Smallmouth Spectacles
with Rapala’s X-Rap
The X-Rap, one of the best lures
developed for smallmouth bass fishing,
slashes its way to big fish during the
summer to fall transitional period.
By:
Andrew Ragas
Date Posted: September 15, 2011
The long
and warm dog days of summer morph into
the shorter, cooler and crisp days of
early fall. Water temperatures on lakes
that were once warm at 75 degrees begin
to gradually plummet into the cool 60
degree range, triggering a transitional
period feeding binge for all species of
fish.
Summertime recreational boat traffic and
fishing pressure subsides, leaving many
lakes open to anglers who are after some
of the finest action of the season. This
time of the year is one of my favorites
for loading up on smallmouth bass. My
favorite way to take advantage of this
period is by fishing with suspending
jerkbaits such as the Rapala X-Rap.
Nicknamed as the “smallmouth
spectacular” by my friends and me, the
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.
Smallmouth bass are peculiar predators,
notorious for exhibiting curious
behavior towards their environments and
surroundings. At times they will sneak
up to check out and sniff a lure.
Sometimes they will completely ignore
everything altogether. While other
times, they will smash and crush moving
baits and anything in sight. Anglers who
are passionate about smallmouth bass
fishing live for these magical moments
when schools of fish transform into
attack mode and feed on anything in
sight.
For
anglers who are as curious as smallmouth
bass are, there are a few different
factors that elicit this aggressive fish
behavior. First, the days grow shorter
and sunlight penetration decreases. This
leads smallmouths to abandon their main
lake deep water summertime locations,
moving into shallower water where more
food sources are present in areas with
sunlight. Second, colder water
temperatures make smallmouths switch
their food preferences from crayfish to
baitfish, which requires aggressive
feeding. Lastly, water temperatures
begin to cool. Water temperatures that
gradually fall from the 70’s into the
50’s triggers aggressive feeding for all
species of fish. This is a sign for
smallmouths that winter is on its way
and forage species will no longer be in
abundance. With the conditions and
seasons changing, smallmouths realize
it’s time for them to eat.
During
the summer to fall transitional period,
there are two ways to go about and catch
smallmouth bass with X-Raps. I like to
fish for structured fish and suspended
fish.
Structured
Smallies
X-Rap
smallmouths are best fished around
shallow structure when water
temperatures are in the range of 56 to
70 degrees. At midday, when sunlight
peaks, smallmouth bass can be found in
their classic summer locations. Fish
disperse and feed heavily on both
crayfish and structure-oriented baitfish
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 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.
Suspended
Smallies
In the
autumn, usually when water temperatures
drop to below 58 degrees, majority of
the smallmouth will begin suspending off
structure in lakes where they aren’t
feeding predominantly on forage species
in shallow water. Most of my fishing for
suspended smallmouths occurs in depths
ranging from 15 to 40 feet.
On most
of my good smallmouth lakes, I focus on
the same main-lake structures that fish
have been using for most of the summer.
A long shallow sand point that extends
out into deeper water and has rocks and
boulders lined along the bottom near the
drop-off is a perfect example. One of
the best places anyone can begin fishing
for suspenders are breaks that drop
quickly into deep water.
Finding
suspended fish can be difficult, but
using the right tools simplifies the
process. The best way I locate
smallmouths is by using my boat’s
electronics and frequently scanning the
water column. Besides electronics,
another good method to finding fish is
observing the water as the sight of
surfacing baitfish signifies the nearby
presence of smallmouths.
Usually
smallmouths will be in groups, hovering
beneath schools of baitfish and
ambushing them from unsuspecting angles.
In this situation my favorite way to
fish the X-Rap is to make long casts in
the direction of the baitfish. The
retrieve will often be painfully slow,
with long pauses allowing for the lure
to fall at the depths baitfish are
suspended. The occasional jerk with the
long pause portrays an injured minnow
within the school, which often triggers
smallmouths into biting.
Techniques
Due to
its slender profile and strong
construction, the X-Rap is built for
accurate, long distance casting. The
X-Rap incorporates a long-cast design,
enabling weights to shift during the
cast. Its weight-forward design is a
benefit because it allows anglers to
cover vast amounts of water quickly,
making it an effective search bait.
The key
characteristic of the X-Rap is that it
can be fished in any type of manner and
according to the moods and feeding
patterns of the fish. This correlates
with the retrieve of the X-Rap and the
way it is fished as it involves a lot of
mixing and matching according to the
behavior of the fish.
My
success with the X-Rap is always
dictated by the activity and aggression
levels of the fish. For instance, on
days when smallmouths are active and
striking everything in sight, I prefer
retrieving the X-Rap with an erratic
hard wrist twitching and rod ripping
motion. In this situation the rod tip is
pointed down towards the water and I
employ a rapid erratic rip-pull-rip
motion through the water. After a series
of 3 to 5 rips, I allow the lure to
pause for a second before resuming the
motions again. Another tactic that works
well is the sweep retrieve. This is
similar to the hard twitching retrieve
but instead of rapid erratic jerks I use
longer, more powerful jerks with
slightly longer pauses.
