Gear guide
Swimbaits and a Rapala popper for Minnesota largemouth and smallmouth — weeds, docks, and those loud summer evenings.
Minnesota bass fishing is docks, cabbage, rock piles, and the occasional moment where a fish blows up on a popper and you forget how to speak English. Largemouth hide in the salad. Smallmouth treat granite like a personality test. Both will eat plastics and surface noise if you show up with something that looks alive.
This tray stays in the Rapala family orbit — Storm WildEye swimbaits and CrushCity paddle tails for the subsurface work, Skitter Pop for the evenings when the lake gets loud. We checked Clam, JB, and Maynard’s for bass plastics and topwater on Amazon; those brands did not hand us verified listings that fit this slot cleanly, so the tray is honest Rapala/Storm hardware instead of wishful thinking.
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Swim the WildEye and CrushCity profiles along weed edges, points, and dock shade — vary speed until something complains. Topwater belongs to low light, calm pockets, and frog-colored optimism over pads. Leaders help around pike bycatch, which is Minnesota’s way of keeping bass anglers humble. No fake lake temps, no invented tournament weights — just fish, lure, and when the water looks right.
Storm
Pre-rigged soft shad with holographic flash and that WildEye stare that looks slightly judgmental. Cast it along weed edges and riprap when Minnesota bass want a baitfish without the drama of live bait.
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Rapala
Paddle-tail kick for swim jigs, underspins, or a plain jighead. The Mayor is the soft plastic you throw when the lake is pressured and you still want a clean baitfish profile.
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Rapala
Same family, bigger footprint for smallmouth on rock and largemouth that ate their Wheaties. Slow-roll it where the cabbage meets deeper water and let the tail do the talking.
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Rapala
Cupped lip, balsa body, and the kind of spit that makes a calm evening less calm. Walk it or pop it along pads and shade lines when bass are looking up.
View on Amazon (affiliate)CastMN is an Amazon Associate. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. See the affiliate disclosure.
CastMN is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Read the affiliate disclosure.