Rapala quality

[FearNoFish]

Has any one else had problems with rapalas not holding together? I was fishing in the Ely area trolling for walleyes we caught only 4 fish in 2 nights (2)4 lbs a 5 lbs and a nice 7 lber. The trouble we had was a shad rap was almost bit in half and the 7 lbs destroied a Deep Tail Dancer. These were newly perchased lures. I also have rapalas that are almost 20 years old and have caught bigger fish and lots every year and show almost no wear to them. Just wonder if other have noticed this or did I finally catch meaner fish?

[schweady]

Only major problem we've experienced showed up a few years ago with the Long Cast models. About 4-5 retrieves and the lips would break off. Put a couple into service as key fobs.

[mainbutter]

hmm.. I've never had rapalas serious damage, the worst being tooth punctures and paint scraped off from northerns.

I usually use shad raps, original floaters, and jointed floaters, never had one fail on me, just a bit of battle scarring (which some will tell you is just the mark of a good bait!)

The original floater and shad rap I bought earlier this year have been holding up just fine so far, and seem to be the same quality as old rapalas.

[slipperybob]

Thats sounds almost normal to me...lots' of chewed up raps and them falling apart.

[Chode2235]

They're balsa, so its not really an issue of the quality getting worse (unless they are buying bad wood).

I find that the wood lures, although superior in a number of ways, just are inconsistent. I have lures that were my grandpa's that have battled fish for generations without trouble and others that are newer that just fell apart.

I guess now that they are $7 rather than $3 I notice it a lot more.

[skee0025]

Does anyone know where I can get a couple of the Super Glo Shad Raps? I just had my last chartreuse one bit off at Devils lake and i havent been able to locate any.

[hhguide]

you will probably have to order those those are kind of hard to find

[blueroof]

Does anyone know where I can get a couple of the Super Glo Shad Raps?

I believe those are a Gander Mtn exclusive.

[riverrat56]

I've had alot of trouble with the Minnow raps breaking on me, Rapala won't admit that they had a bad batch, but I've have had 3 and seen two other's that had the front bill pull right out of the bait. These were all purchased this year and were in there first day of use when they broke...

I have since INSISTED on Salmo....

[pikedreams]

I have had considerable problems with the # 9 shad raps. I used to use them a lot in the spring for pike. The problem was not tooth holes, you expect that with any balsa bait that's just normal wear and tear. The problem I had was the lip pulling out of the body. If you bumped bottom a few times, slapped a few weeds or made a hard hook set all you would get back would be the clear plastic lip. I've mentioned the problem to pro staff members and provided samples as well but who knows if the info gets passed on. I still use a lot of rapalas but I've now changed brands for that particular application. They used to be wired through and they're not any more. Years ago if you took a shad rap and cut it in half length ways (kind of like if you were fileting it) you would have seen a metal wire that connected the lip to the bottom treble and from the bottom treble to the rear treble. For the last many years now the lips are simply glued on. Rather disappointing.

[Morneau132]

Ready for this T.O........ INSIST ON SALMO!

[Eastwind]

Years back, when I was poorer and used Rapalas more, I would send any broken ones back to Normark and ask for a replacement. Every time I did, they sent me a new one. Give them a try. You'll maybe get a new lure, they will get some valuable customer feedback. A "Win Win".

[slipperybob]

The Salmo colors and finishing aren't nearly as cool as a Rapala, but they sure do make up for it with their further casting and deeper diving. I still like the high floating rapala. I didn't know that the Rapala's don't make fully thread through wiring for Shad raps, that's bad. That's like the problems I had with some glass husky jerk-baits where the plastics broke and you loose the hooks or the whole lure.

[FearNoFish]

Its nice to know that I am not the only one that has problems with there new lures. Next time I will have to try the Salmo Lures. I have been tring to look for a contact for Rapal lure but all I can find is distrubtor and investment contacts on the Rapala HSOforum. I am not looking to get a new lure just some customer feed back to them about there products.

[looneyducer]

I just recently smashed a Shad Rap. It was wired through and through and to each hook.

[schweady]

Yeah, the only shad rap I ever tore apart was the first year they came out. Was wader fishing and a monster bullhead nearly swallowed it. That was before the days that I finally learned how to handle those devils, and had pliers all over it and the lure... shook and pried to no avail. Fish stayed on, rap tore apart. Sure enough, wired through to each hook. Really upset, because that cost me almost three bucks! A fellow wader taught me the next night how easy it is grab ahold them. Doh!

Wonder how long it took for Bully to rid herself of that contraption...

[riverrat56]

Like said before, they are no longer wired through, it's all about the bottom line these days, and glue is cheaper and faster...

[andrew chadwick]

I was jsut about to make a similar post. I just got back from duluth and had the lip pull out of a minnow rap while casting.

So far this year I have also broken THREE X-raps and one glass fat rap.

they are about to be sent back to rapala. ( I have heard they will return a new one for your broken one.)

Up untill last year I had never broken a rapala. I wonder who they are being out sourced to now?

[Grant Pearson]

I really haven'thad a problem with raps. I've caught Pike up to 46.5 inches on them and walleyes up to 32 inches and had nothing wrong with the lures, except a few tooth marks and a little paint gone from the pike. The only time I had one destroyed was from 5 days of pike fishing on Reindeer Lake. But I certainly don't expect a lure to hold up after 5 days of continuos fish between 24 and 46.5 inches.

[Jeffrey]

This issue seems to be very wide spread. Here in Colorado, I've talked to a lot of guys that have had these same problems with their Raps.

My experience, over the last 30 years or so, is that I have never had a problem with a Rapala Lure falling apart, loosing lips, etc. I have had some issue with getting some to tune properly, but thats been about it.

I've had more problems with high priced Muskie lures falling apart, breaking, losing lips, and finishes coming off, etc. after,sometimes, minumum use.

Jeff

[jigginjim]

I was fishing with a friend, he was casting #11 taildancer. On 1 cast he hit the seat of in his boat, and the treble hooks all pulled off. The lure was ok, the split rings were junk.

I also had the lips on the long cast minnows come off, I have since started using storm lures, for some night fishing. I do have over 125 rapalas, I use on some of my guide trips.

[AllWet]

I've had two J11's break apart on me this past year. The first Raps I've ever broke. Both times I was just smacking small weeds off on the water surface next to the boat. And both times the joint wire separated from the tail, leaving me the head dangling there pathetically.

[lookin4fish]

a couple of years ago, rapala opened multiple plants across the world. they used to all be made in finland with the same kind of wood and the same kind of standard. now multiple plants from different parts of the world make them. they say they are at the same standard as rapala has always had, but the fact of the matter is the wood is different for each plant, and you cant have quality control with it spread all over the world.

so my challenge is take a look at where your broken rapalas are made, and i bet you a 9/10 times it will say something other land finland on it, or it wont say anything at all. i will now only buy them if they are made in finland, and that is getting hard to find.