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Rago Baits - Raptor Softbait Swimbait

Author: Rob Belloni

Overview/History: The Rago Raptor softbait debuted in the Fall of 2005.   This soft plastic swimbait is available in a 6” and an 8” version both of which have three sink rates available (bottom bouncer, easy sinking, and sinking).  I’ve detailed the weights of each model below.  There are four basic colors available, all of which are trout patterns.  The bottom bouncer has a single hook on top.  The sinking and easy sinking models have either an Owner frog hook on the belly (8” model) or an Owner ST36 Stinger (6” model).  If you have a Raptor Hardbait, you’ll notice that the bodies of these baits are similar if not exactly the same shape as the soft raptor.

Size
Sink Rate
Weight
Approx. Price
6"
Easy Sinking
3 oz
$16
6"
Sinking
3.25 oz
$16
6"
Bottom Bouncer
3.7 oz
$16
8"
Easy Sinking
4.25 oz
$18
8"
Sinking
-
$18
8"
Bottom Bouncer
4.8 oz
$18

Pros:
  The Raptor softbait is unique in the Rago lineup for its versatility and wide range of sizes and sink rates.  Typically in the past Rago baits have been released in a single size and sink rate so it’s nice to have options with this model.  I’ve had a chance to test the easy sinking model and the bottom bouncer so this review will focus on those baits.  I don’t expect the action of the sinking model to be too much different, it just sinks at a different rate.

The Raptor softbait has a wide tail kick that really thumps.  If you’ve fished the larger sized Optimums, the tail kick is fairly similar although the tail on the Raptor has more travel from left to right.  I like that kind of tail kick for dingy water, at night, and any situation where I’m trying to draw the fish in from a distance.  The throbbing tail kick and relative softness of the bait allow you to really slow this bait down which, as I’ve mentioned in many reviews now, is a real trigger for big fish.  The Raptor softbait is also quite thick bodied and has a substantial presence in the water.  Even in the smaller size, this is by no means a finesse bait.

Color wise I like the options although I wouldn’t mind a few more.  My favorite color in the lineup is the light rainbow which is a very pale, transparent green/pearl color.  I wish that more manufacturers would offer transparent colors like this.  There are so many situations where you just want to give the fish the illusion of the forage fish.  I believe that fish eat clear baits sometimes simply because they are unsure what they are seeing and they are forced to commit because they don’t want to lose sight of the lure.  The other colors are your basic green/silver/pink Rago trout varieties. 

The Owner frog hooks and stingers are razor sharp and the top hook on the bottom bouncer is surprisingly sharp for a chrome type hook (most likely VMC).  The frog hook on the 8” is attached to the body with a small nail that protrudes from the belly right between the shanks of the two hooks.  With this setup, you can literally snap the hook on and off the belly.  It’s a nice setup because it doesn’t tear up the belly of the bait when a fish or a snag pulls the hook loose.  From a price standpoint, the Raptor softbait is priced competitively at around $16 for the 6” and $18 for the 8”.  The 8” bait especially is on the low end of what you’ll typically pay for a soft swimbait of that size. 

Cons: There were several things that disappointed me with the Raptor softbait.  Right off the top when I tested my three baits, two of them did not track perfectly straight.  The baits are hand poured, and the harness systems just don’t seem to be 100% consistent.  Unfortunately when a bait like this doesn’t swim straight, it’s very difficult to tune.  The 8” baits are also heavy enough that the harness can loosen with repeated casting or fish catching and the looser the harness gets the more likely the bait will go out of tune. 

I also found that after a few months in my tackle box, my baits had become permanently warped.  Frankly, I have a ton of swimbait tackle and I’m forced to store everything in the big Plano 3730 boxes which means that no matter how careful I am about laying the baits in straight, they are likely to sit at odd angles at some point.  It was disappointing to take my baits out a few months after I first got them and find that they swam even worse than before.  If you own the Raptor softbait, store it in a hanging position if at all possible. 

Another issue I had with the Raptor softbait is the hook setup.  I’ve had a chance to talk with Jerry Rago on many occasions about hook setups and strategies and the thing about the way Jerry fishes is that he doesn’t rely on trailer hooks very often, if at all.  As a result, most of his soft plastic baits have a single hook, placed in a central location on the lure.  That’s cool if you’re getting big fish to inhale your entire bait on heavy tackle but for the average bass guy it really lowers your hook to land ratio.  With the bottom bouncing Raptor softbait there is no wire loop on the belly to add a trailer and with the other two models, the frog hook is positioned in a such a way that adding a trailer hook behind it is pretty much pointless. 

You’ll stick a good percentage of fish on the 6” bait with the standard treble on the belly, but with the 8” you’re going to have to be willing to suffer some casualties or get very creative with your trap rigs.  I would like to have at least seen the option of adding a trailer hook to the bottom bouncer even if the lure did not come with one and a wire loop near the nose of the other two models would have been nice, to at least give the option of adding a hook up front. 

Overall the Raptor softbait does a few things well but could do a few things better.  The main issue for me with the bait was inconsistency.  You might get a bait that swims perfectly and really gets bit or you might get one that just doesn’t cut it.  I do like the Ghost Rainbow color pattern and I think the 6 incher is small enough to overcome the lack of trailer hook options but with so many other options in the Rago product line I’d be inclined to spend my swimbait dollars on some of his other models.

As far as I know, this lure is no longer in production.

Average Rating out of 1 voters
SethB.( Mckinleyville, CA) Oct 13, 2006
6"Rago soft raptor bottem bouncer
This review is for the 6" bottem bouncer only. Have had good results slow rolling around deep weed edges. from a durability stand point I have put close to 10 4+ fish on a single bait and with a few minor glue repairs it still fishes well. All of my baits have been consistant and fished true. Fish have no problume engulfing the entire bait so a good percentage of bites end up in the boat. The only complaints I have is the hook. First the point is long and thin and it doesn't take much to roll the tip up. The other hook complaint is the lack of gap between the point and the bait. The hook is sharp and the hook up percentage has been pretty high so the gap thing might not matter so much. With a better hook I would give the bait 5 stars. A few more color options would be nice.
 
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