The Rapala X-Rap Long Cast is one of the most versatile saltwater lures ever developed, not to mention one of the most effective. It can be fished in a variety of ways, and whether you troll it, cast it, jig it, rip it, twitch it, or use it in some other way, it drives big saltwater predators crazy.
It’s also built tough, to stand up to repeated strikes and long battles, and is specially weighted for those extra long casts, even in the face of a stiff headwind.
But, like any lure, knowing how to use it is one of the keys to success. It will not do the catching for you. You still need to work the thing.
So, on that note, here are 3 tips, gleaned from experience, which, if you put them into practice the next time you’re on the water, just might help you boat more fish. With no further ado, let’s get right into them.
Get Aggressive with Presentation
First, we want to issue a disclaimer. There will be times you’re fishing a Rapala X-Rap when you are not expressly or explicitly targeting identifiable structure. That’s acceptable; such as when you’re walking the surface and blindly casting to whatever’s cruising up and along the bars and in and out of the troughs.
But there will be times when you are specifically targeting structure with a Rapala X-Rap. You could be fishing piles, docks, jetties, reefs, or fishing the lure vertically over wrecks or other structure. You might just be casting it up against a cordgrass bank.
Regardless, you need to get aggressive with how close you get to that structure.
Trust us, we get the concern. If you work an expensive lure like this too close to a wreck where a big fish is hiding, that thing might inhale your X-Rap, drag it right back into a hole, and wind your leader 50 times around a pile before you ever even have a chance to respond. Sometimes this will result in a lost lure.
And then there are other times when you just don’t want to get too close, not because you’re concerned a fish will take off with the lure and make it impossible to get it back, but because you know you might snag the structure whether there’s a fish there or not.
This can also happen, but regardless, it is worth the risk. If you’re not getting aggressive with your presentation, and even occasionally losing lures, are you even really fishing?
We say no. Look, no one wants to lose a rig, let alone a lure as expensive as a Rapala X-Rap, but what’s worse is missing out on fish because you’re too skittish to drop your lure right on your target’s nose.
Yes, there is a risk. Sometimes you will get a snag. But you will also draw more strikes, and that’s why you went out on the water in the first place. Take the chance and cast just a little further, and work on getting less shy about putting your X-Rap right up against the structure where you think your trophy is hiding. At least some of the time, you will be right.
Slow Down
Sometimes, ripping a lure is the way to get the attention of your target. This happens, for instance, when blues are blitzing through a school of bunker. In instances like these, a more aggressive lure cadence with fewer to no pauses is the way to go.
But it is the minority circumstance. More of the time, you will be more successful if you are more metered in how you work the lure. This is especially true when the water is cool, or is cooling off, such as later in the fall and in the winter.
Low water temperatures often make fish skittish, and sometimes make them slower to respond, or less likely to respond to an aggressive presentation outright. When these conditions prevail, a more cautious lure cadence will be more successful more of the time.
Fishermen have a habit of working their lures too fast, anyway. You don’t need to do that. In fact, except when you’re trying to draw a strike purely from reaction, convincing the predator that the target is weaker is a better move, anyway.
On that note, strong, healthy baitfish don’t make a strong getaway. They’re sluggish, make intermittent motions, and struggle. The more you can convince your target that the bait you’re emulating is in bad shape, the better for you.
Often this means slowing your presentation and retrieve down. Try it and see if it makes a difference for you.
Pause the Rapala X-Rap
We’ve saved the single most important recommendation for last. While a straight retrieve often works (just like a fast retrieve can) most of the time, pauses are what elicit the strike.
In fact, we’ll even hazard the presumption that 90% (if not more) of your strikes will come right as you’re presenting the lure, or on a pause that you have intentionally delivered.
Cast the Rapala X-Rap to whatever structure you’re targeting, and let it sink. Often you will get struck right here, just like that.
If that initial presentation and drop doesn’t draw a strike, start twitching that X-Rap back to you, but here’s the key. Impart long pauses.
Long, like so long that it makes you uncomfortable. The key that some other outdoor writers have noted is you want to wait so long that it makes you uncomfortable. It’s almost like you’re playing chicken with the fish.
If you’re uncomfortable with the pause, imagine how the predator who’s trailing your X-Rap feels. You want to make them want the lure to move.
And the second it does again, you will often be greeted with a vicious strike. Tease the fish with long pauses, and it often pays off.
Restock Your Tackle Bags with Saltwater Lures Today
Whether you’re here to stock up on slow pitch jigs or need a few spare Rapala X-Rap Long Casts in different colors to replenish your saltwater lure inventory, we can help you out.
Pick up what you need so you’re ready before your next trip, and make sure you bookmark our blog so you don’t miss out on tips like these.