Rapala for pike

[fordtruckin]

Wondering what everyone’s go to rapala for pike is? I’m looking to stock up on a bunch for a Minnesota fishing trip this year in addition to a bunch of Ken Thompson I already have. Trying to expand past a red n white and five of diamonds although it is hard to argue with results!

[Dewey Cox]

If Rapala made spoons, would they be Sven Thompson's?

[Curtsyneil]

I don’t know if you even have to look for a special rapala for pike!! If it rattles I’m sure it will work. Man I hate pike!!!!

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Curtsyneil

I don’t know if you even have to look for a special rapala for pike!! If it rattles I’m sure it will work. Man I hate pike!!!!

I guess with all the variations is it better to use the original floating or count down, shad rap, husky jerk etc… was thinking of floating just to cast over weed beds and reel out to try and not get caught up. I’d rather fish for pike then trout any day of the week! Lol

[Smoky buck]

Rapala peto is probably one of the best big pike lures rapala makes. The twitch rap glide bait is good too

In all honesty there is much better option for pike lures than rapala

Really a big soft plastic paddle tail swimbait rigged weedless on a weighted owner beast hook is hard to beat.

[Smoky buck]

I own a ton of rapalas and they sit in my shop when I go pike fishing. Even the two I recommend don’t get tied on my line anymore really. Right next to all the spoons I own in a large assortment of brands and colors

There is just better options

[pikergolf]

I have had good luck with these. Take the back hook off and put an extra ring on the front hook. Two rings in tandem makes it harder for the fish to twist the hook out.

https://www.rapala.ca/ca_en/super-shad-rap

Oh and the large Williams Whitefish spoons, although it is like cheating, using those.

[Prairiewolf]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

If Rapala made spoons, would they be Sven Thompson's?

Very nice.

A few folks have mentioned the original floating Rapala - I agree, though I have had more success with those in F3 size on trout with slow retrieve near shore.

I think a larger size of floater, or XRap would be my play for Pike.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Prairiewolf

Very nice.

A few folks have mentioned the original floating Rapala - I agree, though I have had more success with those in F3 size on trout with slow retrieve near shore.

I think a larger size of floater, or XRap would be my play for Pike.

I use the f7 on several well know trout streams in Montana with great success on rainbows and browns. (Bonus is the disgusting look the fly fishing crowd gives you!)Use a rainbow brown or Brooke trout pattern.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

I use the f7 on several well know trout streams in Montana with great success on rainbows and browns. (Bonus is the disgusting look the fly fishing crowd gives you!)Use a rainbow brown or Brooke trout pattern.

Bonus is always a good thing

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

If Rapala made spoons, would they be Sven Thompson's?

Am I the only one that remembers... Rapala DID make spoons? Weedless spoons that got hit quite a lot, but had an absolutely abysmal hook up percentage. Later they started putting trebles on them, but I never did try that version.

For actual Rapala lures I've used the F18, Super Shad, and Rattling plugs with good success in the past. In more recent times the classic balsa wood plugs have been bad for losing their lips, and I've never liked their plastic plugs that much.

For Rapala-like lures that are excelent, last year I started experimenting with saltwater plugs that are popular with the Striper/ Surf fishing crowd on the east coast. The Yo-Zuri hydro minnow, and Daiwa SP minnow both proved to be very effective... with the Yo-Zuri being the best in my situation.

With an assortment of spoons, a few soft plastics, and a couple spinnerbaits you can catch pike almost anywhere. For me to carry cranks they need to be able to work in a situation where the afore mentioned lures do not... which I've never really found Rapala's to do. The Hydro and SP Minnows can be fished on a very slow retrieve, in very shallow water, with lots of long pauses, which IS something those other lures wont do very well.

[pikergolf]

I know these folks personally (brother and his wife). This is top notch stuff, very full bucktails and high end components, you will not be disappointed.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...f-34ae23d39b0c

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I know these folks personally (brother and his wife). This is top notch stuff, very full bucktails and high end components, you will not be disappointed.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...f-34ae23d39b0c

Link doesn’t work

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Link doesn’t work

Hmmm. works for me, maybe you have to sign in?
I logged out and still got it?

