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Breaking News : Lucky Craft's Real California Supreme 200
(continued)
  Durability:
Unfortunately,
this is
where
the
party
ends.
After
less
than a
dozen
casts on
our very
first
trip
with the
bait, it
broke.
There is
something
seriously
lacking
in the
joint
design
of this
bait. I
did not
throw it
up
against
any
rocks,
nor did
I
receive
any bone
jarring
hits, or
even
bumps
into
submerged
structure.
I simply
cast it
out,
retrieved
it, and
when I
pulled
it out
of the
water,
the rear
section
of the
bait was
missing.
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After no more than a dozen casts, look what happened.
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The only cause I can surmise is the force of impact from the bait hitting the water and the inherent play in the
joints eventually causing the rear section to separate from the rest of the bait. The in and out movement of the joint is simply bad news.
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No fish strike, no bump into structure, just a missing rear section from the impact of the bait hitting the water?
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Looking into what remained of the bait, at the point of failure, we could see no cracking of the body or any other signs of failure. The joint hardware simply pulled out - just like that. Totally unacceptable no matter the cost of the bait, but even more disheartening considering this is Lucky Craft we're talking about. I had hoped and expected much more.
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No visible cracks or other broken pieces. The rear section just pulled straight out.
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Warranty:
Customer service
information is not
easily accessible
for Lucky Craft. We
contacted customer
support but received no response on our inquiry regarding this bait and whether or not they are 1) aware or the issue and 2) taking steps to correct it. Disappointing to say the least considering our general high regard for this company.
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We inspected what was left of our bait and found it was quite easy to separate the sections by taking a pair of needlenose pliers and crimping the spring clips that hold the bait together. The section we lost was connected to the rest of the bait with only one of these spring clips.
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If you already have
one of these baits,
and the same thing
happens to you,
assuming you
purchased the bait
from a reputable
dealer, we're
certain that that
vendor could help
you obtain a
replacement bait
quite easily.
Trouble is, will you
want one? My
confidence in this
bait has been shattered.
Ratings:
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Real California Supreme 200 Ratings (?/10)
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| Construction/Quality |
Great detail, but absolutely no structural integrity |
1 |
| Performance |
Swimming action is superb, but it broke on a cast! |
2 |
| Price |
On the premium side |
4 |
| Features |
The in and out sliding joint is unnecessary |
2 |
| Design (Ergonomics) |
Fantastic detailing |
8 |
| Application |
Best on display |
1 |
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Total Score
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3.0 |
| Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! |
Pluses and Minuses:
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Plus Minus
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| J Good detailing |
L Absolutely no structural integrity |
| J Very good swimming motion |
L Limited colors |
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The Real California Supreme 200 is not ready for Prime Time
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Conclusion: Oh what could have been. Everything from the fit, finish, to action of this bait is superb, but Lucky Craft needs to take a serious look at the construction of this bait and go back to the drawing board with those joints. These baits will get crushed not only by big largemouth bass, but by big striper and other species of fish that are entirely unforgiving of a poorly made product. I had some very high hopes for the Lucky Craft California Supreme 200, but in the end, it was nothing more than
a supreme disappointment in Lucky Craft's foray into the big bait marketplace. There's simply too much competition in this hotly contested segment to come out of the doors with an inferior product and expect to make up lost ground.
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