# Has Rapala gone to the dark side???



## trap4fun (Mar 12, 2009)

I have read through numerous forums and posts with fishermen agreeing that the newer series of Rapala's are absolute junk in terms of quality. I have fished rapala's most of life sometimes even exlusively and never before have they ever had such problems as the new series' do. It really saddens me to hear this about a time honored company that really was revolutionary in our fishing history.

I haven't used many of Rapala's lures produced in the past couple years so this was all from other fishermen. If you have any input on this i'd really like to hear it.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

My biggest thing I miss about the old rapala was the floating/diving origonal Husky. What a kick butt bait, thay only made them for a few years. I am down to my last two.


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

I haven't noticed that at all, I fish with the floaters and the countdowns and have no problems, I broke two lips off countdowns this year and it's the first time I've ever had lips break on them and it was because I threw them into a bridge trying to float cast and they cracked, I don't blame the lure for that :lol:


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

The only problem I've had is with the glass husky jerks.. They don't hold up well when hit on concrete walls and rocks.


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## SunSet Bass (Sep 9, 2009)

I just counted......... I have a box with 18 Dt's that have broke by just fishing them. I also called my fishing partner and he has a box with 22 broke DT's. Lets just say we paid $10 for them that equals $400 wasted on a lure that doesn't last long enough to catch a fish........ I will say that I have never had a problem with Rapala's plastic body cranks, I think it mite just be the wood that causes all the problems.

I wish they still made that Down Deep Rattling Fat Rap. They work great but I only have one left.


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## RyGuy525 (Mar 17, 2005)

The DT's are killer baits its just to bad they are junk! I Had the lip rip out of 3 of them with the head attached last summer. I love the lure and i love the paint job but i wont buy them.


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## Fishfighter (Dec 20, 2009)

new ones are junk I won't even buy them any more new my old floating husky jerks it seems I could smash against anything without lips breaking off


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## chamookman (Sep 1, 2003)

I use DT's all the time, and haven't had any problems. C-man


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

I have not had an issue with any of the new style Rapala's. I have however had major tuning issues with a handfull of recently purchased original floaters and original jointed models. And good luck tuning them yourself, I sure can't seem to do it......


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## EYECHASER1 (May 16, 2009)

I must say I can not get a jointed one to tune either have tried many and no luck never had a problem tuning them for many years till recently my bro was using HJ's on the river all last fall and had the lips break of three glass clowns with out hitting a wall I refuse to buy anymore when cheaper lures are doing the job maybe they will pull their head out and I will purchase more lures I was taught to fish with


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## DetroitIron (Dec 4, 2003)

Is that they went to China or some other "cheap labor source" to manufacture their stuff just like 99.9 % of the rest of manufacturing. And since I"m on my soapbox, thats why this country is in the ChitHouse because nothing is made here anymore and nobody has a job. 

Pisses me off cause I just bought a few DT's and dont like what I am reading. 

These businesses that do this crap are only thinking short term, they might make some initial money, but once word gets out and people stop buying them, is when its going to catch up with them.


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

DetroitIron said:


> Is that they went to China or some other "cheap labor source" to manufacture their stuff just like 99.9 % of the rest of manufacturing. And since I"m on my soapbox, thats why this country is in the ChitHouse because nothing is made here anymore and nobody has a job.
> 
> Pisses me off cause I just bought a few DT's and dont like what I am reading.
> 
> These businesses that do this crap are only thinking short term, they might make some initial money, but once word gets out and people stop buying them, is when its going to catch up with them.


Countdowns are made in Estonia 

As far as tuning goes, I have the rapala pliers and it has a tuning tool built into them, that helps worlds.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

DE82 said:


> Countdowns are made in Estonia
> 
> As far as tuning goes, I have the rapala pliers and it has a tuning tool built into them, that helps worlds.


I have a pair of their pliers as well and still no luck. Maybe one day in the next week or so I'll spend some time at it...hate to give up a potentially productive lure that cost $7 (I know, not that expensive compared to some but still) I still do real well with the original styles but it seems like purchasing one is 50/50 chance and it was never that way a few years ago.


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

Swamp Monster said:


> I have a pair of their pliers as well and still no luck. Maybe one day in the next week or so I'll spend some time at it...hate to give up a potentially productive lure that cost $7 (I know, not that expensive compared to some but still) I still do real well with the original styles but it seems like purchasing one is 50/50 chance and it was never that way a few years ago.


