This Old School Lure Is Dominating FFS!

[@mikedurand8286]

Superb video. I'm 67 and my Dad gave me a handful of weighted Rapalas when I was a teenager. I've been using them for about 50 years and have caught many walleye and bass in a variety of presentations. Thanks for a nostalgic vid

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing!

[@maxcole3930]

I've got a ton of old rapala minnows, floating, sinking jointed, non jointed. From when I was a kid, my Grandpa loaded me up on them. Plus when he stopped fishing he gave all his old one. He has a big box full of them still in original packaging! I probably have over 50 in packaging & 30+ that have been used. Black & gold was always my favorite

[@MattStefanFishing]

Those are some classic colors!

[@joeenglish7403]

OMG. At 79 I believe I've pulled a thousand fish out of the water with these over the years from Lake Erie, the Delaware River, James river, and other waters, even the Atlantic Ocean. LMB, SMB, pike, walleye, flounder, trout, bluefish, etc, darn near anything. Most pre sonar. One of the best baits ever made. Use mostly 7 and 9 and I probably have way too many, but not as many as my wife has shoes.

[@MattStefanFishing]

They really are a timeless classic!

[@timmorrison9822]

I actually laughed out loud during this video! What is old becomes new again. Time to dig these back out, give them a good spit shine and start catching fish again. Oh...and wear my bell bottom jeans out on the boat too!

[@MattStefanFishing]

Bell bottom are back in style too

[@justcallmedyno8938]

It's cool to see some of the old-school lures and techniques coming back in to the light.

[@MattStefanFishing]

I agree!

[@douglasspickler4925]

Well, I'm 71 years old, and they have been in my tackle box since I was a kid.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Awesome

[@formerIWUcoachDDD]

Hey Matt! When you mentioned that Rapala was probably 70 years old, I thought you were probably a little tall on that estimate, but I was wrong. Lauri Rapala carved his first lure in 1936!!

[@MattStefanFishing]

I knew Lauri Rapala made it….getting close to 100 years

[@erichardin6056]

Doug Stange sang the praises of countdown Rapala for years. I throw them all winter for everything from trout, to bass, to crappie. Super versatile bait.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Doug is a great angler!

[@MarcusSpjut]

Thank you Matt, allways nice to se a classic. :D Still using them, mostly now when it's cold in the water or when I want to get under the current in the river when it's realy warm. I also fish it with a "fast swoop/drag" just with the rod to get the bait to shoot forwad kinda fast 2-3ft and with that tight action and then kill it and it start to sink drag and kill. Like jerking but with that drag insted of a hit/snap. Wise Minnow 70FS is another one in the sinking catagory I use. :)

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks

[@Fishermens_Vue]

Rapala countdowns are a timeless lure that will catch fish anywhere in the world. Definitely a lure you should always keep in the tackle box. Great info, Matt! 🎣

[@MattStefanFishing]

I couldn’t agree more!

[@MrJohnB-qs6dp]

Great video!! I have a few of them on hand. My dad use to use them over 60 years ago. Never really knew how to fish it. Throw it out & crank it in!!! Something old worth pulling up changing hooks & throwing it again!! Stay Safe & God Bless!!! 🤠👍

[@MattStefanFishing]

Glad you liked it!

[@samuelschult985]

Matt this video is a homerun with bases loaded when Rapala introduced this lure to the public 32 to 35 yrs ago I knew that they had a great bait what I didn't see coming was FFS, Rapala was so far ahead that no one could see it coming well here we are with FFS and when I saw FFS for the first time that lure just instantly came to me. Rapala was so far ahead it's unreal how someone could have something so correct without having all the Information. 👍

[@MattStefanFishing]

Agreed

[@Playaj711]

Countdown has been a go to for me for a long time.Trout love it for sure!!!! I like the 75 size for bass.

[@BobbyMartin-gu6wm]

Great video Matt! The countdown is a great bait!

[@MattStefanFishing]

It really is!

[@waynerandles6126]

They have a nice foil wrap love the original minnow colour

[@MattStefanFishing]

Yep

[@bryceslavik6730]

Fantastic video! I have been using the number seven countdown since early 1990s on the South Fork of the snake river for brown trout, rainbow and cutthroat trout because there was no bass around. And I still use it today for Bass because it simply works good!! Thanks

[@MattStefanFishing]

Glad to hear it's still working great!

[@bryceslavik6730]

@ Yes!, now they’ve made a new countdown that has phenomenal paint jobs. I can’t remember what they call that one but still the countdown that’s great!

[@jonperkins7433]

I’m 47, and have been fishing with it since I was a Teen, crazy how much the cost has gone up. I still have a good bit of old ones with the old hooks and plenty of new ones. Both the countdown and original floating, can be deadly!

[@MattStefanFishing]

The prices have gone up

[@BassmasterSteven]

Thanks for the video Matt! I will be looking forward to another one tomorrow!!

[@MattStefanFishing]

I appreciate it!

[@robertotto5811]

As kids, we threw 2 inch floating rapalas with ultralights and 4 or 6 pound test. They would catch anything and everything that swims.

