Tip’s For The Beginner

What’s The Difference?

It has been a while since I have taken time to write another segment for the “Tip’s For The Beginner” that I started years ago. You can find all these tips by clicking on the TIPS TAB on the upper left hand side of my home page. I hope that this tip will help you gain more knowledge that will equate to more bass in the boat.

Yesterday I talked to a gentleman at church that visits my web site on a regular basis and he asked me this question. What is the difference between a #5 Shad rap, a #5 Glass Shad Rap and a #5 Shad Rap RS. www.rapala.com Great question and hopefully this will be a great answer. Let’s start out with the #5 Shad Rap. Before a description let me say, there is NO TELLING how many fish of all species have been caught on this bait. In my humble opinion this is an absolute must in everyone’s tackle selection hands down.

The #5 Shad Rap

 The SR05 (smaller bait below) is a non rattling balsa wood constructed bait that has a “Classic Wounded Minnow Rapala Wobble”. As you can see it has a long clear bill that is angled slightly downward. The bill is approx 1 inch long and 1/2 wide at it’s widest point with it’s line tie not hardly in the middle of the bill. The SR05 in 2 inches in body length, weighs 3/16th of a ounce, has 2 #8 VMC treble hooks www.vmchooks.com and is designed to be fished at all speeds and will run 4′ to 9′ deep on a long cast and 10lb test line. It is designed to FLOAT UP when you stop your retrieve.  I throw the SR05 on 6lb Test Sufix Mono www.sufix.com and a 7′ medium action rod and can reach 10′ deep when paralleling the bank. I like to keep in touch with the structure by bouncing this little bait off as much structure as possible creating a reaction strike on less aggressive fish. Let’s talk about the “Non Rattling Aspect”  Remember!  that everything isn’t always 100% the same when it comes to bass. Having said that there are times when a non-rattling bait will be more effective, such as in what I would call ultra clear water when the bass are  ready to spawn or when they are “Spooky” for one reason or another. I have also experienced times when the water temps fall into the very low 40’s that a slower retrieve with a non rattling bait will give up more strikes. Will a bass in Tennessee hit a crankbait in low 40 degree  water? Absolutely unless the lake sustains that low temp for a long period of time. By the way the SR05 is a fantastic bait to troll with as well. This is truly all all species crankbait. Like all Rapala baits the SR5 is hand tuned and tank tested before in leaves the plant and will run straight and true every time right out of the box. Rapala is offering 33 (yes 33) different colors and 6 different sizes of the Shad Rap for the 2014 season.

The #5 Glass Shad Rap

The GSR05 is a Rattling-Suspending “See Through Glass Bodied Bait” that is designed to pick up the color of it’s surrounding in bright sunshine or low light conditions and then project that color back out in a iridescent glow.  It’s amazing what these look like in the sun shine and then in a shaded area. You will quickly see that the Glass Rap will actually adapt to what ever your current light conditions are, above or below water. Chances are you will catch more bass in the water!  This can be so important when you are experiencing changing weather conditions in the same day. The #5 Glass Rap is 2 inches in body length, (beefier in body than the SR05 see picture below)  5/16th of an ounce  (2/16th more than the SR05) in weight has 2 #6 VMC treble hooks and will run 7′ to 11′ deep on a long cast and 10lb test line.  The long clear bill isn’t angled down as much as the SR05 and is longer being 1  1/8th inch in length and wider than the SR05 being 11/16th in width. Because of the body and bill design the GSR05 has a little more of a “thump” type wobble that you can definitely feel when cranking this bait. The angle and construction of the bill helps this bait achieve rated depths. Once again I will throw this bait on either 6lb or 8lb test Sufix mono and reach even deeper when paralleling the bank. This bait is designed to “suspend” rather than float up when you stop your retrieve. Why is that important? There are times when I really believe that you can’t reel a crankbait back to the boat fast enough when the bass are very aggressive and they are determined to blast your bait. But then there are times when they aren’t nearly as aggressive but are still hungry and when you crank this bait down for several cranks then “STOP” and start again they will almost jerk the rod out of your hands. I guess they have been chasing the bait and when you stop they get a good look at it and when start your retrieve again they think it’s getting away.  Also I like to stop this bait when I have ricocheted off some type of structure. Many times I have been hung up, pooped the bait free, and as it suspends and then I began to crank “Walla” there they are.  Once again this is a must have in your tackle selection because it is so versatile. The GSR05 is a great all species trolling bait as well. The GSR05 is hand tuned and tank tested before in leaves the plant and will run straight and true every time right out of the box. Rapala is offering these in 3 different sizes and 9 different colors for the 2014 season.

The #5 Shad Rap RS

The SRRS05 has all the same stats that the #5 Glass Rap does and the same differences from the #5 Shad Rap. I use the same line weights, rod length and techniques that I do with the Glass Rap.  So you say “why then should I buy the RS? The answer is simple let’s use the Glass Brown Crawdad and the Crawdad RS as an example. When you get these in your hands, the first thing you will see is the deeper tones and varied paint schemes on the RS bait vs. the Glass bait and the same will hold true if you match up exact colors down the line. If you pay attention to Live Craws on the lakes you fish you will see that they take on different colors at different times of the year based on  multiple variables. The bait fish in our lakes will pick up different hews through the year as well based on water clarity, temperatures etc. So what? Call me what you will “Old Fashioned” “Picky” “Fussy” and I most likely qualify in each of these descriptions. But I absolutely I believe that there are times when different paint “tones” make a subtle but huge difference. And then there are times I can’t explain why, other than it becomes a confidence thing and you get in a zone of your own and it help your over all performance when your on the water. What ever the reason these are a absolute must for me as well. Rapala www.rapala.com is offering 3 different sizes and 9 different colors for the 2014 season as well.

This wasn’t a absolutely comprehensive over view but I hope this will help you at least a little to understand the differences between the 3 baits. The best way to know is go to your local tackle shop and get them in your hands and see what I’m talking about. If you have any additional questions contact me at rickm@dtccom.net  or www.tennesseebassguides.com or at 615-765-7303 and I will be happy to help you any way that I can.  Rick McFerrin