Would you folks say the Berkley Flicker Shad and the Rapala Shad Rap are basically the same lure from different manufacturers? I see a lot of comments on the board for the shad rap, but not the flicker shad. Of course I have a tackle box full of the flicker shad since I have a Berkley outlet store very close to me. Use them a lot trolling for walleye. Can you use these trolling for Lakers?

Same style of crank in my book. I wouldn't buy a bunch of one if you already have the other. The larger models would work for LT in Spring but you would probably need some sort of weight with them other times of the year.

No reason they wouldn't work for lakers if you can get it in front of them; getting deep enough outside of the early season is going to be the main challenge. Though I prefer shad raps for some reason (maybe just the look/feel?) I'm fairly indifferent on cranks and will bring a bunch of flicker shads/storms/whatever was on sale because who has cash to lose a bunch of raps on every trip? I had a nice 20" or so laker follow my crank to the canoe last year about 30 feet out from the dock and I *think* it was on a flicker shad so there you go.

Once you're past early June you'll want to bring something that can get deep. Deep tail dancers are the most common rec but I know Storm and probably some other brands make deep divers that are quite a bit cheaper.

They'll definitely work for lakers, but even the #9's don't run that deep, so you'll either need to fish early or late in the year, or you'll need to add weight if you want to get much deeper than 15 ft or so.

I'm going in on June 1 and with the spring we're having I'm assuming the lakers will still be somewhat shallow so the flicker should work is what I'm hearing. If it were to be later in the summer, could I use something like a snap weight to get a flicker shad to run deeper?

Bring a variety of depths anyway. No use putting all your chips on one bet; fish are rarely dependable.

I like shad raps and flicker shads. I have caught more lakers on raps,but that's probably because I fish with them more. Last spring,however, I was trolling in a splake lake and WHAM, I caught a monster splake! It was fun! Marc

Sorry,forgot to say,the splake was caught on a flicker shad. Marc

SkiYee: Of course I have a tackle box full of the flicker shad since I have a Berkley outlet store very close to me.

Wouldn't happen to be in spirit lake would it?

I don't much fish either lure much and only advocate for the Flicker seeing the damage done by the wee lure on a trip with a friend. Considering the price point and the quality of the lure (including excellent hooks) it is a solid choice.

Having given my disclaimer isn't a shad rap balsa and the Flicker plastic? And does the Flicker have a rattle where the Shad Raps are quiet?

I would have to see them side by side or better yet fish them side by side. But even then that proves nothing. The following week the fish might prefer the noisier bait. Certainly the shape is the same.

Shad raps come in balsa or suspending plastic with rattles.

I think the shad raps dive a couple feet deeper than flicker shads
this is just my observation but I think the flicker shads have a tighter side by side 'wobble' than the shad raps.

Cc26: "

SkiYee: Of course I have a tackle box full of the flicker shad since I have a Berkley outlet store very close to me.

Wouldn't happen to be in spirit lake would it?"

Absolutely!! My son and I refer to it as the FFO (Fishermans Factory Outlet), and as we like to say "You can't afford NOT to stop there!" We frequent Kabelles quite a bit as well. We're only 15 miles north of there.

The Flicker is a copy of the shad rap. SR's are the standard, in my opinion.

Overall I prefer the Shad Rap. For walleyes I much prefer the flicker shad. The wobble is a bit different, and in side by side tests the flicker always wins out on walleye in Kansas, Minnesota, or Canada. At least that is my experience.

Interesting, mgraber. My experience is mixed. I've got piles of both of them, and oftentimes the fish have a preference...Monday they'll prefer the Shad Rap, the next day the Flicker. No idea why.