Rapala X RAP (Barra lollie or waste of money)

[NAGG]

Hi All

Finally - nearly some 2 months after completing the ABT barra tour I've started to go through my tackle boxes for a bit of a tidy up / rearrangement etc

going through my hard bodies I start to remove battle damaged / destroyed Rapala X Raps ...... mostly with their ass end ripped out / split.

So .... it got me thinking - as some of these lures had only managed as little as 1 fish & at around $24 a pop ..... Is it really worth it ( rhetorical question) - with out a doubt - for me , Yes!!!!


So ..... how do you value your lures ? - I know some see a $4-$5 soft plastic as over the top - What are your expectations & bang for your buck ?
Would you be willing to spend $24 + on a lure that may only land a single fish ???
Should we expect better ?

Look forward to your thoughts

Chris

[Leighton]

I have broken the bib off 2 x rap 8's, treating them no different to any other lures I have.
Nice action but I expect more durability out of a lure

[NAGG]

I have broken the bib off 2 x rap 8's, treating them no different to any other lures I have.
Nice action but I expect more durability out of a lure

Yeh broken a few too - casting into trees (my bad) - but broken other lures in the same manner

Chris

[Pointyfish]

After managing to get away, paying for fuel ( car & boat ) accommodation etc, if the last thing that stands between you and success is a one fish $24 lure then its worth it.

There are plenty of Australian lures that cost half the price and in my opion catch just as much and will last much longer.

Guess its a confidence thing. Make your time out there count as much as YOU possibly can.

[BR65]

Ive struggled with the X-Raps, they rise, sink, leak, rust on the inside, every problem known to man, and never suspend as claimed, plus cost a fortune.

$4 - $5 placs, that would be the hollow bellies. Expensive when your fishing catty corner up in 2 Mile, but when its quiet, I always have one tied on to a stick some where.

Im about to have a major over haul of my lures as well, Ive recently flicked a heap 0f hard bods so that I can run a second tray for placs, with another serious cull to happen.

[NAGG]

After managing to get away, paying for fuel ( car & boat ) accommodation etc, if the last thing that stands between you and success is a one fish $24 lure then its worth it.

There are plenty of Australian lures that cost half the price and in my opion catch just as much and will last much longer.

Guess its a confidence thing. Make your time out there count as much as YOU possibly can.

Confidence ..... or just the right combination of sonic signature , action & flash ......... These things work so consistently.
I dont think that I would be going out on too long a limb if I said that the Rapala X Rap would have been the most successful HB lure on last years ABT barra tour .
but as you said ...... you could spend several hundred dollars getting to a barra dam - a $24 lure might just be a small price to pay.

Chris

[BR65]

Most successfull because most used Chris?

[NAGG]

Ive struggled with the X-Raps, they rise, sink, leak, rust on the inside, every problem known to man, and never suspend as claimed, plus cost a fortune.

$4 - $5 placs, that would be the hollow bellies. Expensive when your fishing catty corner up in 2 Mile, but when its quiet, I always have one tied on to a stick some where.

Im about to have a major over haul of my lures as well, Ive recently flicked a heap 0f hard bods so that I can run a second tray for placs, with another serious cull to happen.

Hi Brian

how many HBs that are suitable for barra - actually suspend I cant think of any !

As for the XR12 / SXR12 ...... A #4 Owner STN-66 on the rear & #1 on the front ( remove the tow point split) & you will end up with a slow riser - A small piece of sticky lead under the bib or at the tail will make them pretty well suspend).

Yes mate .... once you land a decent fish they can leak (as soon as that rear anchor point is damaged) ...... That is fixed by using 5 min araldite .
today I actually repaired a badly damaged one ( full of water) - I drilled 2 small holes & blew the water out ...... Then filled the holes with araldite. ( now a extremely slow 1cm / sec sinker ) .

But yeh .... a pain in the ass & very frustrating ....... not what you expect from a $24 lure

I had a cull of HBs before the ABT ( I put together a snack box of tuned lures) - I reckon I used 5 out of 20 types. I reckon I've got 50 lures that have never caught a barra ..... & yes they get used !

During the ABT ..... I generally fished 2 slick rigs - 1 Hollowbelly / Shadolicious / Reaction strike & a XR/SXR 12 X Rap - they were my typical set ups....... I had confidence in them & they offered variation

Chris

[NAGG]

Most successfull because most used Chris?

