mark poulson Posted April 4, 2017 Report Share Posted April 4, 2017 I recently fished two of the 2.5 knockoffs I painted several years ago, but never got a chance to fish. I don't remember the source, but it was either Predator or Bustin Baits. The lures fished fine, and caught fish, but the bills broke when I bounced them off the riprap during the retrieve. Being able to grind cranks off of rock is key to getting bit, so I'm PO'd. Has anyone else had the same experience? I wound up coating the rest of the 2.5s I have with Solarez resin, to try and reinforce them. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2017 I fished a coated 2.5 today, and it held up fine. As far as I could tell, mostly by feel in the dirty water, it still has the wide, throbbing wobble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyectcher Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Mark I had that happen with a big tackle manufacture the lips were breaking off in the painting process so I called them and there exuse was the paint I use I explained I use createx they knew dam well it was a factory defect I don't use any harsh chemicals whatsoever I only use isopropyl to clean my brushes when done painting they replaced them after me calling and bugging them for a couple months I really would not have expected that from a big tackle company then I tried putting a coat of epoxy over the lip but that just threw the crank out of tune so at eight bucks each i don't buy there product anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 (edited) 10 hours ago, Eyectcher said: Mark I had that happen with a big tackle manufacture the lips were breaking off in the painting process so I called them and there exuse was the paint I use I explained I use createx they knew dam well it was a factory defect I don't use any harsh chemicals whatsoever I only use isopropyl to clean my brushes when done painting they replaced them after me calling and bugging them for a couple months I really would not have expected that from a big tackle company then I tried putting a coat of epoxy over the lip but that just threw the crank out of tune so at eight bucks each i don't buy there product anymore That sounds like the older Rapala deep divers. Their bills would break if they even saw a rock nearby, or if I slapped some weeds off of them. Fortunately, this are shallow square bills, so coating the bills hasn't affected their action. One of the things I liked most about them was their thin bills, but the plastic just seems to be too brittle. Edited April 8, 2017 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyectcher Posted April 10, 2017 Report Share Posted April 10, 2017 It is to brittle I hear a lot of complaints from friends about this same issue for the cost of a crankbait/minnow bait I think the product should be a lot better we really should not have to epoxy the lips on a bait after we pay good money for them I know these baits are suppose to be made in the USA but looking st the small print there all made offshore it really gets down to politics don't buy offshore products Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2017 9 hours ago, Eyectcher said: It is to brittle I hear a lot of complaints from friends about this same issue for the cost of a crankbait/minnow bait I think the product should be a lot better we really should not have to epoxy the lips on a bait after we pay good money for them I know these baits are suppose to be made in the USA but looking st the small print there all made offshore it really gets down to politics don't buy offshore products While I agree that we should buy American if we can, I appreciate the fact that having these cheap knock offs has allowed me to be able to paint and use my "own" cranks. It seems to me the older knock offs didn't have this problem, so maybe the newer ones use less plastic to save money. I don't know. I know I still fish one that had a removable ballast ball from years ago, and it is bullet (rock) proof. It's lip is also thicker. Coating the lips is now a part of my painting process on there square bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyectcher Posted April 11, 2017 Report Share Posted April 11, 2017 Hey Mark I totally agree with you I have some old baits that have caught a ton of fish I've actually had to repaint some the paint was showing wear and tear mark between us I had an issue with rapala husky jerks some had the big driveing lip and some had the small lip I never put my clamps on the lip always on a hook hanger and I painted about two dozen paints a couple winters ago when I was done with the epoxy I started takeing the tape of the lips and I was getting some that the lip would come off with the tape I figured a couple who cares right but I had eight so I contacted rapala and they passed me to there area CEO so I explained and he told me to send a couple in so I did well a month went by and I got no response so I kept calling and his secretary would just tell me he's not in so what I did was called from my office at work and it showed up as our company name so she did not know it was me and she passed me over so he answered the phone and I asked politely what are we going to do with this do he told me he was leaveing for Finland to go to rapala head office and he would bring the baits but he would not be back for two weeks so I took his word for it but a few days later I figured I should check up to make sure he was not playing me and I had my secratary call on her cell phone and ask for him sure enough he was in his office at this point I was pissed so doing tournaments I know a few guys that rapala sponsors so I called every one of them and let them know sure enough he called me within half hour but still no resolution I got my baits exchange by the assistant manager as I called when the CEO was not there and informed the secretary I was going public with it and I got my baits exchanged he was actually nice guy he sent me 24 rapslas but I won't buy any more from them but it is getting hard to find good blanks ive priced out buying alluminiate resin to make my own but the price is double for what I can buy them for mark who do you buy your blanks from 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2017 I honestly don't remember. It was at least three years ago, when I was still back down in Los Angeles. My Solarez coating did and didn't work. I threw a bait with the lip coated with Solarez, and it didn't chip like the other ones did. Unfortunately, the whole bill broke off right at the bait, just like the old Rapalas used to. I have four more blanks hanging over my workbench, waiting for paint jobs. I'll be sure not to hit rocks with them, or not to slap weeds off of them, and, hopefully, they'll hold up. I hope I can find a way to keep fishing them, because they are real fish catchers, and cast a mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyectcher Posted April 12, 2017 Report Share Posted April 12, 2017 Not sure mark if I come up with an idea I'll let you know 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