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I know these folks personally (brother and his wife). This is top notch stuff, very full bucktails and high end components, you will not be disappointed.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...f-34ae23d39b0c

Got a bunch of similar lures too, funny last trip to Manitoba my son used them to pull up two great gators suspended in 30 fow....we thought dropping them down slowly for what we thought were lakers turned out to be pike....they work.

Again if you limit yourself regarding tackle well ya might just be fishing....

[SamSteele]

I have a box full of Rapala Peto, Otus, and Haku lures that get used quite a bit for big spring pike, but they aren’t cheap to stock up on. They make a small and larger version of the Peto and the small one is pretty good for most size of pike.

I would second getting some paddletail softbaits and add either a stinger harness or a 1/2-3/4 oz heavy duty swimbaits jighead. Casts a mile, is relatively weedless with the hook up, cheap, and effective. Also easier to pop out a single than double trebles.



Here’s a pike tooth stuck in a Rapala Otus after a missed strike.

SS


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[58thecat]

Xraps work too

https://www.rapala.ca/ca_en/x-rap?childSku=ca-XR12CLN

But these are great...Cisco kid....


https://suick.com/product-category/cisco-kid-by-suick/

Whatever you do don’t limit yourself, get a few of each brand, color, size etc....ain’t cheap but so many times I have seen people fishing while others are catching by having the right lure available.

Nothing wrong with Len Thompson #4 or smaller too

[Probar]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

I have a box full of Rapala Peto, Otus, and Haku lures that get used quite a bit for big spring pike, but they aren’t cheap to stock up on. They make a small and larger version of the Peto and the small one is pretty good for most size of pike.

I would second getting some paddletail softbaits and add either a stinger harness or a 1/2-3/4 oz heavy duty swimbaits jighead. Casts a mile, is relatively weedless with the hook up, cheap, and effective. Also easier to pop out a single than double trebles.



Here’s a pike tooth stuck in a Rapala Otus after a missed strike.

SS


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This!!

Rapala Rattlin’ Rapala in the lime green on top, lemon middle and orange bottom has always been my go to for years. Buy all the sizes. Still is if nothing else works. It works for casting, trolling wet water and jigging the hard water. I amount of bonus walleye caught on it makes it a legacy hook in my tackle box.

But as of late I agree with Sam. I have been using jig heads with whatever tailed jig you want, and a stinger. This combo has been hell for the soft bite fish lately. Jig head hook through the head. Stinger (I use a treble) through the tail of the minnow…… takes care of these mooching fish during the soft bite.

I watched 30-40 fish tapping both kinds of hooks the last few weeks. Rapala they “mooch” the body and spit it out. Soft jig with a stinger they do the same thing, but it’s all hooks.

Come here pan lizard!

Again, I make my own stingers (mooch rigs) with fluorocarbon leaders and trebles. The ones you buy are not great.

Oh right!! Rapala that is lime, lemon, orange!!!

Happy fishing


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[graybeard]

If you don't mind sharing, what are some of your favorite baits and rigs for ice fishing pike and walleye around Calgary.

For me I have jigged with Rapalas, jig head and a minnow, the odd Len Thompson, and a variety of mismanaged/testing of a number of combinations....etc

Thanks

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by graybeard

If you don't mind sharing, what are some of your favorite baits and rigs for ice fishing pike and walleye around Calgary.

For me I have jigged with Rapalas, jig head and a minnow, the odd Len Thompson, and a variety of mismanaged/testing of a number of combinations....etc

Thanks

I don’t like ice fishing much and mostly just toss a hearing or large smelt down the hole. It’s just killing time for me till open water comes and I take things more seriously

Open water I touched on in PM

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by graybeard

If you don't mind sharing, what are some of your favorite baits and rigs for ice fishing pike and walleye around Calgary.

