i finally got up to gander mountain tonight and they had the rapala new for 2013 lures on the shelf. i thought i was finally over my "if you can tie it on the end of your line you gotta buy it" crankbait addiction... then i saw the new BX minnow... and the bx swimmer... and the larger sized deep jointed husky jerk...

the new colors on the BX minnow are insanely awesome. ive heard it said that fishing lures are designed to catch anglers and not fish, and it could be true because rapala sure has me hooked. the size and shape of the BX seem perfect. i bought one of the "blue back herring" BX 10 minnows. at 3/8 of an oz it should cast really well too, not as well as the x rap with the long cast feature, but you get the realistic holographic foil and 3d eyes in a "silent" no rattles package. seems like the perfect compliment to the tackle box.

sorry about sounding like a salesman, but this lure got me super excited for spring. well, that and we just set up our reservation for june!

I got over troubling about buying lures that I know might never get wet. I know I have too many.
If during shopping for tackle I experience a virtual fishing trip, then it's OK.

I say, go ahead and bite.  :D

Jaximus, a man after my own heart  ;)

Only a die hard fisherman could be so excited about a new lure.
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I recently got my spring Cabelas master catalog. The cover is a canoe country classic. Some guys out in a canoe and a bear going through their camp. I too came across the new Rapala and much like Jaximus and Steve Martin felt the wonderment and pulse rising excitement of a new addition to the fine line of the Swedish offerings. (Steve Martin/MT comparisons will be taken in good humor and encouraged on these long lonely winter nights  ;D )

So what's so special? Balsa is what is so special my dear piscatorial companion. Especially in the spring! First off the lure lands with a very nice "splat" instead of a splash. A subtle splat which says "come and eat me". Remember, in the spring the water is cooler and quiet soft presentations are far superior which leads us to another positive.........no rattles! I detest rattles in spring and in fact generally refuse to use plastic cranks early in the year. Can you say "Big Momma"  8-)

So what else? How about the wobble? Usually a bit tighter than plastic........a bit more subtle and less exaggerated than plastic. Think spring!

Lastly.........want to get the most out of balsa? Think light line. Heavy line defeats them rather easily. And of course the connection is all important. (can you say broken record).........Yup, dispense with the split ring and get a "fas snap" in the large, not extra large.....medium works for small lures (us older guys might need glasses) and small is for flys. Fas snaps were originally designed for fly fisherman but I have found the application to cranks and light line superlative.......I have never had one fail despite their flimsy appearance. I will say it again, light line IMO ties poorly to the double wire of split rings.
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FWIW.......I generally don't suggest using one fas snap and just keep changing lures off it. They are small and tough to manage for that application unlike a larger normal snap. Besides, you might bend or otherwise damage the snap struggling with it. I have one on each crank and just re-tie when changing lures.........you are re-tying often anyways, aren't you? (A must with light line)

Shall we leave no stone unturned? What do I mean by light line? I am talking 6lb test mono and balsa wood lures. I will definitely drop to 4lb in heavily pressured urban waters on crystal clear lakes.........long casts, long forgiving rods, balsa and spring (often a few weeks after ice out) has put many 5lb+ bass in the boat for me as well as a few outsized walleyes. (one of my best ever fish fights was a 7lb walleye on 4lb test on a perch colored j-11 rapala a few weeks after ice out, who says walleyes can't strut their stuff)  

MT

MT,

Do you like Black or Silver Fas Snap's?

Mike

Wally13 wrote on Feb 8^th, 2013 at 3:48pm:

MT, Do you like Black or Silver Fas Snap's? Mike

Yo Mike,
I dunno........don't rekon it much matters. I usually go with black but haven't noticed any dif with silver. They are pretty small......I like the tiny pair of Craftsman channel locks to put them on but a small pair of needle nose works.

i havent been this excited about a lure in a long time, i almost filled the tub so i could see how it swims. ive been using a smaller cross lock snap with no swivel attached, just the snap, tied to a 4 ft 10lb fluorocarbon leader on 15lb suffix 832 for pretty much all my crank baiting. its stiffer than MT suggests, and if i wasnt worried about losing my cranks id definitely go with the thinner line.

Yup........FC stiff, stiff, stiff, it also weighs more and sinks faster.

