Jigging Rapalas

[trollerdan]

Have any of you Open water guys ever used jigging Rapalas? If so, how have you fished them? I'm going to give them a try in a week or so, but would like a starting point if possible. Thanks in advance.

[tugger]

TD

Basically an old Ice Fishing lure that Al Lindner recently popularized by fishing on open water. The lure is a fast sinking and therefore fast action by design. It jigs irratically and produces reaction strikes when other baits are not effective. Because of fast drop, the Primary usage would be on semi to inactive fish in a deeper water scenario. Say a 20-30 ft shoal or point drop off. Do a Youtube or google search for Lindner jigging and some info should pop up. Have fun.

[reeleyz]

In open water they actually work well jigged like a bucktail. Cast it downwind and jig

It back to the boat.

[trollerdan]

Thanks for the help. I got a deal on some, and I'll give it a try. I'll let you know how I make out.

[schwartz]

Papineau won major events jigging these in open water quite a few years ago. Old lures always come around.

[Xxx]

Al Linder swears by these lures, a real slow troll and work them back to the boat, with a good pop of the rod, I use them with some success, of course we're not fishing Erie or Minnesota!!

[greenhornet73]

I have caught them casting and jigging them back tipped with a small scented trout rubber worm I typically use for steelhead. 

[Sean Youngblood]

  I got my first open water Walleye of the year on a jigging Rap.53'fow. Slow drift and jigging.Early March

[Xxx]

IMG950170.jpg  I got my first open water Walleye of the year on a jigging Rap.53'fow. Slow drift and jigging.Early March

That's great Sean, I never caught one the big, but they can be very useful. Great job, don't ever give up!! PAP?

[jimski2]

Keith Kavajez and Gary Parsons use Moonshine jigging lures winning a $68K boat on Bay de Noc one year. Slow trolling speed, stop the boat and cast over the stern does the trick when fish are spotted on the sonar . No trolling needed, just hunt the fish down and catch them. Check out their web site " The next bite " I think. Shiver Minnow is the lure and the video is great.

Edited May 17, 2016 by jimski2

[Smoke-N-Finn]

Moonshine Shiver Minnows are much nicer than Raps. No hook on front of Lure, only middle and back. And if you want some that glow they have the best glow on their products in the business. Also have some new UV, Shiver Minnows that look awesome.

I use their Spoons with excellent success and rarely run anything else.

Sent from my XT1254 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[rw6788]

Catching all my walleye on Rapala jigs

[Xxx]

Wow the moonshine shiver lure looks awesome, with a much wider color selection. I do use the Rapela jigging lures, but there are 2 different ones, there is the jigging rap, generally used through ice, these don't have as big of a wing span like the one used in the open water which is called the Snap rap, they have much broader wing span so the flutter a lot better than the jigging rap. The snap rap is what I use and have moderate or better success with the snap rap over the jigging rap.

Edited May 20, 2016 by pap

[John Kelley]

Moonshine Shiver Minnows are much nicer than Raps. No hook on front of Lure, only middle and back. And if you want some that glow they have the best glow on their products in the business. Also have some new UV, Shiver Minnows that look awesome.

I use their Spoons with excellent success and rarely run anything else.

Sent from my XT1254 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

That's what has always pissed me off with jigging Rapalas, as I have used them every winter for the past 35 years.  When everyone else came out with all kinds of glow color combinations, they never did.  I agree with you on the Mooshine products, too, best glow in the business, by far and away.  When you are fishing after dark, for a primarily nocturnal predator fish, that makes a huge difference in my book.  Nils Master makes some nice wider shad bodied variations as well. Those Salmo Chubby Darters are also a very effective vertical jigging lure for the 'eyes.  I don't think there is a jigging style lure out there that has a better action on the upswing, and definitely not even close to the action on the drop as a Chubby Darter.  Buy a couple and watch them in clear water some time.  I love jigging lures, as jigging is my all time favorite way to catch walleyes.  I have done very well with chrome rattle traps on the walleyes out here on the prairie, as well.  

[mhtrapper]

Jigging is the only way when the bite is on, but from my experience trolling more productive most  time and I will be the first to admit I hate it. But it works.

[John Kelley]

Jigging is the only way when the bite is on, but from my experience trolling more productive most  time and I will be the first to admit I hate it. But it works.

I find that trolling can be a more effective way to locate fish in vast expanses of open water.  Once those fish are located, though, stopping and throwing jigs or jigging lures is the way to really load up on them, and catch all or most of those schooling fish.  Also more control with less tackle and BS between you and that fish.  Plus, they fight much harder on light spinning gear than on trolling tackle.

[mhtrapper]

Well said, you are absolutely right. love to jig with a med light at pole at best. Thanks and trolling is the way to locate without killing a bunch of time.

[trollerdan]

All these replies have been helpful. Will be trying them on the Setroit River this week.