[@MattStefanFishing]

They still work

[@robertotto5811]

@@MattStefanFishing yup, I still use them.

[@donyarborough4114]

Don't let Randy hear this, he will say it's the worst bait ever made. These things catch fish.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Haha

[@jeffpennekamp]

Yes I have caught a lot of fish on that bait . Brings my back in years.

[@MattStefanFishing]

It's a timeless classic for a reason!

[@martyaustin6545]

Thanks buddy, I forgot about them, I ordered some

[@MattStefanFishing]

You’re welcome!

[@bobbycolson1957]

Been using them since I was pond fishing...then I got to good to fish them...

[@MattStefanFishing]

Nice!

[@kbone87]

I caught my first musky on a perch colored one back in the 1900s. Such a classic bait.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Awesome!

[@rodneygreen9968]

Thanks Matt for the lure information. I wish that you would do an Ice Fishing video for catching Crappie, Bass, Walleye, Bluegill or Pike The baits & techniques. It is Winter time.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@wayne.l.thompson60]

When I was in college, all I could afford was a silver countdown, some flukes, and some tubes from Walmart. I used to catch a bunch of smallmouth in the local rivers and creeks just by sweeping and pausing the countdown.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing

[@frankfarris6485]

That is funny . I was about to ask about countdowns . Lol

[@MattStefanFishing]

Haha

[@astrophysicistguy]

This is why I'm not a tackle junky ... lures that I used back in the 90s still work ...

[@MichaelSwirzewski]

Used to hate when people gave me countdowns instead of floaters as gifts when I was a kid. Always fished from shore, countdowns didnt help except to get snagged more. Now I just toss em around suspended bait. No ffs

[@MattStefanFishing]

I was the same way when i was a kid haha

[@MD11HOG]

home run video. Great Idea to use some of my old lures with new techniques

[@MattStefanFishing]

Glad you enjoyed

[@JamesBondDZero7Mi6]

Great versatile bait, for sure. I have a few originals from the '60s. Just be sure to pick the correct size to match the hatch. I buy the silver and black color and use dye to color the silver or belly area. A Q-tip with dye can match about any baitfish. You can even add stripes with a Sharpie to match perch.

[@MattStefanFishing]

thanks for viewing

[@maxcole3930]

Definitely replace hooks & split rings

[@MattStefanFishing]

On the original

[@CWR3212]

Those are pretty good. I prefer the scatter rap countdowns that have the u-shaped lip. I seem to have better luck with those, and also,I like the Elite version of that, they're a little bit heavier and fall with a shimmy. You're giving up some good juice with the countdowns.

[@MattStefanFishing]

I haven’t had nearly as much luck on the scatter baits

[@mikeeller557]

Thanks Matt

[@MattStefanFishing]

You bet

[@wolverinex4243]

Those vintage Countdowns are great in slower currents or flats. The faster currents tend to make it swim on its sides. I don't think they are weighted at bottom enough to track straight in faster currents. That said, I think the newer sinking jerks from other brands are much better. For trout as I would use them for, they still catch big fish, but at a lesser rate. As for vintage jerks, the specific era Rebels are fire! Doesn't cast far nor run deep tho.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for the tip!

[@wciii3591]

I know they have been around for at least 55 years. That's how long i have been throwing them. Caught my PB on a gold floater.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Almost 90 years now

[@gregchilders7643]

The original rapala was in 1936 the countdown was made in 1965.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for sharing

[@WFSmith]

I found these at a Kmart about 20 years ago for 1.99 marked down.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Steal!

[@williamknight5142]

Try one of those Cultiva ripping minnow if you still have them.👍👍👍👍👍

[@NineSpot]

Not gonna lie, I've learned nearly zero from people using FFS

[@MattStefanFishing]

Ok

[@seanw6426]

I’ve been using the countdown for forty years, it’s a great bait.

[@MattStefanFishing]

yep

[@NathanPrintz]

How would you compare to the Berkley Finisher you showed off two weeks ago?

[@MattStefanFishing]

Completely different baits

[@DaleTomazin-i3j]

Great content.

[@MattStefanFishing]

Glad you like it!

[@bobmicks2190]

matt where is the previous video on how to use this lure.. I thought that you would have posted it here..

[@MattStefanFishing]

I’ll do another one

[@thomasindler1576]

Fishing with those, for Walleye's, And They Also Catch Trout z In current, Rainbow,And Brown, Color's,. Small 3# maybe,

[@MattStefanFishing]

It's a classic for a reason!

[@johnmiller5987]

Ffs isn't an advancement Matt. Its not fair chase

[@TimEdwards-sx2pq]

It's no surprise that old school bait that used to catch fish still catches fish it always has been and always will be location and situation. Good job reflecting back on your experience Matt shows your wisdom

[@thomasindler1576]

You'll Never Beat Repala,Megabass Our Aussum, and other's Jape, crap, Are Fish Catchers, The Balsam is My Favorite, Change Hooks, For Suspending, And Deeper

[@MattStefanFishing]

Thanks for watching

[@heinrichkellogg7563]

🍺👍🤠.

[@MattStefanFishing]

cheers!