Buyer beware (rapala floaters)

[PressuredFishing]

A few years ago I picked up 10rapala floaters during a sale that I never touched, I finally needed them (different sizes) out of them all none ran right and most would just spin on the surface right out of the box, I could only manage to tune 2 of them, took them out on the water and after one fish on each one they both stopped running true. If I could use profanity I would, hopefully rapala stands behind their original minnows...... I will most likley not even request a floater and will ask for the lure money in the form of xraps or something.... if they fixed this issue let me know but for the time being will not buy any more.....

[WRB]

Rapala Floaters you mean original Floating Minnow F09, F11, F13, F15 ?

You bought them in the Rapala box on sale?

What line type #test and how are you tying the line to the lure?

Tom

[Woody B]

I like and use Rapala's "Ott's Garage" flat side crankbaits.  I have to adjust pretty much every one of them.  I've had a couple that the bills were glued in so crooked I couldn't get them to run at all.   

[PressuredFishing]

32 minutes ago, WRB said:

What line type #test and how are you tying the line to the lure?

Tom

1 fo9 , 9 fo3s  I tried 4lb mono and 2lb mono, both loop knot and clinch knot, maybe I got a bad batch I dont know, got em a long time ago from fishUSA

[WRB]

It’s not your line or rigging. Always used the Count Downs in the smaller sizes, the F09 should work casting.

If you still have the Rapala in the original boxes you might be able to exchange them.

Tom

[PressuredFishing]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

If you still have the Rapala in the original boxes you might be able to exchange them.

Tom

yeah I think im going to do that

[fin]

If you don't try to exchange them, you might try using a snap or putting a larger hook on the front position, something with weight to help get the nose down. I assume the lip is not at the right angle, but I could be wrong.

[PressuredFishing]

5 hours ago, fin said:

assume the lip is not at the right angle, but I could be wrong.

I will try that, the lip looks straight but out of the box the line ties where all over the place

[PressuredFishing]

10 hours ago, fin said:

If you don't try to exchange them, you might try using a snap or putting a larger hook on the front position, something with weight to help get the nose down. I assume the lip is not at the right angle, but I could be wrong.

I just tried this, i put a little heavier gauge size 10 trebles and a small snap, still ran weird but at least tuned them to run without blowing out

[fin]

17 minutes ago, PressuredFishing said:

I just tried this, i put a little heavier gauge size 10 trebles and a small snap, still ran weird but at least tuned them to run without blowing out

The front hooks are set pretty far back on those little ones, so the hook probably doesn't do as much as the snap. I've had several lures that require a little extra weight on the nose like that. If you remove the split ring on some lures, they'll blow out like that. I've never bought any of those sticky weights you put on lures, but that may be what you need in this case.

[PressuredFishing]

9 minutes ago, fin said:

I've never bought any of those sticky weights you put on lures, but that may be what you need in this case.

Ah, that gives me another idea, I have really thin thin gauge lead, maybe I'll do a few wraps on the front hooks. 

[WRB]

If the Rapala Floating Minnow line tie eye is bent it’s defective. These are Balsa wood lures and the bent line tie damages to wood, if try to straighten the eye the epoxy cranks the lure is toast.

Tom

[FishTank]

The original Rapala Floaters were one my favorite baits as a kid and as an adult when I first got into bass fishing.  As far as I remember, they never ran true. I always fish them like a jerkbait and never on a straight retrieve. I also fished them with a split shot about 6 inches above the bait and as a sort of topwater walk the dog bait. If the line tie is bent, as Tom said, its toast. 

[TnRiver46]

24 minutes ago, FishTank said:

The original Rapala Floaters were one my favorite baits as a kid and as an adult when I first got into bass fishing.  As far as I remember, they never ran true. I always fish them like a jerkbait and never on a straight retrieve. I also fished them with a split shot about 6 inches above the bait and as a sort of topwater walk the dog bait. If the line tie is bent, as Tom said, its toast. 

That’s what I was thinking also, they rarely ran straight but fish love them. Especially twitched on top 

[WRB]

9 of the Rapala are F03’s Thor are 1 1/2” long weighing 1/16 oz. These are not your basic bass lures and if the line tie eye was bent and on sale (returns?) they can’t be salvaged.

Tom

[PressuredFishing]

11 minutes ago, WRB said:

9 of the Rapala are F03’s Thor are 1 1/2” long weighing 1/16 oz. These are not your basic bass lures and if the line tie eye was bent and on sale (returns?) they can’t be salvaged.

Tom

I bent a few back although I see what you mean by epoxy cracking, I think I'll just keep the ones I messed with and send the rest back

[The Bassman]

I remember the ads claimed that each lure was individually tank tested. Can't imagine that being true any more.

[Woody B]

The Rapala Ott's Garage lures are flatside crankbaits, but they're balsa.  For ones that need minor adjustment I've been able to slightly twist the eye to correct them without damage.  There was no fixing the really bad ones.  On the really bad ones you can see the lip isn't glued in straight.   I consider them throwaway lures anyway.  The can only take so much bouncing off lay downs and stumps before something breaks.  

[Spankey]

17 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

That’s what I was thinking also, they rarely ran straight but fish love them. Especially twitched on top 

Can’t really fish one wrong. The Jointed version is a good change up as something different for them to look at. 
 

Same with jointed Shad Rap. I’m just a Rapala junkie. 
 

Too bad they didn’t work out for the guy.