lhousesoccer Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) . Edited August 12, 2014 by vtbass
Whitespinnerbait Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 One of favorite TopWater lures is a Hula Popper... I open up a brand new package which was not damaged etc etc ...First cast the popper kept going for miles the only thing left on my line was the eyelet which pulled right out of the body... The next day I went out and bought 6 more just in case it happened again....
Roy Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 I guess I'm of a different opinion on what constitutes poor quality and workmanship. Rusty hooks, scratched finish, no. The bill coming apart from the body after 2 hours of use straight from the package? Yes. As evidenced by some of the responses on the other board I posted to, and copied above. But you didn't quote some of what JohnG wrote though. Look I inderstand your position and if you don't buy another Rapala, so be it.
danbo Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417P..._SH20_OU02_.jpg
fishingisliving Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 Lures break, it's that simple. What every angler does with lures every day is a break waiting to happen. We smack em on rocks we snag em on rocks every fish that bites it starts the lure on it's inevitable decline where one day it will be retired to the wall of lures in your garage when we unhook it from a fish's mouth, we add some stress damage to it, sometimes less, sometimes more. some lures beat themselves up simply by being retrieved in the water by it's own hooks.. Some lures lasts long, some dont but personally I dont worry about lures breaking.. rods, reels, electronics.. different story.
lhousesoccer Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) . Edited August 12, 2014 by vtbass
lhousesoccer Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) . Edited August 12, 2014 by vtbass
Governator Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 I think hitting the lip off rocks purposely cast after cast for 2hrs could definitely weaken most baits, it's too bad yours took the worst of it. I understand the technique but I wouldn't use my expensive baits for it. Every contact a lure makes against structure is different which can cause damanage. It's a risk you take and a company can't be held responsible for that. At the same time, I'm a little surprised they didn't just put a new one in the box for you which costs them probably $0.25. Next time buy extended warrently lol
ciceri Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 I break the lips off lures all the time from slapping them off the water to get weeds off, or sometimes just from use.
bigfish1965 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 Hmm....well I for one would not be happy. Smashing my Rebel Fastracs off the bottom is my favourite walleye catching method. Sure dragging them through the zebra mussels eventually wears down the plastic and messes the lure up, but THAT MUCH I expect. I've hauled out everything on those lures and never had a lip separate. Sure I hate the hooks they use, but thats an easy fix. I do not think that running a deep diving crankbait into the rocks is not beyond expected usage and should be tested for and made part of the products standards. I have not had any of my older Rapalas come apart for any reason...but I will stay away from the DT's since this seems to be an issue that is common.
ozaibak1 Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 Looking for another crankbait company even remotely close to the workmanship and reliability of Rapala?? Good luck, tell us when you've found one!
highdrifter Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) Yep.... sounds familiar. I've had brand new out of the box raps break on the first cast. Lure goes a country mile and all you're left standing with is a lip with a slip ring!! Your technique does not sound all that careless either. You'd expect that a bait like a DT is meant to be worked with that sort of intended application. And that's just the thing. I've got a collection of cracked and broken baits from Rapala, mostly plastic. Not all of them broken as a result of shooting them on hard surfaces. The X-raps are awesome baits, but let's face it, they're not indestructible. One hard hit from a good northern and they're toast. I'd be tickled pink if I was in your shoes dude. If there was no visible wear and tear on the bait and the lip was just seperated from the body, I'd say that counts as a defect in workmanship. Sounds like you just got unlucky and some disgruntled employee was having a bad day. I say take it back to Canadian Tire or Walmart... It's their policy to replace product... even lures. They may just honour your return even without a receipt. cheers HD Edited July 14, 2009 by Highdrifter
bare foot wader Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 former walmart employee here....they will exchange without a receipt for you but they have to have the exact same colour and size on the shelf.... we all break lures....but there is a big diff between a manufacturing defect and a neglect/normal use failure.... the entire lip breaking away from a brand new bait...come on now, that's not right, especially on a new line of baits, that's obviously a manufacturing issue...at least IMO....10-12 for a rapala these days....the exact problem has happened before and I know my buddy complained and they sent him a decent package of lures...wasn't Rapala obviously.... you drive away from a lot with a new car and alternator dies 5km's down the road(true family story) you'd be pissed too.....except the diff is you get a warranty with big purchases, not the case with small crap.... so you either suck it up or you go the customer service path......I agree with buddy that he didn't receive the best customer service....it sounds like it is a problem with the new DT's.....stay away from them for a while until they get it fixed.... you could try emailing the link to this discussion....word of mouth does make an impact....companies know this....
