Lure of the week: Rapala’s Shadow Rap Shad
Lure manufacturers have long been in a race to come up with the bait that best imitates a struggling shad.
Rapala thinks it has won that race with the Shadow Rap Shad, which is making waves this spring. The lure is a jerkbait — nothing new there. But it’s how this lure acts when it is paused that makes it stand out, pro fishermen say.
It shimmies, then slowly rises, mimicking an injured baitfish.
“It’s got an action that is unique for a jerkbait,” said fishing legend and Rapala pro, Al Lindner. “The rise is slow it’s like a minnow quivering as it is about to die.
“Fish haven’t seen it before. That’s why it is so deadly.”
The Shadow Rap Shad comes in models that target two different depth ranges — 3 feet to 4 feet and 6 feet to 7 feet. Rapala advertise it as “an all-season jerbait.”
It comes in 10 color patterns.
Brent Frazee: 816-234-4319, @fishboybrent
This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Lure of the week: Rapala’s Shadow Rap Shad."