Meet The Rapala Elite Series

Rapala’s recently released CountDown Elite and the new-for-2024 Shad Rap Elite are two of the hottest hard-baits on the market today. Leveraging 80-plus years of lure-making expertise and experience, Elite series baits boast cutting-edge features and modern construction for digital-age anglers seeking the latest in high-tech tackle. 

The Elite CountDown and Elite Shad Rap represent the next evolution within the Rapala family. Yet, each Elite bait design retains the time-tested features of the original CountDown and Shad Rap lures, which anglers have relied on for decades to catch smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, trout, perch, crappie, panfish and many other fish species. 

Just like the classic CountDown and Shad Rap, the namesake Elite versions are crafted out of premium balsa wood. Elites also retain the same classic Rapala wobbling action to mimic the wounded, live-minnow action fish can’t resist. 

In a similar vein, the CountDown Elite keeps the legendary controlled sinking feature of the original, but at about 1.5 feet per second vs 1 foot per second in the original. This new drop speed has been a highlight for anglers that need to get their bait to a certain depth, quickly. Especially those using front facing sonar(the tungsten weight system also creates a better mark making it easier to track). The Shad Rap Elite stays true to the original’s proven natural shad baitfish profile shape and swimming action, which remains consistent whether retrieved nice and slow or super-fast.

Fans of CountDowns and Shad Raps will also appreciate the Elite Series holds true to Rapala’s mission to offer anglers premium quality lures for an affordable price.

So, what’s different about the Elite CountDown and Elite Shad Rap lures? A lot, actually, and all for the better.

Wire-through construction dramatically improves the durability of the Elite lures. Not that the earlier generations were pushovers by any means, but comparatively the CountDown Elite and Shad Rap Elite are stronger and tougher.

Modern construction also maximizes an Elite lure’s casting distance and accuracy. Helping boost casting performance is an innovative lead-free weighting system— tungsten-polymer in the CountDown Elite and zinc in the Elite Shad Rap, respectively.

CountDown and Shad Rap Elite lures also come with high-grade hardware. Specifically, two, sticky sharp VMC Inline Hybrid Treble 2X hooks and heavy-duty split rings. 

Elite lures display the latest in high-definition, detailed finishes. Each model’s 12 available colour patterns showcase modern metallic plating and gilded faces, which reflect light and produce fish-triggering flash.

In stained to muddy water, tie on one of the bright, attention-grabbing colour patterns, like Gilded Hot Tiger and Gilded Firetiger. In crystal-clear to lightly stained water, opt for one of the natural-baitfish patterns, which include the Gilded Minnow, Gilded Rainbow Trout, and Gilded Iwana for the CountDown Elite, and Gilded Yellow Perch, Gilded Silver and Gilded Blue Gill for the Shad Rap Elite. 

Like their forebears, the CountDown Elite and Shad Rap Elite are do-it-all lures that catch all types of freshwater fish. Casted or trolled, a Rapala Elite lure finds fish quickly and consistently. These versatile lures catch fish in lakes and rivers, whether relating to weeds, shorelines, drop-offs, suspending in open-water or holding tight to bottom.

Elite lures come in assorted sizes to give anglers many options for matching different forage and tempting a variety of fish species. The CountDown Elite is available in four sizes, spanning 1-1/2” to 3-3/4”. The Shad Rap Elite comes in two sizes. Depending upon the type of fishing line used and retrieval speed, the 2-1/4” SRE55 model runs 8 to 9 feet deep, and the 3” SRE75 model runs 9 to 11 feet.

With the CountDown Elite’s recent introduction and the Shad Rap Elite’s 2024 release, Rapala’s forging a new era in its 80-plus year history of making the world’s best premium fishing lures. The Elite concept will be expanding to other legendary Rapala lures in the very near future. Welcome to the beginning of the Rapala Elite Series dynasty!