20 Most Influential Bass Fishing Lures | No. 14 Rapala Shad Rap
Posted by Jason Sealock on Wed, Apr 06, 2011 @ 08:01 AM
We're easing down the through the first half of our list and we've hit one of the most popular lures in the list. Many folks will scoff at the Rapala Shad Rap being No. 14 on our list. The fact is if this list was the 20 most popular fishing lures and was not specifically for bass and was not based on influence on anglers and manufacturers, this bait would probably be in our top 5.
The bait was made in 1982 to improve on predecessors offerings. It was designed to closely mimic baitfish profiles with good buoyancy, straight subtle tracking and castability. And there have been more than 2 million Shad Raps sold in various colors and sizes and variations. So you can't really leave it off the list.
This bait made throwing finesses crankbaits on light line and spinning tackle en vogue on the tournament trail when the water was cold and the bass were sluggish. Several pros still throw this bait for coldwater, although hardly any talk about it much anymore. It's a confidence factor for a lot of tough coldwater fishing.
But the bait works in a variety of situations and works really well for a variety of species. It's a staple in the walleye world and we'd argue that four colors account for the majority of the Shad Rap sales. Those would be Silver, Gold, Firetiger and Crawdad.
For a time this bait was rented out by guide houses up north because it was so productive when it first hit the market, and the supply was so limited. Today this bait still sells extremely well.
So it has stood the test of time, developed a niche in crankbait fishing, caught numerous species of fish and sold millions of units. For those reasons the Rapala Shad Rap is our No. 14 Most Influential Bass Fishing Lure.