Sticker Shock on Raps

[Down Deep]

I was browsing around a major fishing and outdoor gear store today. I walked by the Rapala display which was stocked with the latest incarnations of the same basic minnow bait. Most of those baits were sporting prices of 10.99 to 12.99. Even standards like the X-Rap and Shad Rap had prices of 8.99 to 10.99. Raps are very good baits, but those prices sure made me start shopping alternatives. Unless there are some good sales on the horizon I'll be using Raps from my current inventory for awhile.

[pushbutton]

Yeah, the consolidation that is going on is generally not a good thing for the consumer. Yes, do think they are the best on the market, but, personally will not drop 10 bucks for a "rap"…..if for nothing else….for principles sake. Many alternatives, and it's just fishing after all. Am more of a chucker though, and not a puller. Will be interesting to see how this all plays out…...

[LegattoAD]

Times like this I'm thankful I chuck jigs most of the time. Besides, the last time I fished a crank, the only thing I caught was a dog collar..

[kfk]

Those prices are really high. I have more Rapalas that I want to admit since they work very well, but I rarely buy them unless they're on sale.

[pushbutton]

Just remembered where i saw this. Bently, as in the tungsten Bently, is selling this lure retrieval system. Have never used it so can't say if its worth the money, but looks impressive. Now, invent something from keeping those pike from going all midevil on them raps …..then I will be really impressed

[expl]

Ive noticed the prices have gone up quite a bit.I usually look for sales or dont buy them.I have noticed the smaller bait shops will have sales on them after they sit on the shelves for an extended period of time.I found one last winter that had a sizeable amount of salmo lures half price,I bought them all,otherwise the big box stores usually have sales on certain models and colors at times,you just have to shop often,which doesnt allways mean buying,just checking around.There is deals out there.

[bucketmouth64]

I don't think I've ever bought a rapala at regular price. Some of the sales that go on aren't really much of a deal either. There must not be much of a profit margin on rapalas. I think if rapala would take a look at their pricing and make some changes maybe their product would sell more than what they're selling now.

[John Mickish]

Two words for you. Flicker Shad.

[mwal]

Yes Flicker shads are my go to in river trolling. I still use X-raps for smallies have not found an alternative that works better

Mwal

[hawgchaser]

My son has gone to making his (and my) crankbaits for about $2.50 average. I've no quarrel with the performance and get a warm feeling having my own personalized brand...He labels the ones for me "GoPa". Fun opening Christmas, Dad's day & birthday presents to see what's new & different.

[BTL]

Yeah, they're really getting expensive. Most lures are costing more these days, but it seems like Rapala went up the most. I have a hard time paying $9 for a 4" balsa minnow.

[Comit 2]

Every year the the new line up is a dollar or more then last years lineup. Then they delete one of there old lures that were cheaper and easier to make like a rattling rap. Then the next year they come out with a new more expensive model of it. Nowhere in there vocabulary is, leave well enough alone. There key phrase seem to be, We need a new flavor of the day,, yesterday. That attitude has pushed be to us other companies lures, like Salmo.

Like someone else said, I now use a lot more soft plastics and I don't even give the Rapala aisle a look.

I remember the day when I thought using crankbaits was much cheaper than using live bait. That gap has closed. It is getting that way with soft plastics too.

[delcecchi]

Raps are outrageous, but what about 27.95 for a musky bucktail?

[PurpleFloyd]

My son has gone to making his (and my) crankbaits for about $2.50 average. I've no quarrel with the performance and get a warm feeling having my own personalized brand...He labels the ones for me "GoPa". Fun opening Christmas, Dad's day & birthday presents to see what's new & different.

They actually sound quite priceless.

[tacklejunkie]

I am fishing less and less with crankbaits. I have a few and still use them, but I have seen the price of rapalas over the years and I can't justify that purchase when I have just as much luck, if not more, with spinners and jigs.

I was thinking of doing some cranking for walleyes this past fall until I saw the prices...ouch

[bassinboy3]

Most high end tackle companies have high priced cranks it isn't just rapala. However I agree with the fact they are over priced. I only buy them when they are on sale, its hard to pay that kind of money on a bait that a little hammerhandle is likely going to steal the first time you use it!