That I couldn't tell you Brian ....... but I doubt that it was a case like the slick rig where just about every man & their dog used one.
there would have been plenty of other types of HB thrown........

I know that several top 3 results were on the back of X Raps being used.

Chris

[BR65]

Yep, the slickies, they amaze me, so much tuning, with so little tail beat the end result, and still so popular.

I know, you cant get a genuine suspender capable of barra duty straight from the box, not that I know of anyways.

I was trialling some Reaction Strikes yesterday, again, not a big tail beat, even after a bit of trimming, and they seemed a very "soft" plac, softer than the hollows??
Also threw some 5" Castiacs, look a bit like a gar with that slim profile.

[NAGG]

Yep, the slickies, they amaze me, so much tuning, with so little tail beat the end result, and still so popular.

I know, you cant get a genuine suspender capable of barra duty straight from the box, not that I know of anyways.

I was trialling some Reaction Strikes yesterday, again, not a big tail beat, even after a bit of trimming, and they seemed a very "soft" plac, softer than the hollows??
Also threw some 5" Castiacs, look a bit like a gar with that slim profile.

For all that negative stuff written about Slick rigs , they still outfished every other lure on the tour ...... you cant knock a winning lure ( 5 of 6 events)

I swam the reaction strike as the 4th plastic option (5" only ... better action than the 6") - managed a couple of fish at Faust
Did you like the Castaics - I wasn't overly wrapped in them

Chris

[darylive]

Hi All

Finally - nearly some 2 months after completing the ABT barra tour I've started to go through my tackle boxes for a bit of a tidy up / rearrangement etc

going through my hard bodies I start to remove battle damaged / destroyed Rapala X Raps ...... mostly with their ass end ripped out / split.

So .... it got me thinking - as some of these lures had only managed as little as 1 fish & at around $24 a pop ..... Is it really worth it ( rhetorical question) - with out a doubt - for me , Yes!!!!


So ..... how do you value your lures ? - I know some see a $4-$5 soft plastic as over the top - What are your expectations & bang for your buck ?
Would you be willing to spend $24 + on a lure that may only land a single fish ???
Should we expect better ?

Look forward to your thoughts

Chris

Chris, There is an article in the latest Barra, Bass & Bream on suspenders. He rates a few and is in favour of the X Rap. I have no doubt they are over priced when you see what is available at reasonable prices. But they are in favour so they do get bought. Fortunately I collected a few around the $16 mark before the prices went up. Found them at A Mart while the others were already charging $24 etc.

I am making a few selections for next week

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[ATTACH]sum[/ATTACH]
Have you priced the Vipers lately?

[NAGG]

Chris, There is an article in the latest Barra, Bass & Bream on suspenders. He rates a few and is in favour of the X Rap. I have no doubt they are over priced when you see what is available at reasonable prices. But they are in favour so they do get bought. Fortunately I collected a few around the $16 mark before the prices went up. Found them at A Mart while the others were already charging $24 etc.

I am making a few selections for next week

Attachment 55597

Attachment 55598

[ATTACH]sum[/ATTACH]
Have you priced the Vipers lately?

Why would I want to

Hi Daryl ...... Mate , I dont pay $24 either - I usually buy them online overseas or have someone buy them for me when they travel to the States - Generally they cost me around A$11-12.

I saw that article & I can tell you now , I'd much prefer to see Kim Bain in her suspenders than DD doing his Andrew Downer impersonation

chris

[Whitto]

Bring all the lures you want boys but don't forget your Raincoat

[birko]

Becoming a bit of a fan of the xrap 10, as in recent sessions I have fished with my brother he has kicked my butt by using them whilst I persisted wth plastics. He changes his hooks to make them a lot more snag proof. Doesnt appear to hurt his hook up rate as much as I thought it would so I have done the same to a couple or maybe I stole them off him. They seem to have a very very slow rise following changes

An xrap bought the only fish with session at teemburra yesterday morning in shocking conditions. But in saying the above I cant comment on the durabitly factor as all fish caught to date on the raps have been 72cm or under. I believe that Greechs, Millards and Crofts abt night at awwonga was based on xraps. Be intersting to know how many did or didnt get broken and busted durring that seesion. Lots of big fish there.

Craig