Make any difference? Maybe.......but whose to say it isn't a better difference  ;D

Such is fishing! Why not compare apples to apples and try your bathtub experiment with some other lines? I have certainly noticed a big difference in how the balsa lures act with various line classes. With the light lines the lures look absolutely alive, like they have "spring" in their step. Plus I like the added distance I get on the cast..........a huge benefit in clear cool spring waters where big fish may be in only a few feet of water. I imagine the 832 casts a good lick as well. Your combo sounds about right though Jax if you are intent on using the 832 braid........light leaders and no-stretch braid is a bad combo, bye bye lure.

Speaking of 832........Quetikurt uses it and suggested I give it a go. pricey stuff..........I loaded up with 30 for deep diving applications such as dipsys and what not. I was not especially impressed. 30 power pro I cannot break very easily if the knot is right........30lb 832 I could break every time.

Perhaps I'm using the wrong knot. When I pass through Dalton Georgia I occasionally meet with Kurt and the challenge is already on........he is bringing his knot and I'm bringing my gloves  ;D

Hopefully I'm wrong as I did like the stuff. Maybe this old dog just needs a new trick. What knot do you use Jax?

BTW.......If you are intent on using the FC you might want to stick with the crosslock instead of the thinner fas snaps. The thin wire on the fas snap might actually "cut" the stiffer thicker FC. Just a thought.........I do like that the actual knot is positioned closer to lure though with the fas snap as opposed to the crosslock, ever think about that!

Fishing nerds  8-)........................(nerds are in lately  ;D )

I've become a big fan of 832 (I buy it on sale.)  I tie with a uni or double uni and have never had trouble with the knot.

@mt, to connect the fluorocarbon to the 832 i use a barrel swivel at that juncture. i use the standard polomar knot for both lines to the barrel and for the fluoro to the crosslock snap. i use the snaps with the very rounded part that attaches to the lure now as they impart the least resistance to the lure giving it the best action.   (You need to Login or Register   (You need to Login or Register plus they allow for the knot to be perfectly aligned with the loop so that it doesnt pull sideways or any other weird angle.

@mt, also, in reference the difference of power pro vs 832. ive used both and like both. i have 65 lb power pro on my musky baitcaster, love the stuff. for the 15lb test range, i prefer the 832, and by a wide margin. i was having breakoff issues with the power pro, both red and green, multiple different batches from different stores. my brother had a similar experience with yet another batch/store. since i tied on the 832 i find any other superline to be a pain. i had been a huge fireline guy but i prefer the 832 to that as well. doesnt fray as hard as fireline(plus its round, not flat), its a smaller diameter, and doesnt hold water like power pro. it casts amazingly well. i have 2 identical setups, 6'6" medium action extra fast tip rods with abu garcia c3 reels, one rigged with 20lb fireline crystal and one with 15lb 832. both reels have 3 of the 6 break shoes removed as well as the plastic tension disk. using the same lure the 832 casts 25% farther, maybe even more. i understand there is a pound test difference of 25% between the lines, but that doesnt explain the casting difference. suffix is much more quiet on the guides as well, imo.

Ahhh........A tiny barrel swivel to make the FC and braid connection. Less than a pro set-up would you not agree? It is all coming back to me now. That was the other thing I didn't like about the 832........the braid to FC connection was weak. I couldn't get it to stick and I always try lots of different combinations (double lines, various numbers of wraps etc)

So your FC leader must be short, say a foot? Anything longer might create a casting hazard. So then what is the point? A short little FC leader accomplishes little I would think. I like at least 3' if I am going stealth.

Which leads me to a conclusion......what is the advantage of braid in canoe country? I will grant you situational specifics.......I like braid in moving water like below a falls (less diameter to catch the moving water hence less "kiting")...... heavily timbered water where I need to snatch one out quickly, getting big deep diving cranks to the bottom, vertical jigging and for all pike fishing applications (break it if you can big boy).

I will stick with mono for most trolling/casting. Far more stealthy, easy to work with and I for one like a little stretch in my line (pulled hooks are less likely). Yes I understand how braid transmits bites better (I use it exclusively for backcountry salt water applications) but with a little practice and attention you will get most mono bites.

One last thought.........Years and years ago I read an article about trolling for walleyes at night in which the author used original balsa rapalas exclusively. He was very emphatic about the connection. He used no snaps or split rings at all. His method was to tie an improved clinch directly to the lure and angle the knot down 30 degrees. AHA! The lure has a very nice "roll" to it when this method is applied. The knot has to come off perfectly straight as well. I mostly use this on original rapalas unless I drop to very light line and then I use the fas snap which makes a very reliable connection with light applications. I will of course try the improved clinch system (I will use another wrap knot.....Gryp knot/tie fast tool) on the new Rapala to see if there is an improvement in action.

