How to Use the Jigging Rap for Open Water Walleye

One of the best techniques for targeting aggressive, warm water walleye at the peak of the summer is using a jigging rap. In fact, any glide style bite can be incredibly effective when targeting fish this time of year. Scheels fishing expert, Jadyn Thomas, breaks down what you need to know to use these baits effectively when targeting walleye in the summer.

You Can’t Work a Jigging Rap Too Aggressively

The biggest mistake that people often make when using the jigging rap is that they don’t work the bait aggressively enough. You simply can’t rip this bait hard enough. It’s that aggressive, erratic action that creates the reaction strike. These baits work at any depth, with any structure, and any body of water but require a lot of movement to make them effective.

The jigging rap works in a varying degree of cadences. You can rip a jigging rap as hard as you can with a single pop to get it to dance up and glide. You can also use a double “pop” for more erratic action that more closely resembles a dying bait fish. Or you can vary this cadence to get a mixed effect.

The double pop seems to work best when the fish are really aggressive and in clear water because it gets the bait a bit higher up for the fish to see. In dirtier water, a single pop seems to be easier for fish to track than an overly erratic bait. As mentioned, be sure to occasionally mix up your cadence between single and double pops as well.

• Also learn how Jason Mitchell finds walleye all summer long.

Make Sure You Have the Proper Set Up

Next let’s discuss the setup. There are a few key factors that will allow you to get the most out of your setup when targeting these fish.

Use a longer length rod (6.5′ to 7′) . This will allow you to get your bait out further when casting. This is especially beneficial when fishing clear water, as it’s important to get that bait away from the boat.

Choose a fast or extra fast action rod with a heavier backbone. These baits may be aggressive, but they have small hooks so you need some give in the rod to keep those hooks pinned.

Try a 2000-2500 (or 25 depending on the brand) size reel. ultimately you want to be sure you have a reel with a higher gear ratio (like a 6.2) which picks up a lot more line on the turn to allow you to keep up with the slack between each fall of the bait.

Use braid as your main line (and pair it with a heavier flouro leader). When it comes to using a jigging rap, braid works well because it allows you to feel everything. It allows you to tell when walleye are just nipping at it. This can help you decide if you need to rip it harder to trigger a bite or let it die and let the fish pick it up. In clear water, pair it with a 10-15 lb fluoro leader. The stiffness of a heavier leader prevents it from getting tangled in the treble hooks and helps your bait run true through the water. A stiff, heavy fluorocarbon is going to allow you to get a lot more hookups.

Your choice of swivel matters. Lastly, the most undervalued part of this setup is making sure to have a good ball bearing swivel (small size 10, 8, or 6). This helps you reduce line twist. These baits have a tendency to spin on the cast and when vertical jigging. A swivel will prevent a lot of that twist and ultimately result in more hook ups.

We also recommend you check out our entire walleye database here.