[hawgchaser]

Christmas 2013 in our best performing Bay de Noc colors.

[mrpike1973]

holy cow!! did they actually quit making the regular rattlin rap. that was the one lure that was affordable and worked. i totally agree with this all raps went up 1-2 doller's each this year. i fish mostly pike and they just ruin them i think there a good lure but i cant afford them much longer .dont remember who said flicker shads. do they work with steel leaders. my problem is most of the other brands wont work with leaders where most raps do thanks.

[pushbutton]

If you have not….check out the Storm jointed thunderstick. One of my favorites shallow runners. They tolerate wire, have a rattle, and stand up the the toothy critters pretty well.

[harvey lee]

Talk about spendy, take a look at the Clackin Minnow's by Rapala, last year I spent $17 each for 4 different ones. The color was hot on Rainy Lake so I got more.

I would hate to think what one has invested in cranks for fishing. I have close to 350 and it would be mind blowing to think what one has spent on these over the years.

Pushbutton, I have dozen's of the Thunderstick's and yes, they are more afforadable.

Heck, I get sticker shock every time I go to buy anything.

[bigsam]

Not only have the prices gone up, but, the quality has gone way down on the Raps, too. I have some floaters from when I was a kid, and they take(and have taken) a heckuva lot more abuse than the fresh bought ones do. I can remember in 2012, I bought a brand spankin' new #7 Yellow Perch Shad Rap for $8, took it trolling, and the first fish I caught busted the rear treble right out of the balsa! God, I have caught a ton of fish on the ol' Rap, but, thank God for Salmo! At least you can mail them a broken lure and have it replaced for free!

[mrpike1973]

well said there quality has gone down. i can only get 1 or 2 pike on a shad rap and there dead.

[mainbutter]

Even at $15 each, the higher-dollar non-balsa rapalas are a perfectly fine fishing investment. Maybe I'm crazy, or maybe I'm the only sane one, but I don't need one of each color in each size and each depth level. I really only need three crankbaits in my box unless muskies are on the hit list.

[minky]

Yep, your right about being able to cover everything with a small number of lures. I guess I am always looking for that new lure that will catch one fish after another. The closest I have is gold jigging rap with many tooth marks and bent hooks!

[kfk]

I don't agree that the quality of Rapalas has gone down at all.

[slurpie]

Just need to look for sales. I picked some up last week for 3 and 4 dollars. Pickings were not the best. But got some I always use and got a bunch of storm lures to try out for 3 bucks also. Otherwise yeah the price is nuts now.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

Everything is going up including the minimum wage but my pension isn't going up very much!!!

[Stick in Mud]

As others have said, you can wait for sales and still get some decent deals....and that's true on all of the brands, not just Rapala. The Storm Shad lures were $3 at many points over the last year. The Flicker Shads were less than that at one point. And you can find Shad Raps for $5 (or a bit less) if you're patient. The Scatter Raps were on sale near Xmas for $6.

The only lures that I rarely, rarely see on sale are the Salmos, unfortunately.

Maybe because I don't buy minnows all that often, but I find my jaw dropping more often when I try to pick up a couple dozen shiners. Holy goodness they can be expensive. Same with sucker minnows, rainbows, and redtails. There were some days last spring when the bite was fantastic that we went through six or seven dozen shiners a day. That makes those $6 Raps seem a whole lot cheaper.

[amateurfishing]

I have slowly started to build my arsenal for this year. buying 2-4 each time I go to store so I can get what I want in stock and the price aint quite as bad as buying a bunch at once. also trying to buy the other less expensive brands since I assume there may be a run on them when spring fever hits.

[H2O Milfoil]

Yep, $6 Shad Raps are expensive, but these days those buggers are more than $6. However, one afternoon a couple years ago, I was out trolling the weedline from 3 to 7 pm, it was a very good afternoon, and my one brand new Shad Rap took 47 northerns, walleyes, and bass. I put that lure on my trophy board at work, it was way chewed up. I don't think $6 worth of minnows could have done that kind of job.