A lures true value!

[nipsta]

wow warrior great shots . Yeah i got a few beefed up for this journey i rekon that maybe rather then quiet in winter the rattle may lure hahaha them to teh super spots \. Well thats my theory i hope it works and i have a box full of them so i wont run out in a while

[matt fraser]

Feed back from Saturdays trip.
Tied off, I threw a suspending X Rap for maybe 1/2 an hour for zilch, changed to a suspending B52 that sat higher in the water colum, and also has a more eratic action (I tend to work it harder on the twitch, more of a rip I spose). 3rd cast and its hammered by a very big fish, burnt in the memory bank, only saw the shoulders of that one.
Bit later on, change of color from natural (Bunker) to fluro flash (Hot Steel) saw a fish in 2 casts, after maybe 30 casts prev with the natural. No change in location, technique, retrieve speed or lure type, just colour.

Nice colour, check out this for a trashed Hot Steel!

Cheers,

Matt

[BR65]

Nice Matt, how big was the culprit??

[BR65]

So an X Rap does it again :tongue:

So tell me , Is the X Rap the best HB barra lure on the market :huh: - IMO It is!

Chris

Jury is still out for me mate.
They certainly have a very valuable place in the tackle box, but truth be known, the ol trusty gold B52 sees plenty of fish as well.
It sits higher in the water (a bonus when targetting a fish with up-ward looking eyes), can be rigged to suspend, casts like a bullet, doesnt break easilly, and is a reasonable cost.
Every situation is asessed on what is in front of you at the time (Im thinking your jigged fish off the bottom and the fizzer fishoff the surface in the same few days in the same locale at back of Jacks), so the raps arent the absolute silver bullet, but a pretty damn handy cartridge to have in the magazine.
I dunno, just keep on casting I reckon, something will eat it sooner or later!

[NAGG]

Jury is still out for me mate.
They certainly have a very valuable place in the tackle box, but truth be known, the ol trusty gold B52 sees plenty of fish as well.
It sits higher in the water (a bonus when targetting a fish with up-ward looking eyes), can be rigged to suspend, casts like a bullet, doesnt break easilly, and is a reasonable cost.
Every situation is asessed on what is in front of you at the time (Im thinking your jigged fish off the bottom and the fizzer fishoff the surface in the same few days in the same locale at back of Jacks), so the raps arent the absolute silver bullet, but a pretty damn handy cartridge to have in the magazine.
I dunno, just keep on casting I reckon, something will eat it sooner or later!

Thanks Brian

& your absolutely right ..... the X Rap isn't a silver bullet bacause it cannot cover every situation .... like you mentioned the deep jigged fish or surface barra rolling in flotsom + other situations! - So I wont be claiming a silver bullet either.
What I do like about them - against other gar profile lures is as opposed to your train of thought of sitting higher in the water column - is the fact that the max operating depth is deeper ( 6 ish feet) - I find that this attribute allows me to follow the contour of shallow bays & points better than a lure that tracks level ( bomber & B52). Considering that I more often than not fish that 1 - 4 M depth I feel I'm in the strike zone longer.
Then you have to love the flash of an X Rap + add to that , good sonics , cast quite well & have a very good side to side action ....... that pushes it to the top for me as a barra catching lure. The fact that they often get ripped apart becomes irrelevant when you are looking at a lump of chrome on the brag mat.

I was a bit hesitant to give the Rap the big thumbs up - however the continued success achieved by other anglers is certainly noted ......... but I dont think that its a case of everyone ditching their bombers , B52s , Ecogears etc either.

Chris

[matt fraser]

Thanks Brian

& your absolutely right ..... the X Rap isn't a silver bullet bacause it cannot cover every situation .... like you mentioned the deep jigged fish or surface barra rolling in flotsom + other situations! - So I wont be claiming a silver bullet either.
What I do like about them - against other gar profile lures is as opposed to your train of thought of sitting higher in the water column - is the fact that the max operating depth is deeper ( 6 ish feet) - I find that this attribute allows me to follow the contour of shallow bays & points better than a lure that tracks level ( bomber & B52). Considering that I more often than not fish that 1 - 4 M depth I feel I'm in the strike zone longer.
Then you have to love the flash of an X Rap + add to that , good sonics , cast quite well & have a very good side to side action ....... that pushes it to the top for me as a barra catching lure. The fact that they often get ripped apart becomes irrelevant when you are looking at a lump of chrome on the brag mat.

