this is quite a matter or like it or leave it. there a quite a few who just adore these type lures and others not too much as the general gist is that they entagle quite often with other lines.
I think the research behind rapalas are great and the movement is stunning, however, through experience they tend to need re trimming from time to time and if get mishandled by a large fish, they could be just good for the trash.
However, not a first if you have 3 different type of lures out there that the rapala creates quite a bit of havoc.
What are all your thoughts and experiences?
YOURS FIN
In general now I say No to rapala! In a spread of several rods they do get entangled and severaly restrict the turning ability of the boat, and sometime you need to make a sharper than normal turn.
Their swimming action acts as quite a good attractor, so if you're not running anything else like spreader bars there's that to consider. I reckon keep one very close to the back of the boat in the most turbulent part of the wake as this is where big fish come up for prey.
Maybe the casting type if you are around a school of fish but not the trolling type anymore for me!
Skip
RAPALA......
Speed of the vessel is an important factor for the rapala performance.
I believe that either you spread out rapala or other brand lures and troll with a 6 knots max speed or else you equip all rods with squids and troll with a faster speed.
Keep in mind the speed factor......squids tend to like more speed on the boat.
What about YOZURI???? I managed my best catches on YOZURI lures.
also.....colour of lures...last year albacore went crazy for pink and orange colours.
I still recall the time when green was so succesful ::)
Placebo,
Never used the Yo-zuri's so maybe you'll have to bring over your best ones and we'll give em a go this season!
Skip
Hey placebo,
are those Yo-zuri with the jet head configuration which gives an extra wake behind them?
YOURS FIN
the yozuri lures I tend to love the most.
If you're talking about jet heads you must see the Williamson new range
Hey Placebo,
Which Yozuri's do you recommend, I had a quick look at their site but am curious to know what works well here.
Skip
Hydro Magnums from Yo ZURI.... :o I am revealing some secrets here!!!!!
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Placebo, we use a lot of the YoZori's here on the west cost of California. They now out sell the Rapala here....Just very effective when trolling,,,and you can cast some of them..
Yo-zuri hydro squirt are very effective but seem to have the same problem as the Rapalas. They tangle with other lines! Anyone got any experience with the williamson jet heads. Are they effective on Albies ?
Jet heads should work well on the Abies yep, they seem to like the Jet Trail!
Hey i am quite sure that jet heads with a tummy bonito wrap attached is going to be the killer this year.....
FIN
I have a new configuration to set up which will include, rapalas, jet heads and possible cedar plugs all trolled behind with six rods, we shall see who will pick up most fish.
Ill keep you all posted on results.
FIN
If you use fish shaped lures close in to the boat or furthest out you reduce the tangling of lines .
What about putting a so called rapala on the spreader bars.
so far 2007 has produced the biggest fish (which we all lost ) right under the transom when we least expected it.... SKIP and I on atleast 2seperate occassion nearly went for a pre mature dip... all resulted in losing the lure , with a snapped line!
This year non of that anymore we are going to be well prepared for anything close!
FIN
I want to revisit the Rapala issue, well those type of lures, a) have them rigged much closer to the boat and b) have them flat lined which we've not done before.
Flat Lining them will help keep them clear of the other lines which can be rigged higher, still flat lined but slightly higher.
I actually caught a BFT as I was deploying the rapala it had just cleared the main wake turbublence and I was not prepared for it. Thank god the drag was pretty loose as I was deploying but it was still a big shock!