Rapala DT Series Crankbaits 2025
pabassin reply :
Anyone having problems with these lures? The past 2 fishing trips, broke off 2 bills (one of which on the 5th cast) and another broke in half right below the bill, lost bottom half and both hooks! Can you send these back?!? These are my favorite crankbaits but seem to be extremely fragile.
Chris W reply :
I have broke probably 6 of the Dt 4's mostly my fault but they do seem to be very fragile.
pabassin reply :
The two i broke the lips off all i was doing is cranking them on a flat with chunk rock. Other one I smacked it off the water to get weeds off the hook and it cracked in two parallel along the length of the lure.
MALTESE FALCON reply :
This seems to be a common problem, however I've never had any break. Rapala supposedly fixed the problem.
Contact Rapala, they will replace them.
Falcon
ChiCityBasser reply :
I haven't had any break on me either but have heard of them having this problem
skunked_again reply :
QuoteAnyone having problems with these lures? The past 2 fishing trips, broke off 2 bills (one of which on the 5th cast) and another broke in half right below the bill, lost bottom half and both hooks! Can you send these back?!? These are my favorite crankbaits but seem to be extremely fragile.
ive broken enough to where i said id not buy them any more. with that being said im sure ill swallow my pride and buy 2 or 3 of the DT-6's
i assume your broken baits look like these broken baits:
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteQuoteAnyone having problems with these lures? The past 2 fishing trips, broke off 2 bills (one of which on the 5th cast) and another broke in half right below the bill, lost bottom half and both hooks! Can you send these back?!? These are my favorite crankbaits but seem to be extremely fragile.ive broken enough to where i said id not buy them any more. with that being said im sure ill swallow my pride and buy 2 or 3 of the DT-6's
i assume your broken baits look like these broken baits:
Well, I buy nearly all my hard baits from BPS locally. If they break,
are defective or become defective, I take them back for exchange.
It doesn't happen often, but I have never been denied. The retailer
is reimbursed by the wholesaler or ultimately, the manufacturer.
8-)
Blue Streak reply :
I caught a 38 pound flathead catfish the other day on one and fought him for 25 minutes. The lure looks as good as new.
mferris reply :
i've had a few bills break off slapping them on the water to get the weeds off..i try not to do that but sometimes i do it just out of habit....
Jimzee reply :
Smacking cranks on the water to remove weeds is probably going to be the demise of any crank, especially balsa cranks. I have broke a few off bridge pilings, totally my fault.
tyrius. reply :
QuoteSmacking cranks on the water to remove weeds is probably going to be the demise of any crank, especially balsa cranks.
X2. Haven't broken a bill on a DT yet, but watched my brother in law break one. He was too lazy to pull the weeds off himself. I even told him that he was probably going to break it and not 5 minutes later the lure was worthless.
How hard are you pulling it through the rock to break the bills? I fish chunk rock and haven't broken one yet, have lost a few, but none have broken.
Muddy reply :
Smacking any balsa bait onto the water is asking for trouble. I have broken Poes,Fat Raps,BPS Bayou something of others, a Klure and I finally learned my lesson
Pictures could show the result of a lot of mistreatment, so I do not go by these
I have seen threads like this enough to make me wonder
My experience with them is : I fish with 2 fellas almost daily and several others many times a year We all use the DT's since they came out, we all fish them hard and I have seen but one or 2 break, always thorugh getting slapped in the water.
pabassin reply :
I running it just like i would a normal crank, I broke 2 sunday, throwing shallow 1-2ft then cranking to around 7 ft at the boat. i didnt think it was over stressed like it was digging in to the rocks and getting hung up. Heres a pic of the two i broke off, second one is cool, i didnt get the bottom half back it sunk before i could grab it.
bunkerbstr reply :
Yea I love the DT's but have had a few break for no apparent reason. Doesn't seem to matter if its the DT6 or DT10 or DT16, I've broken lips on all of them. I will say that I have crashed them into rock/wood during their life too, so it's not totally Rapala's fault.
They lips are thin and as a result, fragile. I believe that's what may help them get down a bit quicker/deeper and every now and then we have to sacrifice one as a result. Sucks when it happens especially when it's one of the "good" ones.
I agree with others, never smack your baits on the water to clear grass/slime.
I'd try to return it to where you bought it, they'll replace it for you.
