crackin lips

[chubs]

Ive been out on a near by power station for smallies a few times this winter.
I have been using cranks alot.Most of the bass are in the shallow rocks and ive been crackin the lips on my crank baits.With all the knowledge on this board what are some of the cranks that are less prone to cracking or busting right off.The Dt fat has the worst lip that I have ever used in the rapala line up any simaliar stories or did I have a string of bad luck.

[zooker]

that is the biggest thing i hate about the new dt series baits lipss breaking WAY to easy..i have 8 baits all with busted lips..

if your really wanting a shallow diver with a tough lip a bandit 100 or a speed trap have about the strongest lips i have ever used-i have used the same bait for several years..

zooker

[chubs]

Zook
Well at least its not just me,Ive used Manns minus series for most of the shallow fishing.Bandit100's you say, how are the other series?.Ive had a few of these over the years just havent fished the lakes with rocks but know with focusing on smallies it is forcing me to fish in these unforgiving conditions.
I had a good collection of Poes cranks till the last few outings they also seem prone to cracking.So now Im in search of cranks that hold up to the pounding.
Are the new circut board lips strong as they claim to be!

[pig n jig]

Chubs, your from the North, You know about Blistex, Carmens, Burts Bees, corn Husker.... chap stick is probably the most famous brand for cracked lips.

Sorry , I couldn't resist.

[Rebbasser]

PnJ, good advice on the cracked lips.

Chubs, IMO you can't go wrong with Bandits. I love throwing a deep runner up shallow and digging it into the rocks, and so far no problems.

[lunker-lander]

Could always try the good 'ole Rat-L-Trap! Never go wrong (or crackin' a lip) with one of these...

-Lunk-

[chubs]

Ok I guess I had it coming and I do use Burts Bees the cold and wind not a good mixture.Im going out this weekend, its going to 10 below not sure if I can make it to long in them temps.Ive been told that winter fishing is not a good time to use cranks here but I am proving them wrong.Ive caught a few fish over 18inches in 3ft of water we'll see what this cold front does.

[Bob Smith]

PNJ, you read my mind! LOL

About four years ago, Bandit had the same problem, everyone blamed it on the fact that they started building them over in China and bringing them back over here! LOL That problem has been solved, thank goodness! I lean to the Bandits for that application as well, the other bait of choice for me is the Bomber Model A series! and the Storm Wiggle Warts (the lips are molded with the body).

[wargoth]

God, I can't count how many smallies we've gotten on Wiggle Warts while we were after walleye... some days it seems like you catch 10 smallies to every walleye. It is one heck of a deep diver.

[ROBZILLA]

The best thing to use is an epoxy, dip the lip and you will have and elastic like coating on the lip. try to find enviro tech sealer. works quite well.

[MississippiBoy]

Zilla...does that help prevent cracks, or is it to fix already cracked lips? Or both?

[whittler]

The Rapala DT series has the weakest lip in the business, poor design and the lowest quality Lexan are the reasons. Their line tie does not extend inside the lurebody, simply ends at the weakest point on the lip. The good news is they can be repaired with a quality lip and the needed strength to make them hold up added at the same time. They have great action and catch fish it is to bad that rapala took the cheap route.

[barkelypup]

Well if this info don't just suck. I just purchased 10 of the dt 10's and 10 of the dt 16's. Maybe I will try coating them in super glue or somthing before I use them. I got them back in DEC. and have already opened the package. I wish I would have seen this before I placed my order.

Ohh well if/when they break I will mouth off to rapala and hope they send me new ones. I kinda doubt it though.


bP

[whittler]

Not all is bad news, if you send them back Rapala will usually replace them. It just amazes me that on the package they put a disclaimer that the lip is weak, guess it is easier to print it on the package than fix the problem.

[ROBZILLA]

That tip I gave is for both, if cracked already glue it then epoxy it.