Can you tell I'm chomping at the bit to fish? Other than a few casts on my rides I haven't fished since August  :P.

MT,  what about using an Albrecht knot tie a 3 ft flurocarbon leader to braid?

Wally13 wrote on Feb 11^th, 2013 at 3:14pm:

MT,  what about using an Albrecht knot tie a 3 ft flurocarbon leader to braid?

Mr Mike you mean an albright knot? This vid is the best I have seen in explaining the albright.

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But for me I'm going to Keep it simple. I can see the application for braid if I am going to try and get an extra 5 or 10 feet on my deep diving crank.........I liked trolling the braid in august where I was ticking bottom in almost 40 ft with a big long A bomber.

I was less impressed with straight braid when I couldn't buy a bite on a reef that the week before I absolutely slaughtered the big walleyes with straight 8lb mono ( although that proves zilch, nothing). I was marking them, they were off the bottom looking like they wanted to eat but nary a strike. Where is that 8lb test anyways?

Good catch Walleye 13........

MT,

Will definitely bring a spool of braid and a spool of 8 lb. mono for each pole this year. I have been a faithful user of Spiderwire (tried Suffix 832 in 2012) and like it for trolling and jigging but like you said sometimes when walleye are finicky ... you need stealth. I was thinking that adding fluorocarbon to braid would be one step better for stealth over going with just braid and would be the way to go...but why not go all the way and go 8 lb. Trilene XL for even better stealth.

Good fishin'

Mike

when i troll, i use a 4 ft fluoro carbon leader with the crosslock snap and the barrel swivel junction. this makes replacing the leader easier, imo. while trolling you dont really cast much(just to reset after you catch one). anything longer than 4 feet seems silly to me up there, the fishing pressure is so low that as long as you dont have a super obnoxious line right on the lure you should be fine, but, my brother uses fireline crystal (looks like dental floss in the water) a big white line right to the hooks and catches enough fish, so who knows. when i go to cast i simply snip off the knicked up 2 feet or so and have a 12-18" leader of flouro for casting. the barrel swivel junction is something ive used while tipup fishing for years prior to using braids on a bait caster so it just seemed logical to use that approach.

i think there are multiple advantages of using a braid up there over a full spool of mono but most are my personal beliefs.
1. on a baitcaster- if you ever get backlashes with braid they are easy to get out and dont kink your line creating weak spots
2. if you do break off, you only lose the leader portion and dont lose large chunks of line leaving you short spooled
3. on a baitcaster-i like the feel of braid on my thumb for casting over mono
4. on a baitcaster-my reels are spooled with braid year round so i dont have to change-im lazy
5. on a baitcaster-i like the braid because it has ZERO memory, mono/fluoro still have a tiny bit and i find it casts better with braid
6. sensitivity, you can see what your lure is doing on braid. you sort of can on mono, but with braid you can tell the difference between rocks/gravel/sand/mud bottoms if you are hitting bottom

I'm with you Jax on having 3 or 4 ft of FC leader material when trolling, but I also like it for casting and usually have at least 3' when backcountry snook fishing. I like 8ft FC leaders when floating down a chunk of sardine to a big snapper......super stealth daytime mode if the current is light (of course it is a big snapper and not a small one   ::)  ).

We have exactly opposite results in backlashes!! My lashes with braid are usually impossible to get out and I usually reach for my cutters........can you say "Master-Tangler"  ;D

I used straight braid last August in a number of situations and they ate it........4 pike in the 9lb class and one walleye at a bit over 6lbs which ate a muskie in-line spinner sporting twin 8/0 treble hooks..........big lure

On the other hand I also related striking out on straight braid on a reef that was incredibly hot just the week before while trolling mono. Trolling to fast, to slow, wrong lure, not eating?............or maybe they didn't like the braid? I fish to catch big ones. A fish snob? Perhaps. But I get bored catching 2 lb walleyes and 2 lb smallmouths pretty quickly. I would rather catch 14" crappies. "Wow, look at the size of that one"!

