Rapala Shadow Rap Shad issues

[zeth]

I have 2 of every color in shallow and deep.  99% of them never used and just a few months old. The lips on about 90% of them are covered in what looks like hairline fractures that developed over time. Some worse than others. They don't break or anything but it is a visual defect. 

I am wondering if anyone else sees this on theirs? Rapala said to send them all back for warranty.

[Brock_v]

all of mine i mean all of mine have shattered after a few fish

[zeth]

29 minutes ago, Brock_v said:

all of mine i mean all of mine have shattered after a few fish

yeah, unfortunately, I bought too many. Should have bought one and tested first. sending back 50 that have cracked bills with no use. I doubt they will refund me but they better. I don't want these garbage lures. 

 

[KayakFish107]

2 hours ago, zeth said:

yeah, unfortunately, I bought too many. Should have bought one and tested first. sending back 50 that have cracked bills with no use. I doubt they will refund me but they better. I don't want these garbage lures. 

 

Wow. My jaw literally dropped when I saw the number 50! Holy monkey that’s a ton!

[sdsc357]

Maybe Rapala's quality have gone downhill. I have a few of the ripstop that have broken tails. I have original floaters from 20 years ago that still works fine.

[flyfisher]

I have a bunch and none have broken bills or tails for my ripstops.  I'll have to take a look to see if there are hairline fractures on the them though.  

[Deleted account]

Yes

[bigbill]

Get them replaced and fish with them.

[zeth]

2 hours ago, bigbill said:

Get them replaced and fish with them.

sent them all back. we will see what happens. ill post if they give me an update

[Bluebasser86]

I can't comment on the quality of most of Rapala's baits because;

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Seems like a quality control issue all my Ireland made ones some over 20 yrs old still goin strong the Estonia  ones look and fish cheap

[zeth]

Just now, Maxximus Redneckus said:

Seems like a quality control issue all my Ireland made ones some over 20 yrs old still goin strong the Estonia  ones look and fish cheap

yes I have some ancient Rapala lures that look great.

[Log Catcher]

On 5/11/2018 at 2:05 PM, zeth said:

yeah, unfortunately, I bought too many. Should have bought one and tested first. sending back 50 that have cracked bills with no use. I doubt they will refund me but they better. I don't want these garbage lures. 

 

If you have 50 of them the bait monkey was working overtime on you.

[Bluebasser86]

14 hours ago, Maxximus Redneckus said:

Seems like a quality control issue all my Ireland made ones some over 20 yrs old still goin strong the Estonia  ones look and fish cheap

Yep, I have some old shad raps and original raps that still fish and look great. Then I tried to fish a new original Rapala and a BX Minnow for walleye this spring and the bills fell off because they hit a rock during the retrieve, which is pretty much what crankbaits are designed to do, deflect off of things. 

[BassThumb]

Those little hairline cracks don’t see to progress to anything worse. I’ve never broken a bill on them and I beat them into the rocks pretty hard.

 

My only issue is the soft hooks. It kinda stinks to have to bend them back or replace them nearly every trip. 

[zeth]

Well, according to Rapala those little hairline cracks in the bills that made them look like shattered glass was a manufacturing defect. They replaced all of them and maybe even sent me more. haven't gone through the box but it sure looks like a lot of baits. on the fence about whether I want to keep them or post them up on the board. They do catch fish. Mossback shiner is the only color I ever used out of all of them and it always got bit. I gotta think about this one. 

[dsqui]

I had to many issues with them breaking on the side.  Right where the two colors meet went threw about 15 the first year havnt bought any since 

[Dangerfield]

These baits crack easy, half of mine are have it but they do catch fish. Hooks bending has more to do with your rig than the lure. Too heavy line and rod while bend em out. While they might be light hooks, if you're using the right set up you shouldn't be bending out hooks unless you're winching in 13lb pigs.

[zeth]

5 minutes ago, Dangerfield said:

These baits crack easy, half of mine are have it but they do catch fish. Hooks bending has more to do with your rig than the lure. Too heavy line and rod while bend em out. While they might be light hooks, if you're using the right set up you shouldn't be bending out hooks unless you're winching in 13lb pigs.

Agree on the setup. They could use better hooks. But then the lures would be $15. The hooks typically come sharp and on the right rod/reel/line combo they do not bend out. Still swapping out to the Gamakatsu nanos helps. Overall a poor quality lure with awesome colors and good size and action

[Dangerfield]

1 hour ago, zeth said:

Still swapping out to the Gamakatsu nanos helps. Overall a poor quality lure with awesome colors and good size and action

Used the same hooks to replace the trebles on a jackall dowzvido. Very similar size but narrower profile to the shadow rap shad deep.

[zeth]

Well, since Rapala sent me 54 new lures and I'm just not a fan (i do love the colors o much though)  so you can find the lot of them on the board for sale once I get it posted.