CLofchik Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) Weeeeeeee........... Looking for another crankbait company even remotely close to the workmanship and reliability of Rapala?? Good luck, tell us when you've found one! Oh we're not even talking Lucky Craft here: Salmo Bomber Cordell Matzuo Grandma Baits Hell even Bass Pro's XPS line are putting out better cranks than Rapala nowadays. The new made in Vietnam & China and assembled in Estonia plastic Rapala's are JUNK! Not just worse than they used to be, they're JUNK! Just from my own box, I have half a dozen of these XRaps that are useless now, but this one is what really turned me on Rapala. And yes I got the same form letter as the OP. See that chip, that's from a 25" pike, the only fish landed by this lure. A not even 5lb pike flexed their cheap arse plastic so bad it made that large a chip and it cracked on the seam between halves, letting water into the lure and making it unusable. Well, just let it dry out and patch it. See that's what I was going to do, only the weights & rattles inside the lure are made of MILD STEEL. Who the heck puts MILD STEEL in anything designed to be immersed in water? A cheap crap company, that's who. The whole thing is full of rust internally, sticking all the weight in the back which kinda ruins the whole "suspending" deal and it runs in the water like crap. Junk. All that after one fish. Rapala's are now junk selling at an inflated premium price. Then there's the J13 that had the rear hook pull out. Again a new plastic lure, yes even the old standards like the Floating, Jointeds & Husky minnows that used to be made from balsa are now all being made by cheap Asian plastic companies and badged as Rapala's. Junk. Rapala's are now junk, get over it and try a Salmo. Now compare the junk Rapala's (have I used JUNK enough?) to this, the king of longevity in my box(es), the ol' standard hollow BRASS Canadian Wiggler that hasn't changed (thankfully) for eons. Brass? In a lure half the price of a Rapala? Nah, can't be! Landed well over a hundred Kings, faithfully retired with honours after a long service. Edited July 13, 2009 by CLofchik
highdrifter Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 Looking for another crankbait company even remotely close to the workmanship and reliability of Rapala?? Good luck, tell us when you've found one! Nice.
solopaddler Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 Over the years I've busted countless Rapalas and other lures in a variety of different ways. Never once has it ever crossed my mind to send a broken lure back to the company with a letter LOL! Each to their own but there's no way I'd ever cut it as customer service rep. I'd be telling everybody to suck it up and get lost. They're generally great lures but not indestructable. If you must bounce lures off the bottom try a Luhr Jensen Rock Walker. That's what they're made for....
chinookhunter Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 I loose and break lures all the time and it is always my fault. How do you think smashing a lure on rocks is there fault for it breaking?
Billy Bob Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 I'm with the original poster here.......that lure should of been replaced with a apology letter included from Rapala....OR they should stop Al Linder, Dan Sura, Jim Linder, etc......... from teaching the very same technique of bouncing RAPALA'S off the bottom while bass and walleye fishing. I must have seen at least 3 or 4 of Linder's Angling Adventure TV show as he promoted his biggest sponsor RAPALA bouncing RAPALA'S off the bottom.
Guest ThisPlaceSucks Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 so u run the bill of the lure into rocks and the bottom and you are surprised it broke? i think maybe rapala could have replaced it, but if you are going to run a crankbait repeatedly into obstructions you are either going to snag it or break it... if you want an omellete you gotta crack a few eggs first!
Photoz Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 Strange . . . . . I retrieved a big jointed Firetiger Rapala outta the dorsal fin of a chinook I caught over at Port Hope . . . both the trebels were a bit rusty, but the lure was fine. I stopped at Gagnon's to pick up a couple decent trebles . . about $10.00 for a package, (I only needed 2) but they told me the distributor for Rapala was just around the corner (St. Phillips Road?) they would likely give me a couple replacements if I asked. I stopped in, showed the guy at the counter, and asked if I might get a couple new trebles, (I offered to pay) I'd used Rapala lures for years & this was the first time I'd had hooks rust? He took a look, went into the back, came back in a few minutes, dropped a new lure in the box on the counter . . . and said . . . "They shouldn't rust . . . . . have a nice day!" I also had them replace ice auger blades that wouldn't cut very well, with new ones . . . . so I'd say I certainly can't complain about their customer service? Did you send them a pleasant business letter with your return, POLITELY explaining (in a non-accusatory manner) what happened? "Your cheap garbage lure is no good . . . I want another one shipped pronto" just don't cut it! It's amazing just what a well written letter of complaint will get you? If it's worth complaining about, it's worth complaining constructively about!
fishnpro Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 The DT6 is one of the weakest rapalas I've ever used. I bought two of them and both of them broke. One broke right in half after bumping some rocks on a flat and the other one separated at the bill just like yours. I'm my honest opinion I think there are way better lure manufacturers out there.
misfish Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 I'll stop flogging now, and start collecting pop cans from the ditch to buy a few Lucky Crafts. Thats going to be a lot of collecting. As for the lucky craft lures,I had one bust on me.Maybe caught three fish on it,til the wire braid in the body snapped.I wasnt pleased,but crap happens.BTW worth3x what your sobbering about. Now to your post,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, All Im going to say is, when you watch these fishing shows, they show knocking off the rocks and sand.Creates strikes. Heres my point. The fishermen show guys, are sponsored by the lure maker right? So if they are doing this,and the manufacture sees this(Im sure they do) Then why not replace it. We are being told by the "PRO" to do this. JMO here.
lhousesoccer Posted July 13, 2009 Author Report Posted July 13, 2009 (edited) . Edited August 12, 2014 by vtbass
rickster Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 Just curious Why did you not mention in your letter about bouncing the lure off the rocks for two hours????
Terry Posted July 13, 2009 Report Posted July 13, 2009 I not to long ago saw as fishing show on the Rapala DT-6 and they were showing how you need to get it to the bottom and bounce off the rocks to be affective , I am pretty sure the rapala rep was in the boat doing the same thing, so why would they not warranty it for hitting rocks......it will make me think twice before I buy some rapalas
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