Bert Swope
The Rapala Original Floating Minnow is an iconic lure designed in the 1930s by Finnish angler Lauri Rapala that has captured millions of fish.
Rapala’s Original Floating Minnow is an incredibly versatile bait, suitable for fish of many species. It can be twitched as a top water lure or retrieved as a shallow runner.
Natural minnow profile
The Rapala Original Floating Minnow is one of the iconic lures in its long history. It was invented by Finland’s Lauri Rapala in the 1930s and is still one of their top-selling models today. Perfect for surface or bottom fishing from your favorite jig or spinner bait, this model boasts some of the industry’s finest craftsmanship that’s sure to please even experienced anglers. No matter your fishing preference, you won’t find a better companion to take your winnings home with you than this legendary lure from Rapala!
Wounded minnow action
The Original Floating Minnow is one of the world’s most beloved lures and the original. With its wounded minnow action, this lure attracts trout, walleye, bass, and panfish wherever it’s fished.
Lauri Rapala was rowing his rowboat on Finland’s Lake Paijanne when he noticed hungry predator fish repeatedly hitting wounded minnows. This inspired him to create a lure that replicated this natural action so he could catch more fish and earn more money.
He began by using a shoemaker’s knife and some sandpaper to craft an imitation of real minnow swimming action. Then he used tinfoil from chocolate bars for the outer surface of his lures – this method wasn’t quick or effortless but perfectly replicated the wiggle and wobble that made predator fish attack.
Rapala lures are now tank-tested and hand-tuned to mimic the action of a wounded minnow, making them an avid favorite among anglers today.
When used as a surface bait, shallow runner, weighted with a split shot for medium depth or bottom walked off three-way swivel or bouncer, Lauri’s Original Floating Minnow action remains as alluring to gamefish today as when he first cast his cork and tinfoil prototype onto a Finnish lake back in 1936.
Rapala’s Original Floating Minnow comes in an array of colors and sizes to accommodate any angling situation. Whether used as a surface bait, shallow running lure, or bottom-walked off of a swivel or bouncer, this versatile balsa wood minnow always produces that iconic Rapala “wounded minnow” action that draws fish in.
Casting
The Original Floating Minnow has been a beloved fishing lure for decades and remains popular today. Designed by Lauri Rapala in Finland in 1936, this lure remains one of the oldest used today.
Rapala Original Floater is an all-purpose lure suitable for a range of fish species. It works great on trout, salmon, and bass in both top-water and bottom-water environments. This lure can be twitched on the surface or easily jerked through the water; alternatively, it may also be fished deep using a three-way rig.
This missile-shaped balsa lure has clear plastic lips and round painted eyes, rigged with VMC treble hooks on split rings. It’s simple to rig and can catch many fish species like trout, salmon, pike, and bass.
When cast out, the Rapala Original Floater will initially float on the surface and begin to wobble. The action of this lure is activated by your reel speed, causing it to wiggle and attract fish.
That is why Rapala lures are so successful on trout. Trout are predators and must be encouraged to strike at a lure by subtle movements of the lure or by triggering a slight wobble when you pause on your reel.
To maximize the effectiveness of this lure, it is essential to tie it correctly so the floater wiggles as intended. This can be accomplished with a swivel and appropriate knot; the swivel allows the floater to wiggle freely, creating the wounded minnow effect.
Another essential element of rigging is size. These lures come in sizes ranging from 3 to 18, and you should find one that best suits your needs, especially when targeting smaller fish like trout or salmon.
Retrieval
Rapala Original Floater is one of the world’s most beloved fishing lures, designed by Lauri Rapala in Finland in 1936. This missile-shaped balsa wood lure floats on the surface and wobbles when retrieved, simulating a wounded minnow’s swimming action – which makes it so effective at catching fish.
Lauri originally designed this lure to help him catch more fish without constantly rebatching hooks. He observed how predator fish often picked out injured minnows and wanted to replicate this behavior with an artificial lure.
After creating this lure, he tested it on a lake in Finland, and the results were astounding. Trout instantly responded to this bait, eating it without hesitation.
Rapala’s top-selling lure continues to be the legendary Rapala Goldfish lure. It’s no wonder why, as this lure can catch a variety of fish and is highly effective across all types of fishing.
The Original Floater is ideal for trout, as it can float over brush piles and grass while remaining in the strike zone. This property makes it especially useful when moving across banks to avoid snags.
Furthermore, suppose a trout is running along the water’s edge in shallow water. In that case, Rapala Original Floaters make excellent lures to use since they can get above cover yet remain in their strike zone. This allows trout to pick out your lure while it’s above cover and proves highly successful when fishing in such conditions.
When retrieving the Floater lure, reel slowly or with an audible click on the line to cause it to wobble. This action attracts various fish species, especially trout, as it replicates the natural swimming patterns of a wounded minnow.
Rapala’s Original Floater remains a top seller, and for a good reason: it can catch plenty of fish and is highly effective across all types of fishing. In fact, Lauri Rapala never imagined such success with his creation!
