Sticker Shock on Raps

[slurpie]

Just need to look for sales. I picked some up last week for 3 and 4 dollars. Pickings were not the best. But got some I always use and got a bunch of storm lures to try out for 3 bucks also. Otherwise yeah the price is nuts now.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

Everything is going up including the minimum wage but my pension isn't going up very much!!!

[Stick in Mud]

As others have said, you can wait for sales and still get some decent deals....and that's true on all of the brands, not just Rapala. The Storm Shad lures were $3 at many points over the last year. The Flicker Shads were less than that at one point. And you can find Shad Raps for $5 (or a bit less) if you're patient. The Scatter Raps were on sale near Xmas for $6.

The only lures that I rarely, rarely see on sale are the Salmos, unfortunately.

Maybe because I don't buy minnows all that often, but I find my jaw dropping more often when I try to pick up a couple dozen shiners. Holy goodness they can be expensive. Same with sucker minnows, rainbows, and redtails. There were some days last spring when the bite was fantastic that we went through six or seven dozen shiners a day. That makes those $6 Raps seem a whole lot cheaper.

[amateurfishing]

I have slowly started to build my arsenal for this year. buying 2-4 each time I go to store so I can get what I want in stock and the price aint quite as bad as buying a bunch at once. also trying to buy the other less expensive brands since I assume there may be a run on them when spring fever hits.

[H2O Milfoil]

Yep, $6 Shad Raps are expensive, but these days those buggers are more than $6. However, one afternoon a couple years ago, I was out trolling the weedline from 3 to 7 pm, it was a very good afternoon, and my one brand new Shad Rap took 47 northerns, walleyes, and bass. I put that lure on my trophy board at work, it was way chewed up. I don't think $6 worth of minnows could have done that kind of job.

[tunrevir]

One way I beat the high buck cost of buying lures is I like to cruise the garage sales around the lakes up this way and also check the pawn shops around the house. You can often buy whole tackle boxes full of goodies for less then thirty to forty bucks. I also like to keep cruising the local wally world and Glamour mountain stores this time of year looking at the clearance racks. Other ways to beat the cost, ask for gift certificates to your favorite big kid toy box for birthdays and holidays or even for specific lures, open a credit card that earns you points at your favorite store that you can redeem for lures. I have also found that flicker shads, wally divers and storm smash shads can supplement my shad raps for a few bucks less and catch fish.

Tunrevir~

[delcecchi]

Lots of lures, often cheap, on the electonic bay. Also lures that are no longer made are available for reasonable price (at least sometimes)

[JoeMX1825]

buying off season ois the way to go, I have huge plastic bins under my bed at the cabin full of lures that were all purchased at least 70% off. I buy all of my fishing lures/gear in the late fall when everything is clearanced. Gander typically has the best clearance prices...

[TJ27]

My son has gone to making his (and my) crankbaits for about $2.50 average. I've no quarrel with the performance and get a warm feeling having my own personalized brand...He labels the ones for me "GoPa". Fun opening Christmas, Dad's day & birthday presents to see what's new & different.

That's awesome! He does some very nice work.

[MattL]

Just a heads up that Fleet Farm has all Shad Raps on sale for 4.99 through 3/8. Not sure if this is all locations, but that was in their Carver store a couple days ago.

[TJ27]

I only buy them when I find them on sale. The deep diving jointed shad raps are my favorite.

[amateurfishing]

Just a heads up that Fleet Farm has all Shad Raps on sale for 4.99 through 3/8. Not sure if this is all locations, but that was in their Carver store a couple days ago.

SHHHHH!!!