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Each year I choose a new piece of fishing tackle to spend extra time on to see if I want to include it in my ongoing fishing comfort zone. Last year I worked hard on throwing a topwater popper and had good results with it. I kept it in my arsenal for this year too. Many anglers like using crankbaits for trolling or casting. I have never liked them much because they had multiple treble hooks-- I did not give them a fair trial in my fishing.
This year I decided to give crankbaits a better test. On some of the crankbaits I replace the trebles with inline single hooks. On others I cut off the pointed end of 1 or 2 of the three hooks on each treble. In the winter I bought several X-Rap 8 lures and picked up some Yozuri Crystal minnows in a similar size. I tried them during the late winter and spring without much success. Last month I fished on a friend's boat. He threw larger crankbaits (X-Rap 10s and 4" Yozuri minnows) and did very well with them. I went out and bought one X-Rap 10 and one 4" Yozuri Crystal minnow. The Yozuri has not caught much, but the X-Rap 10 was giving promising results.
Last week I fished underneath a low bridge. On one cast, I threw the new $13.99 X-Rap-10 into the underside of the bridge. After retrieving the lure, I lifted it from the water and saw a clear plastic piece fall off and sink. On inspection, the lip on the lure had come off. When I got home I wrote to Rapala (Normark) and asked them if I could buy a new lip to glue on the lure (I thought they might just mail me the 10 cent part). They explained that they do not sell separate lure lips. They told me to give them the color pattern and size of the lure and they would send me a replacement. I thought that was generous of them, since the lure damage was attributable to a bad cast.
Today a small box arrived from Rapala. Inside I found two identical X-Rap 10 lures in the same color as the one I damaged. I certainly do not advocate that you damage your Rapala lures in the hopes of getting new ones, but I do applaud Rapala for going beyond any reasonable expectation for customer support.
By the way, I now have a nearly new X-Rap 10 with no lip. I entertain suggestions on how to repair the lure to make it dive and wiggle properly again.
This year I decided to give crankbaits a better test. On some of the crankbaits I replace the trebles with inline single hooks. On others I cut off the pointed end of 1 or 2 of the three hooks on each treble. In the winter I bought several X-Rap 8 lures and picked up some Yozuri Crystal minnows in a similar size. I tried them during the late winter and spring without much success. Last month I fished on a friend's boat. He threw larger crankbaits (X-Rap 10s and 4" Yozuri minnows) and did very well with them. I went out and bought one X-Rap 10 and one 4" Yozuri Crystal minnow. The Yozuri has not caught much, but the X-Rap 10 was giving promising results.
Last week I fished underneath a low bridge. On one cast, I threw the new $13.99 X-Rap-10 into the underside of the bridge. After retrieving the lure, I lifted it from the water and saw a clear plastic piece fall off and sink. On inspection, the lip on the lure had come off. When I got home I wrote to Rapala (Normark) and asked them if I could buy a new lip to glue on the lure (I thought they might just mail me the 10 cent part). They explained that they do not sell separate lure lips. They told me to give them the color pattern and size of the lure and they would send me a replacement. I thought that was generous of them, since the lure damage was attributable to a bad cast.
Today a small box arrived from Rapala. Inside I found two identical X-Rap 10 lures in the same color as the one I damaged. I certainly do not advocate that you damage your Rapala lures in the hopes of getting new ones, but I do applaud Rapala for going beyond any reasonable expectation for customer support.
By the way, I now have a nearly new X-Rap 10 with no lip. I entertain suggestions on how to repair the lure to make it dive and wiggle properly again.
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