The Rapala X-Rap is an extreme action slash bait that was released in 2004. When Rapala introduced the X-Rap, they not only brought a great new lure to fishermen, but they introduced an entirely new fishing system that revolutionized the way anglers fish jerkbaits. The versatility of the X-Rap allows an angler to impart several different motions and actions in a single retrieve, and it triggers strikes when most other baits fall short. Of the dozens of baits and lure choices I can try for smallmouth bass, nothing rivals the effectiveness of an X-Rap.

On Monday May 20th, I had a 60 fish afternoon fishing a 300 acre lake not many folks know about. Dozens of smallies in the 16-19 inch range were caught from this infertile oligotrophic lake. Rapala Xrap was the hot lure.

Lake Profile

Size: 300 acres
Lake Type: Oligotrophic
Maximum Depth: 55 feet
Avg. Depth Fished: 5 to 10 feet
Water Clarity: 18 feet
Primary Fishery: Smallmouth bass, walleye, muskellunge
Areas of Focus: Windblown shorelines, timber, sandbars
Time of Day: 11am to 4pm
Lure Used: Rapala X-Rap 08 Purple Gold

During the spring pre-spawn period, X-Rap smallmouths are best fished around shallow structure when water temperatures are in the range of 50 to 60 degrees. At peak feeding hours, fish will congregate in staging areas outside of known spawning sites, and ambush structure-oriented and pelagic baitfish species in relatively shallow water on main-lake structures such as rock bars, points, and drop-offs in depths of 6 to 15 feet. In addition, fish may even be in the extreme shallows feeding near downed wood cover and piers.

Smallmouth bass that are situated in shallow and mid-depth ranges like this are known to be most aggressive, and clearly exhibit their competitive nature. These fish tend to ambush and feed in groups of up to half a dozen fish. When hooked, it is a common occurrence to have followers trailing behind, attempting to steal the bait. Structure oriented smallmouths are the fish I prefer targeting most often. When they’re aggressively feeding and showing interest in the X-Rap it’s a guaranteed bite.

When smallmouths are located in the shallows, and can be seen in the water feeding and traveling in their packs, the best way to fish an X-Rap is to be as aggressive as possible. I make long casts so as not to spook the fish, and use erratic retrieves with frequent jerks. Fish will usually strike on the pause.

I have observed that when fish are located near structure, they will make frequent trips into shallower or deeper water if necessary. Therefore, it is important to make adjustments along the way in terms of boat positioning and casting angles. I’ve had some of my best and most epic days of X-Rap structure fishing during windy conditions by following the windblown shorelines. However, if fish are showing signs of aggression then they can be caught in nearly all conditions.

Read More about Fishing the X Rap

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