View Full Version : Rapala discontinuing Clown/Vampire Colors?
Stormsearch
05-02-2002, 03:48 AM
Heard it on the VHF last weekend that Normark is no longer making the Clown and Vampire colors. Cabela's/Bass Pro is nearly completely out of them - Gander Mountain has 0 at my store - in any style.
The Clown is the best color I have found this year for handlining & night trolling.
Can anybody confirm?
Walizz 1
05-02-2002, 06:06 AM
I've said it before and I'll say it again. If your favorite towing vehicle maker discontinued all 6 and 8 cylinder models and went to all 4 cylinder, would you stick with them? I don't think so. There are plenty of crankbaits on the market that will match or outperform the stuff that Normark is putting on the market. What they did to the Storm line was rotten to the core. I will continue to use whatever Normark stuff I have but I won't buy anymore of it unless they come to their senses and realize that the consumer has some voice in dictating what they want. They sure won't go broke if I don't buy their stuff but I'll still be catching fish.
SUPERTROLLER
05-02-2002, 12:16 PM
Yes! I talked to Scott Golden a couple weeks ago and he told me this too. He was referring to Clown colored shad raps but it probably means all clown colored baits are being fazed out. They (Normark) are truly amazing and unbelieveable when it comes to giving us what we want. I know they are a huge company with their hands in all kinds of outdoor products lines but I question their approach to giving us what we want. They must do marketing studies but who are they asking the questions to? The casual outdoorsman or guys like us that actually spend some money?
Hawgeye
05-02-2002, 01:42 PM
All I can say is what I have said before, I am stubborn and have quit using Normark lures unless it is a last resort. I have found many other manufacturers that have more than capable lures and use them instead. They screwed up the Storm line and always mess with the color selection.
Sundance
05-02-2002, 01:49 PM
Get on the phone to Cabelas and Bass Pro and put in your order.
We pulled A LOT of fish this spring on Clown and always run at night too. When I heard they were being discontinued and I couldn't find any more locally, we called Cabellas and ordered enough to last a couple of years.
perchjerker
05-02-2002, 02:42 PM
Yea, I've known about this for a while now and have stocked up.
I just dont understand why they do stuff like this.
Both colors are big sellers in my neck of the woods.
Must not be that popular in other areas, I guess.
I know Andy's Tackle Box ordered a bunch when he heard the news.
You might check there.
They evaluate lines/colors on sales figures and nothing else. The clown was'nt selling as well and is being discontinued just like the Risto Rap.
Rich
mbrandt
05-02-2002, 02:55 PM
I remeber seeing both these lures in the bargain baskets at the winter sport shows. Everyone, including me, dug thru them looking for shad colored ones. Now I know why.
Mark
Sounds like some kind of marketing strategy. If they discontinue something, everyone runs out and buys. When the product is available, it sells but not in mass quanitys. Rapala did this with the chart. and white pattern. In a few years they will make clown again maybe. I agree with previous posts and I am also buying other brand baits. The heck with Rapala and Storm. Reef Runners and Wally Divers both work and have a good color selection.
Knee-Jerk reaction
05-02-2002, 05:28 PM
Come on guys. Do you think that if Clown was such a good seller and loved so much by the fish that they would discontinue it? Clown catches fishermen not fish, and it has caught all the fishermen it can and now it is done. Now they will think up some new color to catch some more fishermen and you will buy that too. Stick with the ones that catch the most fish, most of the time.....perch, silver blue, silver black, firetiger etc. etc. When do you think they will discontinue these colors....they won't because they catch fish, not fishermen. Nuff said
perchjerker
05-02-2002, 05:47 PM
Not going to argue with success.
Been catching most of my fish on clown and firetiger this spring.
Tried a bunch of other colors, thats what they seem to want.
TK_551
05-02-2002, 06:01 PM
The Clown Color works very well in stained water. My stand bys where I normally fish are Perch, Black/Silver, Black/Gold, and Clown. I heard Normark discontinued Shad Raps in Black/Gold as well. Sounds like 2 of my stand bys are gone. Glad I bought a ton of Wally Divers and Reef Runners this season.
Tom
#551
guest
05-02-2002, 06:02 PM
Silver/blue {SB} and silver/gold {SG} are both being discontinued in the shad rap line-up also, as well as clown. These are the ones that say "silver plated" on the box, and they are all soon history.
Sundance
05-02-2002, 06:03 PM
I'll second that......our #1 producer for big fish on Erie this spring. It's also the number one producer for us at night as well for many years. I'll also put the quality of fish that I've caught with this color/lure(Huskys) up against anyones!
I'm sure overall in the big picture it's not a great mover anymore for them and that's why they are discontinuing it. Not a big deal, but I'm glad I have an ample supply.
Hunter
05-02-2002, 08:16 PM
You got that right Perchjerker, they have been the hottest this year. All I can find right now is huskies in 12 and 14's, bought up all the 6's and 8's I could find. May even have a couple to sell!hehe.
bbwalleye
05-03-2002, 05:22 AM
The Rapala Husky Jerks in the Clown color are not discontinued. These shouldn't be confused with the Rapala Original Husky's mentioned in another post that were all discontinued a few years back.