I was a bit hesitant to give the Rap the big thumbs up - however the continued success achieved by other anglers is certainly noted ......... but I dont think that its a case of everyone ditching their bombers , B52s , Ecogears etc either.

Chris

My thought - XRap Depth & Sonics

I agree with you chris on the depth, on my last Mondy trip, the water was very clear, and when retrieving bombers, sarunas and B52s I could see them all the way to the boat, which just didn't give me confidence. The XRap was running that bit deeper putting it out of sight. That said, both hits I got were nearly at the boat, as the XRap was coming up, I saw both fish materialise behind the lure and eat it! pretty special!

Sonics, I believe that 12s are relatively silent unless you really work them really hard. I've done an autopsy on a destroyed SXR 12 there are two big ball bearings with a plastic keeper and pin that drops into a recess at either end, to stop them from rolling from one end of the chamber to the other easily. The weight (two big ball bearings) are designed to slide to the end on the cast for improved casting distance. You then need to wack the lure hard to get the balls to move forward into the front chamber - which is also necessary to balance the lure.

So when you work them hard with a double twitch/wack the lure will make two or three loud clunks unlike a bomber/B52 which is a heap of smaller balls rattling around inside a hollow body chamber.

If you work them with smaller twitches, I don't think there will be much noise at all in an X Rap, but the bomber/B52 balls will still rattle around.

So Chris, I'm with you in thinking that key elements in the X Raps elevated success rate is their running depth and sonics, their action and flash are also great!

Great thread, but Geez I gotta get to Mondy soon!

BTW Brian the destoyed lure pic was 'borrowed' from a mate, I believe it was a 105cm

Cheers,

Matt

[NAGG]

My thought - XRap Depth & Sonics

I agree with you chris on the depth, on my last Mondy trip, the water was very clear, and when retrieving bombers, sarunas and B52s I could see them all the way to the boat, which just didn't give me confidence. The XRap was running that bit deeper putting it out of sight. That said, both hits I got were nearly at the boat, as the XRap was coming up, I saw both fish materialise behind the lure and eat it! pretty special!

Sonics, I believe that 12s are relatively silent unless you really work them really hard. I've done an autopsy on a destroyed SXR 12 there are two big ball bearings with a plastic keeper and pin that drops into a recess at either end, to stop them from rolling from one end of the chamber to the other easily. The weight (two big ball bearings) are designed to slide to the end on the cast for improved casting distance. You then need to wack the lure hard to get the balls to move forward into the front chamber - which is also necessary to balance the lure.

So when you work them hard with a double twitch/wack the lure will make two or three loud clunks unlike a bomber/B52 which is a heap of smaller balls rattling around inside a hollow body chamber.

If you work them with smaller twitches, I don't think there will be much noise at all in an X Rap, but the bomber/B52 balls will still rattle around.

So Chris, I'm with you in thinking that key elements in the X Raps elevated success rate is their running depth and sonics, their action and flash are also great!

Great thread, but Geez I gotta get to Mondy soon!

BTW Brian the destoyed lure pic was 'borrowed' from a mate, I believe it was a 105cm

Cheers,

Matt

Thanks Matt

I did my autopsy too ........ and as you mention - the bearings are for flight stabilisation rather than a rattle ! ( they tick rather than rattle during a twitch ) -
They are quite intricate inside & it also explains why they fail ( utrasonically welded 2 piece body). ....... interesting stuff

Chris

PS .... Are you coming to the CM ??

[NAGG]

My thought - XRap Depth & Sonics

I agree with you chris on the depth, on my last Mondy trip, the water was very clear, and when retrieving bombers, sarunas and B52s I could see them all the way to the boat, which just didn't give me confidence. The XRap was running that bit deeper putting it out of sight. That said, both hits I got were nearly at the boat, as the XRap was coming up, I saw both fish materialise behind the lure and eat it! pretty special!