If you look online they show you how to use the tuning tool so you don't mess up the lure, takes some getting used to but once you get the hang of it you can re-tune a lure in no time, I often do it on the stream.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

i don't use anything made by rapala with the exception of the x-rap and maybe an old husky jerk from days of yore. they cost too much money for the quality you get back. I don't think they are bad baits - but if they are going to skimp on quality - then they can't keep charging the same rates as when the lures were hand-made in finland!

i have paid 10 - 15$ (even 20 in some cases) for a single crankbait or jerkbait like lucky craft or c-flash. In those cases, the bait has great paint that stays on it, suspends or runs perfect out of the box every time and is durable enough to catch some fish on. I really like strike king lipless and cranks - affordable and decent quality.


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## chamookman (Sep 1, 2003)

I bought some Strike King Diamond Shads & series 5 crankbaits. ALL of them after short usage, the paint strated peeling off. JUNK ! C-man


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## trap4fun (Mar 12, 2009)

this really is saddening to hear all of this about all these once-great lure companies. WHAT HAPPENED!?! Sounds like were gunna get more reliability from the lures in our grampas tackle boxes!!


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## tubejig (Jan 21, 2002)

You gotta buy 5 so you get the pliers in the mail for free. This way you have a tool to hold the lip when you glue it back on.:lol::lol: Its called the Rapala repair kit!!!


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## alex-v (Mar 24, 2005)

trap4fun said:


> I haven't used many of Rapala's lures produced in the past couple years so this was all from other fishermen. If you have any input on this i'd really like to hear it.


I have not had any problem with the Original Floater series and I have over 300 of them in sizes from #5 to #13. The majority of them have been repainted but they are Original Floater.



DetroitIron said:


> And since I"m on my soapbox, thats why this country is in the ChitHouse because nothing is made here anymore and nobody has a job.


While you are on your soapbox keep in mind that Rapalas have never been made in the US unless something has happened in the last couple of months.



DE82 said:


> Countdowns are made in Estonia


I called them about that. They are not made in Estonia. They, actually the parts, are made all over the world and then the parts shipped to Estonia for final assembly. The woman that I talked to at the company was very emphatic that manufacture was a world-wide thing but only the final product, the assembly of all components took place in Estonia.


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## DE82 (Nov 28, 2007)

alex-v said:


> I have not had any problem with the Original Floater series and I have over 300 of them in sizes from #5 to #13. The majority of them have been repainted but they are Original Floater.
> 
> 
> While you are on your soapbox keep in mind that Rapalas have never been made in the US unless something has happened in the last couple of months.
> ...


Well then they should put "assembled in Estonia" not "made in Estonia" on the box :lol: 

I like you just have floaters and countdowns and I really don't see how the lip could break on either from normal use. I like rapala's because of the balsa, I feel it gives the lure a different action than plastic baits. 

If anybody's looking for a cheaper bait Rebel has new "value series" minnows for 2.99 at bass pro, they're on their site, might be worth a look.


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## bigfisherman (Nov 9, 2007)

Well I would hate to put a number on how many rapalas I have but it is definately up there. Their wood baits are going to get torn up by big fish like salmon etc. I have had lots of baits catch untold numbers of fish. If you are casting cranks in shallow water with concrete, rocks, etc. then you really better pick the right bait. allot of the cranks have problems under those conditions, I could name em but it would be naming most lure companies, especially deeper cranks and jerk baits, I would choose an all plastic bait with a heavy duty lip like a storm bait they are probally the most durable for fishing that type of locations huskies work but do break the storm baits are tougher. I don't bass fish you I am not sure which lures in the DT series you are talking about but If I had 20 broken ones in my box either I fish allot allot allot or I would not buy that bait for that application any more it obviously cann't take that kind of abuse. I run allot of rapala's from huskies, floater, jointed, taildancers, shad raps, minnow raps, etc and I can say this I haven't noticed any change in quality over the years in the bait itself or how well tuned the bait is runnning out of the box. I have always had a few that I had to tune but never had one I couldn't tune. I have had other lures that I could never get to run right and that is very frusterating. My guess is more often than not the person trying to tune it is not doing it properly. there are some baits from other manufactures that I really like but no longer buy because they go out fo tune so easliy from fish fighting them even. 

I certianly wouldn't write off a lure company because a certian line isn't doing what you need it too. Take em back to where you bought them and dump 20 busted lures on the table and say what can you do for me. better yet you and your buddy take em in at the same time. See what they say worst they can say is no. more than likely they will give you some store credit or discount of something else.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

WELL................Enough already.
*Good baits* - yeah , things break and Q.C. is an issue with ANYTHING.

I've sent baits back DIRECTLY to them due to me buying many of them 60+ miles from home - they never had a problem replacing them.
I don't beat the sH!ZniZZLe out of my stuff - so it lasts me a while.
Fish are GUNNA break stuff.
Instead of whining about it - give 'em a call or email.
They are a good company and probably half my cranks sport the Normark moniker.
:chillin:


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