Bruce
DarrenB
05-03-2002, 06:23 AM
>Come on guys. Do you think that if Clown was such a good
>seller and loved so much by the fish that they would
>discontinue it? Clown catches fishermen not fish, and it has
>caught all the fishermen it can and now it is done. Now they
>will think up some new color to catch some more fishermen
>and you will buy that too. Stick with the ones that catch
>the most fish, most of the time.....perch, silver blue,
>silver black, firetiger etc. etc. When do you think they
>will discontinue these colors....they won't because they
>catch fish, not fishermen. Nuff said
**********************************
Tsk Tsk! Never underestimate the stupidity of Normark Rapala. The Thundersticks and Hot and Tots were successful lures and top sellers, yet the discontinued the productive models and colors and replaced 'em with junk.
joe walleye
05-03-2002, 08:10 AM
Used clown on the millacs opener the last two years and was by far the best color!
Walleye daddy
05-03-2002, 10:03 AM
Ditto to using the clown color on Mille lacs last year -- Pulled perch, blue, firetiger colors same day, same depth, speed and presentation, and the clown color out produced 2-1. Just the preferred bait color at that time I guess. I also have found the other colors to work very well too, depending on the time of the year etc., but the clown color has always been a great producer for me. Too bad they're discontinuing it. I'll try and be careful with the ones I got instead of losing them on the rocks.
ShadMan
05-03-2002, 10:19 AM
Knee Jerk Reaction,
I do not know where you live but onLake Winnebago in Wisconsin the clown has been the first of 6 lures to get put on my trolling boards!!!! The clown has caught alot of fish for me over the last few years. Rapala screwed us Walleye guys again!!! They only care about the Bass Market not the Walleye market. I am not the only one that uses and catches fish on this color pattern, it is one of the better colors on Winnebago. I think you should research some more because you state that use other colors such as Blue/Silver, well the bone heads at Rapala screwed that up also, they stopped making the Blue/Silver Plated and I am glad I stocked up on them last year, wish I knew about the Clown ahaed of time so i could have gotten a few more of them also.
I am glad glad the Little Ripper came out because this lure will be better than all the others on Winnebago, it was for me last year!!! Rapala can bend over and lick them selves where there bad rash of thinking is loacted!!!
ShadMan
SUPERTROLLER
05-03-2002, 11:34 AM
I know for a fact that clown colored Shad Raps are the #1 producer for fish in my partners boat every time it hits the Detroit River. It is also a very popular color for us in discolored water of Lake Macatawa. It appears to me that because it is Silver plated they cost more to produce and therefore are being fazed out. Just my opinion.
Walleye daddy
05-03-2002, 02:47 PM
Not to sound stupid -- but who makes thew little ripper and where are they sold - Cabelas-Basspro ? etc. ??
Thanks
TK_551
05-03-2002, 03:58 PM
Reef Runner makes the Little Ripper.
Tom
#551
So if we all start buying and useing Reef Runners instead of Rapalas, how long will it be before Normark buys Reef Runner and screws them up too? It is time for the government to step in and do an AT&T corporate break up before the only crankbait manufacture in the whole world is Normark. Next thing we know, they will buy up all of the oil companies and discontinue my favorite 92 octane fuel.
Mike
Cangl
05-04-2002, 12:17 PM
No BS? Well it seems as though the Rapala Co. is right on par with all their other brainy decisions ;( Maybe they should all take up golf?
Miller Mi.
05-06-2002, 05:02 PM
I heard a rumor that PETA was buying up Normark stock. Could this affect their decision to eliminate the fish catchers? Larry
davey crockett
05-07-2002, 07:08 AM
Sounds like maybe Normark and Disney are sleeping in the same bed. Disney promotes heavily that a certain movie is being released on video for a limited time and will not be produced ever again! Then five, ten years down the road, the re-release and start the hype all over. GIVE ME A BREAK! I went out and bought all the gold/black Hot'N'Tots they had (15) and I found another source and am buying them up as I find the cash. Hopefully, Normark will come to their senses and undo some of the boneheaded changes that they have made.
Need my Clown Shad Raps.
05-07-2002, 09:05 AM
If everybody would just call Normark and tell them how you feel, They will bring it back.
They brought back the blue/white and the Chart/White.
They brought back these colors because of pressure from the fishermen.
Call today if we light up there switch board they will bring it back!!!
wheels
05-07-2002, 09:16 AM
>If everybody would just call Normark and tell them how you
>feel, They will bring it back.
>They brought back the blue/white and the Chart/White.
>They brought back these colors because of pressure from the
>fishermen.
>Call today if we light up there switch board they will bring
>it back!!!
They brought back Chart/white and took away clown, they brought back blue/white and took away blue and silver. If we call and complain, we may get it back, but what will thay take away in exchange.
"Friends don't let friends fish for trout!"
JIg and minnow, jig and a leech, pull crawler harnesses, then slip bobber. If that doesn't work.... little rippers.
ShadMan,
What colors of the Little Ripper worked best for you on Winnebago? I'm new to this bait and would like to purchase some but there's alot of colors to choose from. Any help would be appreciated.
Tom
Gary Nelson
05-09-2002, 01:37 PM
Check out Cotton Cordell- The Wally Minnow, Jr. is in a Clown Flash along with other flash colors and there are a lot of special color Wally Divers in CD5.
samIam
05-11-2002, 03:59 PM
I just ordered my 3 favorite Shad Rap colors form Cabela's bargain basement at a good price. They are closing them out! It's amazing to my friends and I that the 3 colors that are #1 where we fish have been discontinued.
If one were to survey the lures of all the trollers on the lake last season, these 3 would have comprised the vast majority. Unbelievable.