Chris reply :
when you build a bait where the bill is as thin as thin could be to give the most depth as possible using polycarbonate materials you are walking a edge where to much pressure (from lifting fish with it) will cause it to break, smacking it on the water can and will cause it to break, smacking it against objects can cause it to break also. Your not dealing with a plastic lure and because the lure is fragile some care is needed to prevent it from breaking. If you remember bagley killer b was a must have lure in the 70's, big o was a popular lure when it was made from wood. Back then people said the same things about their products. Lure makers use wood because it swims more like a fish than plastic. Plastic is more durable but because of the amount of plastic that companies fill the lure with like rattle chambers, weight chambers, places for hook hangers, thicker lips that don't break, all give you a lure that doesn't swim like a wood bait. So what should a lure company do either build a lure designed to catch a ton of fish or build a lure that you can't break. The DT lures where designed by and for a tournament fishermen who wanted lures that dove to a specific depth on a more consistent basis. Sometimes you will get some bum wood that do split that's just the nature of natural materials. The beauty of natural materials is the cell structure of the wood that gives you lures that swim like live fish. Rapala uses the center of the tree which has a tight cell structure and the most strength. But it is still balsa which is not as strong as cedar, poplar, or other wood materials.
Muddy reply :
I am really curious, obviously this is happening!
The fellas breaking the baits: Are you using Braid? We all crank with Mono, I am wondering if this has the potential of causing all these breakages, and input please?
pabassin reply :
I only use mono 12lb low vis green
skunked_again reply :
QuoteI am really curious, obviously this is happening!The fellas breaking the baits: Are you using Braid? We all crank with Mono, I am wondering if this has the potential of causing all these breakages, and input please?
Stren, and never bigger than 12 lbs test.
i do take pride though in bouncing my crankbaits off rocks though. ive never lost a bait to logs.
Crappiebasser reply :
I broke my 7th Rapala Saturday. This one was a shad rap but I have broken 3 DTs in the past. I don't bounce them off rocks or timber nor do I slap them on the water. I use 12lb mono or 10 lb flouro and a 'glass rod so violent hook sets aren't the problem. Everyone I've had Rapala has politely replaced for me but it is a hassle to break my last of a color on the water.
Muddy reply :
I really am amazed. I know of at leat 6 or 7 fellas I fish regularly with and I would say ( after some phone calls to make sure) that collectively we havent broken 15 between us in the last several years.
skunked_again reply :
QuoteI really am amazed. I know of at leat 6 or 7 fellas I fish regularly with and I would say ( after some phone calls to make sure) that collectively we havent broken 15 between us in the last several years.
my honest answer is ive broke 3 since the beginning of last year. but, ive quit fishing them in the places where i know im going to beat baits up.
on a side note, ive never broken any other crankbait.
the worst part is im sitting on $50 i made on a side job and all i can think about id buying a few DT's since its not coming from my fishing budget.
Muddy reply :
In retrospect , while I have broken some Rapalas I have never brioken any Norman DD22's or Bomber 8A's so maybe it is iherent to Balsa Baits and not plastic. Problem with plastics I am going to learn how to get those freaking bearings out, I dislike rattles
guitarkid reply :
QuoteIn retrospect , while I have broken some Rapalas I have never brioken any Norman DD22's or Bomber 8A's so maybe it is iherent to Balsa Baits and not plastic. Problem with plastics I am going to learn how to get those freaking bearings out, I dislike rattles
I have read that if you drill a hole in the chamber you can either fill it with epoxy, or remove the ball if the hole is big enough. Just make sure you seal it with epoxy when done.
just my $.02
-gk
DeepStructure reply :
QuoteQuoteIn retrospect , while I have broken some Rapalas I have never brioken any Norman DD22's or Bomber 8A's so maybe it is iherent to Balsa Baits and not plastic. Problem with plastics I am going to learn how to get those freaking bearings out, I dislike rattlesI have read that if you drill a hole in the chamber you can either fill it with epoxy, or remove the ball if the hole is big enough. Just make sure you seal it with epoxy when done.
just my $.02
-gk
I've heard silicone putty works too, but regardless of what you fill the chamber with, you have to epoxy the hole like you said.
MN Basser reply :
only use DT's and never broke on. only crank i've broke was a trap that my dumb face smacked on the outboard...
GreenPig reply :
Threw 7 DT-6's in the trash the other day the had been stored in my 70 degree house for 1.5 to 2 years. All were in the the unopened factory box and the finishes had cracked. Done with them.
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