In a school of look-a-likes, the bait that swims distinctively stands out, triggering strikes. That’s what makes Rapala’s new Shadow Rap® Shad such a remarkable jerkbait — bass haven’t seen action like this before. “It’s got an action that’s unique for a jerkbait,” says fishing legend Al Lindner, describing how the Shadow Rap Shad combines a horizontal struggle with a slow vertical rise on the pause, perfectly mimicking an injured shad. “Fish haven’t seen this before. That’s why it’s so deadly.”
A host of Bassmaster Classic stand-outs agree.
“It does something that no other bait out there does,” says Mike Iaconelli, the 2003 Classic champion and a 17-time qualifier. “It mimics forage species so perfectly that it is going to put a ton of fish in the boat for you. I haven’t been this excited about a brand-new bait for a long time.”
Ditto that for Brandon Palaniuk, 2013 Classic runner-up and a six-time qualifier.
“Not gonna lie – I’m pretty pumped about this bait,” he says.
A game-changing, all-season jerkbait, the Shadow Rap Shad triggers fish in three ways – on the kick, on the slow rise, and with a snap back to life.
“The cool thing is you can stop this bait and it tilts and has this slow rise that no other jerkbait I’ve ever seen does,” says Davy Hite, the 1999 Bassmaster Classic winner and a 14-time qualifier.
“The rise is so slow it’s like a minnow quivering as it’s going up to die,” Lindner describes. “That’s one of the triggers that makes fish bite.”
Featuring a shad-shaped body with textured scales, the Shadow Rap Shad comes in models that target two different depth ranges — 3-to-4 feet and 5-to-6 feet. The latter is called the Shadow Rap Shad Deep. Both measure 3 ½ inches, weigh 3/8 of an ounce, and come armed with two sticky-sharp No. 6 VMC® black nickel, thin-wire, round-bend hooks.
“It’s a little bit wider than the original Shadow Rap, a little bit shorter, a little bit fatter and has a two-hook design rather than a three-hook design,” Palaniuk explains.
“I love the wider, flat sides,” Hite says. “Seems like everywhere there are threadfin and gizzard shad and they’re all this wider profile. And that’s what we’re mimicking.”
Both models of the new Shadow Rap Shad are available in all 14 original Shadow Rap color patterns, as well as 10 new patterns:
- Crush – Dark brown back, light brown “frosted” sides
- Elite Blue – Dark blue-gray back, light gray-white “frosted” sides, light orange belly
- Haymaker – Olive green back, light olive-white “frosted” sides, light orange gill plates
- Olive Drab – Dark olive back and head, light green-white “frosted” sides, light yellow gill plates
- Purple Haze – Dark purple back and head, light purple-white “frosted” sides, pink gill plates
- Gone – Dark purple back, light yellow sides, darker yellow/orange head
- Halloween – Black back, pewter sides, full orange belly
- Imposter – Light orange back and head, light yellow sides, white belly
- Molten Copper – Black back, dark copper sides and head, light copper belly
- Tropic Ice – Black back, metallic blue sides, metallic green head, light yellow gill plates
The original Shadow Rap color patterns are: Albino Shiner, Blue Back Herring, Blue Ghost, Bone, Bud, Carbon, Clown, Ghost, Ghost Shiner, Moss Back Shiner, Olive Green, Purpledescent, Silver and Yellow Perch.
“It’s a brilliant piece of work,” Lindner says of the new Shadow Rap Shad. “It’s the bait you’ve gotta have in your tackle box if you want to catch more and bigger bass this season.”
The Rapala® Shadow Rap Shad, and Shadow Rap Deep will be available at sporting goods retailers nationwide this spring. Look for them near the original Shadow Rap Series lures, an instant favorite introduced at the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
For more information visit www.Rapala.com or connect with the brand at www.Facebook.com/RapalaUSA.