My thinking on the braid is it might just cost me Mr Big.........that 10lb walleye is thinking about eating and at the last moment turns aside........instead a 3 pounder eats and I think "wow, this braid is great, I have another one".........How do you know if the braid isn't costing you the bigger ones as they turn aside at the last moment deciding something just isn't right?

Of course the test is to fish side by side with one guy using braid and another mono. The pros use braid to great effect. But in the crystal clear waters of canoe country with mostly open water I'm not buying in. Heavy weed beds and timber is a different story and so is deep vertical jigging as well as fishing in strong current........but for most applications I like mono.........no extra knots to tie, stealthy with a little stretch......perfect. Here Fishy, Fishy  ;)

I am currently looking for a line counter that will handle 8lb test. It needs to be small and hopefully quite a bit lighter that what is typical in line counters to make for good portaging. I absolutely loved knowing exactly where my lure was in relation to the bottom. For someone who trolls pretty much everywhere they paddle this helps in alleviating hassles as well as putting fish in the boat. Although I often wonder while fishing with the line counter if fishing 12" off the bottom is as good as fishing 2 or 3 or 5 ft off the bottom where the bait is more visible. Ahhh, fishing, the thinking mans game.......... or not!  8-)

dont get me wrong, i like mono. my largest fish have come on mono... like this one on 6lb test   (You need to Login or Register

but i think that has to do more with presentation than line. most of my biggest fish have come on small lures, light line, finesse fishing. i think if i spent the same amount of time using large lures on braid as i do small lures on mono my percentages would even out but who knows.

on a similar thought, i have not tried mono or flouro carbon line on the current rod/reel combo that i use. when i first started using a bait caster i used a really stiff rod and a cheap reel. not a good combo to learn how to cast. so i had lots of issues and i originally started with mono on that setup. maybe this spring ill try mono/flourocarbon on one of my setups as i have 2 identical ones. then i can fish them with identical lures and come to a conclusion from that!

Jax you are the man! WOW that is a beauty, that has to be a great story on 6lb.

Calm down, breathe,  ;D

I have never popped a really big Muskie.......a few decent ones but nothing like that. Secretly thinking about going back to WCPP to that Muskie lake up there and see if any big boys want to play........but we'll see.......a few blocks have to fall into place first.   

Jax.......you mention lots about baitcasters........don't you use spinning for lighter applications?

i use both for both. it really depends on my mood which i use. when its windy i grab the spinning stuff if the breeze is gonna be in my face because casting light stuff into the wind on a baitcaster is no good. when its cold i go with spinning gear. i dont like the mist in my face/hands when its cold. when its warm though i like it so the baitcaster is the rod of choice. anytime i use live bait its on a spinning rig as well, too much snap during the cast with a baitcaster for live bait. any slip bobber fishing is on spinning gear as well. i like the control of backreeling on a spinning set up over the drag on a baitcaster as well. i can cast light soft plastic setups about the same on either rod so thats a wash. i switch it up because i like the right handedness of baitcasters but i have the handle on the left side of my spinning setup. allows me to fish non stop all day and never get tired by just changing rods.

i mentioned baitcasters a lot in this thread because we were talking trolling. i prefer the baitcaster for trolling because i have the drags tightened all the way down on my spinning stuff. i like the backreel. for trolling you need the drag.

i have a problem. i was wandering through ACE hardware and stumbled upon their small fishing section. (who knew??)!! i found a couple of mismarked clearance rapalas... the new for 2013 bx minnow... one was purpledescent and the other was the baby rainbow trout *cringes* needless to say, i came home with 2 more.

I still say lures are designed to catch fisherman. If they catch fish as well... eh, that's simply a bonus.  ;)

i dont disagree db, the guys at rapala sure know how to catch me!

That's how I know! I once bought a battery powered light and chum thing either from the back of a "Boy's Life" or "Outdoor something or other." My Dad just laughed saying it was my money but I always caught more fish than him. ;)

a follow up on the new scatter raps. i have a few of the SCRM-11, the minnow bodied one, reported runs 6-9 feet deep. AMAZING lure!! catches fish like noones business, even early spring when you are supposed to work it slow and it works best on a faster retrieve. i just kinda pumped it on retrieve and it worked like a charm. i have a feeling it will troll in the 10-12 foot range, perfect for a late thaw like this year for our first week of june trip.

the only issue i had with the new lure is that i ticked bottom and broke the lip off of one. sent it back with the warranty and had a new one at my door in 6 days. thats good service!