Shad Raps for walleye

[IllinoisRip]

Besides being a musky fishermen (hooked by Ty putting me on my first one years ago) I have been a long time jig and live bait walleye fishermen. I will also use slip bobbers and live bait. Over the years I have seen posts on here that talk about casting shad raps in the spring on the Chip. I have trolled them in other bodies of water and have that down pretty well but if casting them what size and colors are used most often on the Chip? #5's????? #6's???? Shallow??? Deep runners??? Blue and White??? I also assume you are running the edge of the weedlines???? I am not asking for any secret spots just a lure use lesson from anyone that will share. By the way, they just opened a Scheels mega store in our town and was pleased to see Ty's Pacemakers in store stock. Not like i don't already own all the possible sizes and colors. Now my excuse I give my wife for buying so many baits at Pastikas and Rollies when up north won't work any more. She is smarter then I give her credit for. Thanks Rip.

[Trav]

Don't quote me on this, but I believe you are looking for a #5 or #7, which is about 2-3" long (can't remember). Also, I like Husky Jerks and the X-Raps too. HJ10 will get you a 4" Husky Jerk and I don't know the size of the X-Raps. But from 2.5 to 4.5 inches would be the ideal size I think.

Trav

[Good guy]

We have been very successful catching Walleyes by throwing Rapalas in the Spring. Obviously, weather can play a part but we usually throw them over rock bars or sand bars. I have thrown Rapalas in the stumps and against islands that have emergent vegetation as well. Nice thing is when they hit, they really smack it.

[Ty Sennett]

The shad rap I use the most is not the largest one they make but the size down from that one. Same with the Husky Jerk. Colors seem to very greatly but golds and natural colors seem to work best. The lindy shadlings also work well.

[perchoreno]

the largest srap they make is a 9 and size down from that is a 7
both numbers of which supposably denote max depth attained.

[RobertTB]

Years ago, like in the early 1970's, we used to go out about an hour or 2 prior to sundown and fish 'till maybe midnight. We'd fire #11 floating Rapala's(silver or gold) along shoreline weed edges, or better yet wood areas, with Zebco 33's and glass rods. Got a fair amount of eater size walleyes and crappies, some mondo crappie to boot. Once in a while, a small Muskie would get caught.

I reckon times and patterns have changed. I know I have a tough time getting past mosquito hour now, so I don't put up with that much anymore. Now, I'm talking a mid-August pattern, mind you.

I recall casting out, and you'd listen for the splash of the Rapala on the water, then retrieve just fast enogh to get the bait to wiggle just under the surface. Often, you'd hear a fish take the bait, a splash it was, and the fight was on. It was a riot, untill you put the fish in the net with all those tiny trebles. Flash light and lots of un-tangling. hahahaha But, we'd come in with a few on the stringer and head to the fish house for some fillets. It was great stuff.

[Ty Sennett]

That still works today Robert. We do the same thing all spring and summer. We use some deeper diving cranks also. I haven't tried that tactic in the fall though. I'm always chasing muskies at that time.