# Rapala CountDown: the sinking minnow that sets its depth by the clock > How to use the Rapala CountDown's countdown sink system to dial in a precise running depth for river trout fishing. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/rapala-countdown/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-08-19 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Rapala - Model : CountDown (CD5) - Type : Sinking minnow - Target species : Trout - Size : 5 cm / 2 in (CD3 to CD9 range) - Weight : roughly 4 g / 0.14 oz for the CD5 - Running depth : sinks at roughly 30 cm (1 ft) per second, depth set by counting - Retrieve speed : slow to medium - Action : tight, shimmying Rapala action — subtle and steady - Rigging : a fine split ring, 14-18 lb fluorocarbon leader, no wide lip so it casts accurately - Colors : natural trout-parr tones, silver, gold or orange in stained water A floating minnow fishes the surface and the first few inches. A standard sinking lure goes down, sure, but at what rate, and to what depth exactly? The Rapala CountDown answers that with a simple, remarkably effective idea: it sinks at a known, constant rate, which lets you dial in the exact depth where it starts swimming, down to the second. ## The countdown principle Every CountDown sinks at a steady rate, generally around 30 cm (1 ft) per second depending on the model. In practice: cast, count the seconds before you start reeling, and you know exactly what depth your lure begins swimming at. This isn't a marketing gimmick — it's the only real way to present a minnow precisely in the water column where a trout was spotted holding at a given depth, instead of guessing. > On the water: always note your count the moment you get a strike. The next strike often comes at the same count, on the same type of spot. ## Dialing in depth by the clock 1. **Cast and let it sink**, counting quietly or in your head. 2. **Start reeling** the moment you hit your target count — too early and you're fishing too shallow; too late and you risk snagging bottom. 3. **Adjust by trial and error**: if you keep snagging, cut a second off the count. If you're getting nothing, add one. 4. **Reuse the winning count** on similar spots along the same stretch. ## Reading a riffle-to-pool transition with a sinker The CountDown really earns its place at the tail-out of a riffle and in pools where the water slows and deepens: these spots often hold a fairly constant depth over several metres, which makes the count especially reliable cast after cast. On a more irregular spot (a sloping current seam), the count becomes a starting point to fine-tune rather than a fixed rule. Our guide to [river trout fishing](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-truite-riviere/) covers the classic spots where this kind of presentation shines. ## Retrieve: somewhere between a minnow and a spoon Once you've hit your target depth, two approaches work well: - **Slow straight retrieve with micro-pauses**: let the CountDown swim on its own, adding short pauses every few seconds that let it drop slightly — often the exact moment a strike comes. - **Subtle twitching**: small rod-tip taps that sharpen the lure's natural shimmy, useful on a trout that's following without committing. The CountDown stays naturally subtle by design: no big lip, no exaggerated vibration. It's a precision lure more than a power lure, best saved for trout that have already seen plenty of spinners that season. ## What sets it apart from a lipped crankbait Unlike a [lipped crankbait such as the D-Contact](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/smith-d-contact/), the CountDown has no plastic bib dictating its depth — weight and fall time alone decide it. That makes it quieter on landing and more precise for targeting an exact depth, at the cost of a less flashy swim. The right depth setting never replaces reading the spot — that's exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) offers, reading a photo of your spot against the day's conditions to suggest a zone and a starting depth before you even count your first cast. ## Key takeaways - Constant sink rate (about 30 cm/1 ft per second): count seconds to dial in the exact depth. - Note the winning count on every strike so you can repeat it on similar spots. - Ideal on pools and riffle tail-outs with a fairly even depth. - A subtle swimmer: a precision lure rather than a flash lure, great on wary trout. ## FAQ ### How does the CountDown sink system work? The lure sinks at a known, constant rate (roughly 30 cm/1 ft per second depending on the model). By counting seconds after the cast before you start reeling, you know exactly what depth it starts swimming at. ### What size CountDown should I use for trout? The CD3 and CD5 models, between 3 and 5 cm, cover most trout rivers. Save larger sizes for bigger fish or wider, deeper water. ### How do I avoid snagging bottom with this lure? Cut a second off your count after each snag until you find the depth that runs just above bottom. It's a fine-tuning process rather than an exact science, but it becomes intuitive fast. ### Where does this lure work best? Pools at the tail of a riffle and stretches with a fairly even depth are ideal, since the count stays reliable cast after cast. On uneven bottom, adjust the count on every cast. ### How is it different from a lipped crankbait? The CountDown has no wide lip: weight and fall time set the depth, not a plastic bib. It's quieter on landing but swims with less flash than a crankbait. ### Should I twitch it or retrieve it straight? Both work. A slow straight retrieve with micro-pauses is the baseline; subtle twitching helps on a trout that's following the lure without deciding to strike. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.