cm
Only seven lures, but these seven lures are responsible for many huge predators getting caught from both fresh- and salt-water - these are the lures designed for catching big pedators from big waters. There is always the exception on the rule: believe it or not, small pikes and perch have been caught with the 14 cm Magnum and Super Shad Rap wobblers.
Heavy lures in the Heavy category require heavy tackle. Spinning and baitcasting rods should have enough power to cast these lures in the right place. The minimum casting weight on such rod should be around 50 grams. When trolling, you shouldn´t use the maximum weight with the biggest lures because of the water resistance or just use a stronger rod. It´s the same with the reels. For this category the sturdy baitcasting reels may be more popular than the biggest spinning reels. It´s surprising to see that in some European countries spinning reels are more popular while in others most fishermen use baitcasting reels for both trolling and casting.
Nylon lines used can go up to 0,40-0.70 mm. When you use the superstrong dyneema lines you can start from 0,25 mm and end up to 0,50 mm. Strong leaders are a must and especially the snap at the end should be strong, of excellent quality and very hard to open.
06 BG = Big Game
When talking about Big Game Fishing we mean fishing in salt-water for big predators. There are small salt-water predators, like bonito, snook, barramundi and barracuda, that can be caught with the smaller Rapala salt-water lures. But there are also the bigger ones, like the different tuna and shark species - not to forget the black marlin and the huge silver tarpon.
The range of Rapala lures for Big Game is rather wide. There´s just the question whether you should call trolling with smaller salt-water lures for smaller sea predators Big Game or Little Big Game?
The answer can be given by fishermen themselves - we just list the range of Rapala lures equipped with salt-water hooks and give their weights, so fishermen will know what kind of tackle to use.
* Jointed Floating 13 cm/18 g, Sliver 13 /18, 20cm/38 g
* Countdown Magnum 7/12, 9/17, 11/24, 14/36, 18/70, 22/100 and 26 cm/130 g
* Magnum Floating 7/7, 9/13, 11/17, 14/28 and 18 cm/40 g
* Super Shad Rap 14 cm/45 g (although considered the best pike crankbait available, it´s also a very good saltwater lure).
In these six categories we have classified all presently available Rapala & Blue Fox lures and given a rough indication how to match them with the right tackle. Now that you know the necessary basic infirmation, it´s time to take a more in-depth look at the various predators, their different kinds of habitats and the methods and lures you can catch them with.
PRO-TIPS
www.macrepro.fi/rapala/tips.html
COLOR RECOMMENDATIONS
"Tips from the pros" by Jan Eggers & Sirpa Glad-Staf
RAPALA COLOUR RECOMMENDATIONS
The following list provides with some useful hints for selecting the optimum lure colour for each fishing condition:
1. Natural colours imitate bait fish and therefore are always worth a try, whatever the conditions. Pay attention to the fact that the colouring of different species of fish varies a great deal in different waters, due to adaptation to local conditions. Therefore, the lure colours and their shades must also vary.
2. Bright or fluorescent colours, such as bright red, orange, yellow, green etc. do not naturally belong to our waters and their habitat, but still they can be used in lures as so called super-normal effects. They can be successful, when fishing in the dark or in very deep or coloured waters.
3. The proverb "cold water, cold colours and warm water, warm colours" seems to be surprisingly right. For example, the absolute favourites for fall and spring are blue, violet, white, silver etc.
4. Choose the colours on the basis of the surrounding nature. Some fishermen look at the sky, others at the banks of the river, the bottom of the lake and so on and try to match their lures with these colours. For instance, pitch black in the dead of the night, green during mid-summer etc. As a contrast sometimes a dark colouring, forming a visible silhouette against the light may be the right gimmick in bright conditions.
5. Vary your colours. Do not get stuck with casting the same lure to the same spot over and over again, as fish get used to the lure very quickly. Just changing the colour or/and the lure type can make wonders.
CARDINAL INSTRUCTIONS
www.macrepro.fi/rapala/tips1.html
lol 