For me I have jigged with Rapalas, jig head and a minnow, the odd Len Thompson, and a variety of mismanaged/testing of a number of combinations....etc

Thanks

For walleye I mostly use a 1/8th oz jighead, with half of a salted shiner on it. The half shiner hangs horizontally better, and makes it harder for them to strip the bait without getting hooked. I also use 1/4 oz spoons baited with a half shiner.

For Pike my favored presentation is salted sardines. I also use 1/2 oz spoons baited with a half shiner, you can go bigger, for some reason I've just gravitated to using relatively small spoons through the ice. Rattlin' raps are good too except that you cant add bait without killing the action, so their effectiveness varys from day to day.

[Gbuss]

I would look at those double bladed muskie spinners. Don't fish heavy weed cover their look for lily pads next to sandy bottoms. That is money for that area.

[Smoky buck]

If you are getting misses on bucktails buy or make them like this one with two hooks




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[aulrich]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

If you are getting misses on bucktails buy or make them like this one with two hooks




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I think we are talking two different baits, when I say spinner bait I am thinking of the safety pin type, I call the one in the picture an in-line spinner I just started throwing last summer and need more. it's the previous that drove me nuts, I get plenty of hits but so few stay pinned.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by aulrich

I think we are talking two different baits, when I say spinner bait I am thinking of the safety pin type, I call the one in the picture an in-line spinner I just started throwing last summer and need more. it's the previous that drove me nuts, I get plenty of hits but so few stay pinned.

Here is the stinger I usually run on spinner baits.




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[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Here is the stinger I usually run on spinner baits.




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Normally when I’m using gang hooks most people put a swivel between them. It will help the rear hook track straight, help it keel and it’ll give the fish less leverage with the two hooks to get himself unhooked.

Now I only use them on bottom rigs because there are better options for troll rigs.





On your rig, do the hooks ride point up or down and does the front hook have a swivel so it can keel or are they fixed?




OP.

My most successful Rapala in Alberta was this one.







It caught everything and it was THE gun colour but more importantly then the lure was the depth your running it at and where the fish are. That one, at my troll speed and with the amount of line I let out would run 10.5-11’ down. I would troll it in 12-14’ of water on the bottom of a drop off. During the summer there would be weeds about 1’ tall. The fish would sit in the weeds. The lure would skirt just across the top within a foot or two of the bottom. It was deadly.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Coiloil37

Normally when I’m using gang hooks most people put a swivel between them. It will help the rear hook track straight, help it keel and it’ll give the fish less leverage with the two hooks to get himself unhooked.

Now I only use them on bottom rigs because there are better options for troll rigs.





On your rig, do the hooks ride point up or down and does the front hook have a swivel so it can keel or are they fixed?




OP.

My most successful Rapala in Alberta was this one.







It caught everything and it was THE gun colour but more importantly then the lure was the depth your running it at and where the fish are. That one, at my troll speed and with the amount of line I let out would run 10.5-11’ down. I would troll it in 12-14’ of water on the bottom of a drop off. During the summer there would be weeds about 1’ tall. The fish would sit in the weeds. The lure would skirt just across the top within a foot or two of the bottom. It was deadly.

The hook is intentionally rigged to be fix riding point up because it is a big part of what makes a spinner bait mostly weedless. If fishing areas weeds are no issue a basic stinger with a short leader/swivel is a good option. The other option is running a weedless swimbait hook/with a larger grub on a swivel similar to your pic. But if I am not dealing with weeds I normally don’t use a spinner bait at all

The style of stinger I posted has a function and is extremely common even with the guy fishing Murray cod in your part of the world. It’s used by this crowd because is done right you can ride the spinner bait over logs with out hanging up

Sometimes there is trade offs made to adapt to different conditions

[Kokaneeranger]

It's mostly marketed as a Bass bait, but I've recently discovered the Rapala DT series to be a hit with pike. These baits cast a mile, dive quick and deep, and call fish in with it's internal rattle. The DT series comes in a variety of dive depths so you can really dial things in and find a model for pretty much any depth, I use them from ice off to late fall. It's hard to beat a Shad rap or Scatter rap for trolling but the DT series is now my "go to" crank for pike. Chucking an X-rap in cold water is pretty fun as well.