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First Cast Fishing
  • Rapala Original Floater 05, Balsa Wood, 2 in, Silver

Quick take

A classic balsa wood minnow that floats and mimics injured baitfish with a natural wobble.

The Rapala Original Floater in size 5 is a 2-inch balsa minnow in silver that weighs 1/16 oz. It floats at rest and runs about 3 to 5 feet deep on a retrieve, so it suits shallow water around rocks, cover and shorelines. A steady pull, a stop-and-go cadence or short twitches all give it a wobbling, baitfish-like action for trout, bass and walleye.

Best for

  • Trout in streams and small rivers with varied retrieves
  • Panfish around weeds and structure with light line
  • Shallow water around rocks and shorelines

Skip if

  • You fish windy conditions where 1/16 oz is hard to cast
  • You need deep-diving action on light line

Strengths

  • Proven balsa construction creates a natural wounded-minnow action
  • Floats when paused, allowing stop-and-go retrieves
  • Works equally well on steady retrieve or twitching

Trade-offs

  • Very light weight makes casting difficult in wind
  • Treble hooks snag easily in weeds and wood
  • Balsa is fragile and prone to dents and cracks

Fishing fit

Water
  • Freshwater
Techniques
  • Casting
  • Topwater
  • Finesse

Specifications

Specifications
Typefloating minnow
Weight1/16 oz
Run depth3-5 ft
Body materialBalsa wood

What can I catch with this?

  • Bass
  • Trout
  • Walleye

When and where to fish it

Its silver baitfish pattern suits clear to lightly stained water.

Clarity
  • Clear
  • Stained
Light
  • Bright
  • Overcast

How deep and around what

It runs to 5 ft, in the shallow zone, over grass and around wood.

  1. Surface
  2. Shallow (to 5 ft) (this product)
  3. Mid (5 to 12 ft)
  4. Deep (12 to 25 ft)
  5. Very deep (over 25 ft)
Maximum diving depth
5 ft
Depth zone
  • Shallow (to 5 ft)
Cover
  • Grass
  • Wood

What it imitates

Its silver baitfish pattern imitates shad.

  • Shad

How to choose a color and size

Color

Colors and when to pick them
OptionsWhen to pick itConditions
Silver Fluorescent Chartreuse Body Length: 5-1/4"Stands out in stained or muddy water and in low light.
  • Stained
  • Muddy
  • Overcast
  • Low light
Firetiger, Firetiger Body Length: 4-3/8", Firetiger Body Length: 7"A loud pattern that shows up in stained and muddy water under cloud.
  • Stained
  • Muddy
  • Overcast
  • Low light
Chrome Blue Body Length: 1-1/2", Chrome Blue Body Length: 2", Chrome Blue Body Length: 2-3/4", Chrome Blue Body Length: 3-1/2", Metallic Silver Body Length: 1-1/2", Metallic Silver Body Length: 2", Metallic Silver Body Length: 2-3/4", Metallic Silver Body Length: 3-1/2", Silver, Silver Shiner Body Length: 3-1/2"This oneFlashes like a baitfish in clear to lightly stained water.
  • Clear
  • Stained
  • Bright
  • Overcast
  • Shad
Bleeding Hot Olive Body Length: 2", Nordic Perch Body Length: 1-1/2", Nordic Perch Body Length: 2", Nordic Perch Body Length: 2-3/4", Nordic Perch Body Length: 3-1/2", Yellow Perch Body Length: 2", Yellow Perch Body Length: 7"Looks like real forage in clear water, where fish get a long look.
  • Clear
  • Bright
  • Overcast
Gold Fluorescent Red Body Length: 1-1/2"Matches crawfish in cold to cool, stained water early in the season.
  • Stained
  • Crawfish
GoldFlashes in stained, tea-colored water and on dark days.
  • Stained
  • Overcast
  • Low light
Blue 4 3/8" / 11Shows a solid outline in muddy water, at dusk and at night.
  • Muddy
  • Low light
  • Night

Which one should I pick?

Choose the version by the size your rod and line can cast, then choose the color by water clarity.

Versions of this product on this site
VersionLure weightLengthMaximum diving depthColorSuits
Rapala Original Floater 05 Lure, 1/16 oz, GoldLure weight:1/16 ozLength:2 inMaximum diving depth:5 ftColor:GoldSuits:Shallow (to 5 ft), stained water, bass, trout and walleye
Rapala Original Floater 05, Balsa Wood, 2 in, SilverLure weight:1/16 ozLength:2 inMaximum diving depth:5 ftColor:SilverSuits:Shallow (to 5 ft), clear and stained water, bass, trout and walleye

About this type

A lure is an artificial bait that draws a strike with its shape, color and movement.

Each kind is built for certain depths and ways of fishing.

Weight decides how far a lure casts and what rod and line it needs; color changes how visible it is in the water.

Facts

This version's specifications
Lure weight1/16 oz
Length2 in
Minimum diving depth3 ft
Maximum diving depth5 ft
BuoyancyFloating
LipRound
ColorSilver
Color familyShad and silver
Target speciesTrout, Bass and Walleye

Common questions

How much does it weigh?

It weighs 1/16 oz.

How long is it?

It is 2 in long.

How deep does it run?

It runs to a maximum depth of 5 ft.

Does it float or sink?

It is a floating lure.

What color is this version?

This version is Silver.

Updated