On some
days there are occasions where
smallmouths are in negative moods. These
scenarios occur during cold fronts,
early mornings when daily water
temperatures are at their coldest, and
on calm sunny afternoons. In these
situations I significantly slow down my
rate of retrieve by making long casts
coupled with long pauses. Sometimes dead
sticking the X-Rap is required to elicit
strikes from smallmouths. It is
important to note that this style of
retrieve works well in other adverse
conditions such as when fish are
suspending in open water.
There
are many other great methods for fishing
the X-Rap. However, the best retrieve is
one where the angler can be creative and
form an aggressive retrieve that is
based according to the behavior of the
fish.
In
addition to retrieve, another important
factor leading to success is that this
style of fishing is very visual. The
majority of my strikes are often seen in
the water through the aid of polarized
sunglasses. Having a keen eye on the
suspending jerkbait being retrieved
through the water and reacting quickly
to smallmouths when they are seen
ambushing the lure leads to increased
catch rates.
Gear and
Color Styles
In order
to successfully fish X-Raps, spinning
rods with a lot of power and sensitivity
are important. One of the big questions
I’m often asked by anglers is whether to
use braided lines or easy casting
copolymers. According to Rapala’s
website and some known tournament
anglers, X-Raps are suggested to be
fished with braided superlines due to
their strength and abilities to cast for
longer distances. Although these are
good characteristics, braided lines are
poor for fishing an extreme action
slashbait like the X-Rap. They are bad
at absorbing shock from the powerful
hook sets needed, and they impair the
lure’s action during the retrieve by a
significant amount. In addition, they
float which is a poor characteristic for
a bait that is fished best while
suspended. With all that being said, I
recommend easy casting copolymers.
I very
rarely use baitcasting equipment with
X-Raps because it impairs casting
distance and action. For all of my X-Rap
fishing, I prefer using 7 foot medium or
medium heavy fast action spinning rods
with size 30 reels. The rods must have a
strong backbone and a lot of sensitivity
for maximizing the bait’s action and
feeling any subtle strikes from fish.
The rod I exclusively use for this style
of fishing is a 7 foot Quantum Tour
Edition that is paired up with a size 30
Quantum Catalyst. This reel is the
perfect size for long accurate casts
because it holds up to 200 yards of
either 8 lb. P-Line Evolution or
Cortland Endurance. Both are easy
casting and abrasion-resistant copolymer
lines.
One last
question facing anglers are sizes and
color styles. I typically fish with the
XR8 which is a ¼ oz. lure at over 3
inches long that reaches depths of 3 to
5 feet on the average retrieve. This is
a good all-around size for catching both
numbers and sizes of fish. I use it
year-round. In addition, I sometimes
increase the size to a 4 inch XR10, but
I only do this in late fall when bigger
smallmouths are present.
As far
as color styles are concerned, the X-Rapis
available in 19 different colors. Since
smallmouths often feed by sight, I’ve
had my best success using the brightest,
most obnoxious colors that I can get
away with. My favorite is “Hot Head,” a
fluorescent orange/yellow color
combination that drives the fish wild.
Other noteworthy colors that I have had
excellent success with are “Rusty
Crawdad”, “Clown”, “Copperhead”, and
“Moss Chartreuse Shad”. These bright
colors are typically used in depths
shallower than 15 feet, especially when
fish are on structure.
Traditional wisdom suggests that these
bright colors should only be used in
waters with reduced clarity.
Unfortunately I break the rules of the
bass fishing color barrier. Over the
years I’ve learned that these bright
colors have little effect on the fish in
lakes with the clearest water clarity.
The erratic action of the retrieve along
with its bright color actually attracts
fish from a distance and entices them
into striking more often than using
something that looks more natural and
matches the hatch. The only situation
where I would use naturalistic colors is
when fishing for suspended smallmouths
later in the fall, and especially when
it’s entirely a baitfish bite. Preferred
colors for suspended smallmouths are
“Moss Black Shiner”, “Glass Ghost”,
“Olive Green”, and “Perch”.
I’m
often told by anglers that fishing with
the X-Rap requires little skill, and the
bait will catch fish regardless of color
and retrieve being used. I’ve fished
head-to-head against others by utilizing
different color schemes and retrieves,
yet casting at the same angles, and I
have always come out on top by
outfishing them. When fishing the X-Rap,
presentation is everything, and the way
you approach the fish and adapt to their
behaviors and interests truly makes a
difference between success or failure.
In
summer of 2005, I tied on my first ever
X-Rap. In recent years I have been able
to experience this phenomenon of fast
action smallmouth bass fishing on almost
every lake I fish. Nowadays, I always
keep a rod tied up with a size-8 X-Rap
so that I can take advantage of these
feeding periods during the summer to
fall transition. With all this success
and the possibilities for big fish, who
wouldn’t want to do the same?
