Favorite Rapala for Eyes

Just wondering what everyones favorite style and color for walleyes are?
I prefer the regular shad rap that is white with chartreuse on the top, seems to work the best for me.

#5 or #7 shad raps in firetiger, Taildancers and X raps close second.

That’s going to depend on time of year, location, depth, etc. It’s no secret that the HJ #12 firetiger was going good on Mille Lacs this fall (check the fishing reports here). Truthfully, you need a variety of types and colors to be prepared for any situation. The eyes will tell you which one they want.

I like the #5 Shad Rap, gold and black or pearl are the first colors I try.

Jolly, I agree with you. I use different rapalas. Times of the day, weather, time of the year, and the lake is the biggest difference. Water color, how clear is it? They also work great on the rivers. My go-to baits are shad raps, rattle-in shads, floating and countdowns. Floating for shallows in spring, and at nite. Shads for trolling, casting to weed edges, or rock reefs. Countdowns for deeper fishing, and suspended fish. Each time you hit the water it’s experiment time.

Firetiger, perch and crawdad in #5 and #7 shadraps.
Thanks, Bill

I’ll agree with Wade that the time of year has much to do with the style I use. My favorite for late spring to ice up is the #5 Shad Rap Baby Walleye or Baby Bass. These have produced a lot of nice eyes here on the Mississippi in WI. Of course, there is a little modification done. You sure get some looks when you are picking out nail polish for your cranks

I like the wonderbread Reef Runner, I like to use it anytime I am deep-water trolling. Otherwise I like the #5 or #7 Perch Shad Rap.

I agree with others it depends on time of year and body of water. The #12 Husky Jerks are a pretty hard to beat Fall trolling Mille Lacs. I do not think I could list one color. I have pounded fish with every color in the Husky Jerk rainbow, all depending on the night.

I also like Deep Tail Dancers in the Summer for Open Water trolling on the pond. Here, I do like the Firetiger and Clown baits. Like JB, I also like running the Deep Diving Reef Runners for this. Again hard to pick a single bait, but Cheap Sunglasses and BLack/Gold have produced for me the last two years.

The September Full Moon the Bent Lip Shad Raps in 7’s&9’s have put some nice fish in the boat also. With these, I have had luck with Perch, Firetiger and Doctored Chartuese Yellow backs.

Has anyone tried the new Cabelas line of cranks that are similar to the Reef Runner except that they are 2 bucks cheaper…I picked up a bunch yesterday for deep trolling on Mille Lacs to try! Yesterday they were 2 cranks for the price of 1..
I hate living close to Cabelas

I have used both the Shad Rap and Reef Runner like baits that Cabela’s has their name on. From what I can tell they run very similar to the originals. I haven’t had a chance to run them alot to see how good they stay in tune after getting fish or beating them on the rocks for a while, but the little bit I did, I liked them.

I wish I had a favorite “one”. That way I would have so many tackle boxes full on diffent ones!!!

Rattlin raps for me trolling shallow rivers in the fall for walleyes. Other than that I try to stay away from rapalas. To much money. Many other brands of crankbaits out there that work just as well if not better for alot less money.

Did I mention 6A bombers on sale at Gander for $1.18. See ya later Rapala’s.

I like the Jointed shad raps..I have taken a liking to the Bleeding Craw color, but..I prefer trolling cotton cordels though…Grappler shads and wally divers baby!
Another good one is rebel caws…they catch eyes too.
I agree that rapalas are pretty expensive, but they are nice you have to admit.

On the river I almost always start with Firetiger on one and perch or craw on the other. When the walleyes show a preference for either bright or natural colors I adjust accordingly.
For bright colors I like firetiger, chartruese, orange, and white. For naturals I like craw, perch, shad, black/gold, and (SHHHH!! don’t tell anyone) baby bass.
Don’t be afraid to change up colors in a hurry if the bite dies off.

I like the Husky Jerks for walleyes. Something about trolling suspending lures for eyes………. I just really like ’em. I’ve done well on Jointed Shads, Floating Raps 9 to 13, and shallow shads but I’ve also learned to pay attention to some of the Reef Runners, Smithwicks, Wally Divers, and Matzuo lures.

When it comes to eyes, I think WHEN you’re after them is more important than the “what” you’re using against them, regarding cranks anyway. I’ve also learned that good rattle cranks help in really dark situations.

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Firetiger, perch and crawdad in #5 and #7 shadraps.
Thanks, Bill

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Bill–Great minds think alike!! If I had to pick three, it would be those. I also like the walleye pattern and just picked up the Hot Perch pattern from Cabela’s.

I had good success last year with the jointed Shad Raps. I think the extra noise and movement gets a little more attention in the river when the water is a bit dirty. Isn’t it always a bit dirty?

Being a Cabela’s junkie, I also recently purchased a 12 pack of their brand of jointed shad baits. I look forward to dragging them around the river in the near future. I’ve got some new trolling rigs (long-line and lead-core) I’m dying to use.

Hmmmm…………would have to agree with some of the posts above…….so many situations in which to use different Rapalas…. one thing is for sure……..you can never have enough of them!!!!! There used to be a time when I first started walleye fishing that I just stuck to shad raps…..but then I realized what I was missing out on and had to expand the collection about…..well…..significantly…………
Most commonly used of them would have to be shad raps, both shallow running and deep (numerous sizes and colors), floating rapalas (numerous sizes and colors), and Taildancers (various sizes and colors…..those would be my top three styles……some of the others get use too…..but not as much….or not as frequently throughout the year……