rapalas

[captbreeks]

???Sometimes we have to spin.....This being the case can anyone share their experience of rapalas for salmon? The range is so vast and varied I would appreciate some pearls of wisdom. I have traditionally fished wooden devons but would like to try something a bit newer!
Ken.

[para1]

There are restrictions on the number of hooks you can have on Rapala's on some beats
I fish it quite a lot and personally I would use braid as my main line. The reason is you can cast a small Rapala on small diameter line easier.
The coulour range is enormous but I favour orange and gold when there is a bit of colour and black and gold most of the time.
I fished a beat on the Tweed and the gillie asked if I would like another rod made up for spinning, I said if I had to spin I would like to use the Rapala, he then told me about the hook restriction.
So there is a question. On a 2 hook Rapala which hook do you remove? Had some real debates about this ;D

[captbreeks]

Thanks for that, para1. Can you please elaborate on which 'models' you use? eg x rap, long cast minnow, countdown etc Also sizes?
Ken

[williegunn]

captbreeks said:

???Sometimes we have to spin.....

No we don't.

[captbreeks]

Thanks, Steve. I, too, treat spinning as a last ditch, boring occupation, but sometimes its the difference between wetting a line and driving 600 miles back home. In October I fished the Deveron only to be informed that the owner had unilaterally banned the spinner. There was, of course, a spate and I could fish the fly just one day out of six. As a once a year salmon fisher I found this a little disappointing - particularly as the rule was not mentioned when booking. I had fished the beat for the previous 30 years!

[Sloggi]

In the spinning section there is a thread on rapalas.

I spin if beat permits such atrocities and, strangely enough, I don't physically or mentally flagellate myself prior, during or after the event
(only one de-barbed hook, though)

[donnieW]

Rapalas - 13, 11 or 9 floating are deadly (I like orange/gold, silver or blue with orange being the most successful)but if there is a restriction on the number of hooks then I don't use them. They don't swim the same even with trebles made into doubles and certainly not with hooks removed. I would just use a Toby or flying C. As Para1 says, braid makes a huge difference as well.

[exerod]

I just don't get on with rapalas so I have nothing to add about them but I really must take issue with this!!!

steve said:

I find spinning very boring and if I'm honest I think it' s a bit of a cheap way of catching fish but sometimes in some places...

and

captbreeks said:

Thanks, Steve. I, too, treat spinning as a last ditch, boring occupation...

Spinning is as interesting as you care to make it. It can be too easy in good fly water where it quickly becomes dull, so I don't spin good fly water But in other waters if you take the trouble to think about what you are doing you can make it as interesting (or more interesting ) than fly fishing.

Andy (catcher of "cheap" salmon )

[para1]

williegunn said:

captbreeks said:

???Sometimes we have to spin.....

No we don't.

I think you should have said "No I don't"

[para1]

I have been told on numerous occasions by the gillie, "bring the spinning rod just incase ".
It's all very well if you can pick and chose when and where you can fish. But for us mere mortals I take the gillies advice.
I was even told on a good beat on the Spey "don't bother with fly tomorrow lads ".
RIP John and I hope you are still taking milk in your dram.

[turrifftackle]

Now then

Why RAPALA. ??

My customers will not buy anything other than this brand.
Are you all convinced it is the best!!

There are cheaper lures out there and they catch fish.
Or is it a tackle tart thing!!

Two years ago the Cascade fly was never heard of here on the Deveron - Ally's shrimp took all the fish- now 80% of fish are taken on the Cascade - because everydody is using them !

Frank

[donnieW]

I've tried some of the cheaper "rapalas" and they don't seem to wobble the same as the genuine ones. Quite often they turn on their sides a bit or they work intermittently. All too often the split rings and trebles are poor quality (Rapala trebles used to be awful but they seem to be better now). With Rapalas you know they will work. Expensive in this country but dirt cheap in USA....(sorry, turriftackle - not trying to do you out of business!)

[chasb]

I like rapalas for spinning but much prefer to fly fish, however I find it quite easy and very effective to fish a 6 or 9 cm floating rapala on a fly rod with a flaoting or fast intermediate line.

Roll or spey casting them is a doddle as they weigh so little and they can be easily control with movements of the line and rod.

It's also a good was of getting funny looks, looks of envy and a good few questions.

Not sure how 'ethical' some pursits may think of this method but it works well and is an option if it's a bit too high for fly.

[hornet]

Thinking about it casting a rapala would be not a bad thing to try if the water is against you for the fly.

What colour would you use.

Hornet

[chasb]

The flourescent orange or sliver/& blue, avoid the jointed ones they seem to get caught on the cast to easily and fish a short leader - max 4 ft

[zephead]

Late March/April and May Spring fishing on Tweed when the water has warmed up and the upstream Rapala is very effective.The best colours are orange,"the Clown" if you can get it and silver blue if the sun drops with black/silver useful if the day is bright.

Best with the 3 trebles removed and fished off a running rig with the vein drilled and the rear and front mount weighted so the fish can't lever himself off-the Tweed Byelaws have actually made it a more efficient lure to my mind especially if fish take it on the turn and are hooked in the scissors as the lure shoots straight up the line.

Not a fan of heavy tinslinging myself but have no qualms about following a competent Rapala expert down a pool,like one or two of the boatmen,as fished properly it causes so much less disturbance than a lot of rods do with a fly.Its also good upstreamed on a long line out of the boat in clear water wearing polaroids as the fish will come horsing up behind the back of the boat and its great to watch-the amount of times a fish will slash at it when it is out of the water on the lift is astonishing.Had a couple of light drenchings when a big fish has lunged at it.

Usually use the long floaters-not so keen on the countdowns unless its a deep poo.l

[greenbanks]

chasb said:

I like rapalas for spinning but much prefer to fly fish, however I find it quite easy and very effective to fish a 6 or 9 cm floating rapala on a fly rod with a flaoting or fast intermediate line.

Roll or spey casting them is a doddle as they weigh so little and they can be easily control with movements of the line and rod.

It's also a good was of getting funny looks, looks of envy and a good few questions.

Not sure how 'ethical' some pursits may think of this method but it works well and is an option if it's a bit too high for fly.

You started this off really well and then went downhill ;D
Stick with the fly Chasb its far more challenging and rewarding to do well, as well as being the most elegant and sporting way to spend time pursuing the capture of the noble salmon imho.
PS In the highest of water the fly will outscore the spinner 9 times out of ten in my experience as the fish will be tight in to the bank and the spinner doesnt like being in tight to the bank in a big water.It also will catch bankside vegetation submerged which a fly can float over.I stress ChasB This has nothing to do with snobbery so please dont let this reply annoy you,or others,its not meant to, i have fished for many, many years and have taken 100's of fish on spinners but dont find it satisfying now or rewarding in the way fly fishing is, and its a damned sight harder to return fish safely if you want to catch and release ,which i really want to do,but thats my choice.
Tight lines

SPK