Cheers,

Matt

Hi Matt

With all the barra that I have caught on an X Rap - I would say 90% would have come in the first 10-15% of the retrieve distance - with the remainder coming within the first 50% - I certainly haven't had a hit anywhere near the boat ........ unlike plastics :huh: So i'm wondering if I should be working the X Rap all the way - all the time ........ where as I probably often burn & end the retrieve too early atm.
Something to think about right there !

Chris

[matt fraser]

Those two hits were the first two I've ever seen whilst impoundment barra fishing. Like you, most hits are usually in the first 10 - 30 % of the retrieve.

I definitely burn the plastics back in from half way back. Not so much with HBs...?

I'm very shakey for the CM unfortunately!

Cheers,

Matt

[BR65]

Chris, Noel was patiently working a Rap back, when 2 eyes materialized out of no where at his feet, then disapeared, no swirl or indication the fish had followed the lure, just the eyes being seen.

Lately Ive developed a habit of burning that last few meters, but stopping and stalling for a few seconds right at my feet, try and con those late followers who boil at the back of the boat

[NAGG]

Chris, Noel was patiently working a Rap back, when 2 eyes materialized out of no where at his feet, then disapeared, no swirl or indication the fish had followed the lure, just the eyes being seen.

Lately Ive developed a habit of burning that last few meters, but stopping and stalling for a few seconds right at my feet, try and con those late followers who boil at the back of the boat

That's the thing with barra fishing hey - you more often than not have no idea that you've had a follower - till bang ! ...... I've had some awesome short lead takes ( last trip with the stalker was a prime example)

Chris

[BR65]

The stalker. We came across her twin sister on what used to be Bent Tree on Sat arvo, very entertaining, nearly drove Noel nuts.
Front sounder was pinging away, makes ya wonder......

[NAGG]

The stalker. We came across her twin sister on what used to be Bent Tree on Sat arvo, very entertaining, nearly drove Noel nuts.
Front sounder was pinging away, makes ya wonder......

Same area brother - within 200M

Yep - 2 sounders pinging away ......... was the barra attracted to it ? - Maybe , specially when she often rolled right at the bow mount :huh:

Certainly had us scratching our head and goes against certain popular train of thought .

Chris

[NAGG]

So its become quite clear that many see value of a $25 HB lure that is a consistent producer of barra - despite the fragility ........ aka X Rap!

So moving over to the flip side

How do people value their soft plastics
I've heard plenty of people whine about the cost of the hollow type swim baits. Ive even seen someone go into print complaining about the cost of a well known variant ! ......... $8 each from memory :rolleyes:

Now ..... the reality is that these types of plastics work , they are proven but are also often a 1 fish lure ( sometimes they can be fixed) - Unfortunately the local catfish are also keen and often ruin these offerings.

With winter barra fishing - the soft plastics swim baits are often ignored in favor of our favorite suspending hardbodies - well I saw enough last winter to make sure that those hollow swimbaits are given a run this winter (particularly on those warmer afternoons) ....... $5 is money well spent

Chris

[davez104]

I don't really have anything valuable to add to the discussion, but I'll buy in anyway. I find it funny with the amount of money we spend on boats, rods, reels, braided line etc, along with travel costs and accomodation, only to baulk at the price tag of a lure that's a bit higher than the norm. The lure is the only bit the fish cares about, the only thing the fish sees, the rest of the expense is purely to deliver that lure to a waiting fish. It strikes me as odd that we put all our money into stuff that the fish couldn't give a rats about, (hey, I'm as guilty of this as anyone else, just seems to be the way we are wired), not to say that there is no advantage in all the better, more expensive gear, but why compromise the money we have already spent by not putting the best possible offering on the end of it? If an x-rap has the qualities that allow it to be fished in the right zone, at the right speed, with the right action to entice a barra to eat, then it's gotta be worth the purchase price. What value do you put on a 70-80cm barra when the fishing is tough? Certainly more than the cost of a couple of x-raps.

I'm only just getting back into the impoundment barra scene, so am a bit lost at the moment. Winter fishing never used to get a mention. The best we could hope for was some early spring fish up in the shallow gullys on bombers and B52's. Used to catch our fair share too. Maybe those tactics will still work when the warmer weather rolls around, but at the moment, I'm struggling. Nothing a bit of time on the water shouldn't fix though.

I've been watching this thread and enjoying the conversation for a while now, thanks for all the valuable info.

Cheers,
Dave.