Hi Fisherfolks. I want to pass on some techniques I use when fishing those floating Rapala lures in the shallow salt water environments. First, I have found that using the larger sized Rapalas, such as the 13, 15, and 18 size series, in the various color combinations, can make a great deal of difference in catching many larger and warier fish. A lot of quality fish have been "picked over" by other anglers using other top water floaters like the Yozuri, Bomber, Rebel, MirroLure, etc. Secondly, I have determined that these Rapalas must be "modified" in two different ways: #1. Harden the exterior surfaces against "toothy critters". #2. They must be made to be more easily seen on the surface from a distance.Why do I prefer Rapala floating series lures? They have a quicker wiggling action when retrieved under the surface, their side to side jerk action is faster under the water, and these lures return to the surface much more quickly when fished "conventional" style.
#1. To harden the surface areas of any Rapala I use two differnet formulas. First, I give the entire lure two coats of Sally Hansen's Clear Hard As Nails polish, allowing the surfaces to completely dry between coats of polish (about 5-10 minutes in time). Then, I give the entire surface an additional coat of Loon Hard Head solution and allow it to dry for about 10 minutes before putting it away in the tackle trays. This extra coating protection will give the Rapalas some extended life against those nasty teeth found on most shallow water salt water species. When the lure has become brutalized with teeth scars, just retreat all the surface areas to get a few more fish out of them before you have to discard them!
#2. I get some Hard As Nails florsescent colored polish in chartreuse and pink to paint ONLY the top part of the head of each dark backed Rapala floating lures (the area on top of the eyes to the hook ring is best). Allow it to dry and give the lure another coat for the finishing touch. Now the lures are much easier to see when you cast them way out there and work the surface with them. Being able to sight fish these shallow water species on top provides so much more enjoyment when you can visualize the bait on top or right under the surface.
Also, I replace all the Rapala factory hooks with the same sized "salt water" hooks to strengthen them against the hard striking and fighting qualities of our salty species and reduce the rust factor to a bare minimum. Try it and I think you will agree it will extend your fishing productivity by resulting in better quality fish.
