| We're nowhere near the height of the open | | | | floating or suspending Rapalas in fairly |
| water season, but I thought I would summarize | | | | short lengths that have a more vigorous |
| what I know about wiper fishing.Bait | | | | action than longer Rapalas. I haven't tried |
| fishing:Slip or egg-sinker rig, with 1-3' | | | | jointed Rapalas, but I suspect they will work |
| leader, baited with cut baits like carp, or | | | | well also. |
| shrimp, or live baits like crawlers or | | | | |
| minnows. Worm harnesses bounced on the | | | | Experiment with colors and patterns, but I |
| bottom, or pulled behind bottom bouncers from | | | | find that silver and blue Rat-L Traps work as |
| a boat also work on the bottom. Certain soft | | | | well as any crankbait.Streamers - Fly |
| plastic jerkbaits are also said to work, | | | | fishing:Wipers are always hit or miss, so |
| although I haven't tried them.Bobber | | | | some people don't like to expend the energy |
| fishing:At the right time of year (Spring, | | | | required to cast heavy streamers with heavy |
| early Summer, and Fall), a 3" live shiner or | | | | rods. Those that do are often rewarded by |
| sunfish suspended 4' below a large bobber can | | | | hungry wipers. I fish Lefty's Deceivers and |
| produce nice fish in areas where wipers come | | | | Clouser Minnows tied on stainless steel hooks |
| in to feed around dusk (along dams or riprap, | | | | in sizes 2, 4, and 6. I like chartreuse and |
| or on sandy bottom flats.Poppers:Long-bodied | | | | white, pink and white, blue and white, black |
| poppers, like the Rapala Skitter Pop and | | | | and white, and brown and white. I keep |
| similar poppers can produce well in the early | | | | switching until I find the right colors. You |
| morning and around dusk, especially when shad | | | | can use #1, 2 or 3 fly leaders, if you want, |
| are schooling high in the water | | | | but it's more economical to just use 12 lb. |
| column.Crankbaits:Trolling a Rat-L Trap 1/4 | | | | test mono (about 7-10 ft.) because you don't |
| oz. can be deadly during the spring and well | | | | need a tapered leader when you're throwing |
| into summer, and during the fall. It also | | | | heavy streamers. I have used floating, |
| works to cast them into schools of shad when | | | | neutral, or sinking lines with success.Wipers |
| you run into wipers pounding them at the | | | | are hit and miss in most places, but when |
| surface. Other crankbaits produce wipers, | | | | they are on, you won't find a fish with more |
| too, such as the Rattlin' Rapala and classic | | | | game. They produce nice fillets, too. |