Jigging Rapalas

[wa_walleye]

I have never used and want to try on Columbia and a couple resiovoirs. What sizes and color do you recommend. Primary forage perch and pike minnows. Which is more important in your opinion, variety of size or variety of color? FYI no live minnows allowed on the bodies of water. Thanks, Brian

[Walleye Express]

Brian.
The #5 and #7 are the most popular sizes. This will cover practically all the usual baitfish sizes. I do a little customizing on the Rapalas. I usually remove the short stubby belly hook and add an O-Ring first then attach a bigger treble.

Actually, I use the same trebles I take off my 1/4 ounce tots, when I trade them out for Gamagatzso's. The O-ring does two things. Lets your hook and offering hang down a little from the main body of the rapala itself. It also allows the bait to swing/pendulum easily into the walleyes mouth when he comes up and gives that little gill-flare to suck it in.

Best colors are another thing. I'd pick up the blue/silver, the perch, gold/orange and maybe the fire tiger. Should have you covered.

[wa_walleye]

Do you attach bait and if so how? I would prefer worms or leeches if there is a way. Minnows have to be dead here

[fire baller]

If it's legal, use a minnow head for jigging rapalas. Hook the head on to one of the tines on the treble. Make sure you cut the head off so the air bladder is removed--otherwise the bait won't hang very well below the lure. Expresses's advice is good, another thing the "o" ring will do is keep the hook from binding up against the body of the lure when playing a fish and you'll have fewer fish come off once they're hooked.

Personally, I like fire tiger, parrot, clown and a pink color made by Nils Master. My best luck has been on #3 size. Since the bait doesn't need to be alive, I usually carry my minnows in a small ziplock bag in my jacket pocket. Good luck!

[Walleye Express]

Fire baller is right.
Once you hook the minnow through the head, he's dead anyway. If the minnows you get are on the small side, hook one each on every hook on the treble. Hook them through the head, from top to bottom.

This cluster of small minnow gives off that squid flare attraction as you jig it. Sometime walleye love this bait bulking technique. Plus if you get a strike and miss it, odds are, not all three of the minnows will be taken. So you can get right back down for strike 2 or 3. I'm guessing that worms or leeches would be O.K. to impart a tasty scent trail, but will loose its appeal as an attractor under the ice.

[WALLEYE DREAMING]

Good idea on that o-ring dan I never thought of that ,I do change the treble hook though. That o-ring will save the life of that rapala too I have broken them changing hooks. Thanks Jimmy

[WAeyes]

I don't think worms or leeches is the right bait with these lures. At most, a small pinched off minnow head is appropriate but most of the time I like them just the way they are for the best action. I would recommend up sizing the treble hook one size bigger. Out here in the land of big walleyes I would go with a #9 in black and silver.

[Backwater Eddy]

WAeyes them are some nice fish in the #10 section, Ata-Boy!

I use Fewer JR's now then in the past, except for the tiny JR's for perch, them I still use.

The larger JR's have been replaced in my box with Nils Master Jigging Shads, I feel they work a bit better with the larger profile. Chubby Darters fill in the rest, and offer more vertical and horizontal coverage, I like them Chubbys.

(WAeyes drop me a email when you get time)
backwtr1@msn.com

[Adam]

And make sure you have a nice stiff rod to go with it too.

Adam.

[eyechsr]

when you say you like chubby darters do you mean the jigs that come in the plastic tubes? the ones the bass guys love so much? and if so you are using them for eyes?

[fire baller]

A Chubby Darter is a lure similar to a jigging rapala and is made by Salmo. The lures have a wobble action that is terrific IMHO. Backwater Eddy has posted their web site in the past.

[Walleye Express]

Adam.
Never confuse a "Chubby" for a "Stiff Rod". Sorry guys, I couldn't resist.

[Backwater Eddy]

Ya mean stiff like a Viagra Blue HT-30 rod, that stiff?

;)

Sorry......I couldn't help myself....it was just too tempting.

:D