Why are wakebaits so expensive?

[RenzokukenFisher]

I just bought one within my price range, about 25 dollars, but when shopping I saw most were over 100 bucks a pop. Why is that?

[Fishes in trees]

I don't know - maybe you're shopping in the high rent neighborhood.  I know where that neighborhood is, but I don't shop there very often.  Maybe someday . . ..   Anyway, on the subject of cheaper wake baits,     I don't think that Mann's Minus 1's

cost anywhere near $25 and they are a decent wake bait.  They come in lots of different colors.     I think that they work best when you're waking them pretty slowly, but if you keep you're rod tip up you can make them wake and move them pretty quick.   Rod tip down and they dive to around a foot or so.   Timber Tiger DC1 works in a similar fashion.   The first wake bait that I ever heard of was a Cotton Cordell jointed Red Fin.  They would wake right out of the box if you kept your rod tip high and reeled kinda slowly.   Take a Bic lighter and heat the bill and bend it down to close to a 90 degree angle and it wakes a little easier and you get a little more speed control - but then I think that a slow waking bait more often than not beats a fast waking bait.  Another tip, for what it is worth, when I was fishing BFL's 2 different times, two different guys, they only thing they had in common was that they had both cashed many more tournament checks than I had, anyway, they told me that if there was a top water bite going on, there was probably a better sub surface bit going on at the same time.   One guy recommended throwing the Minus 1 and reeling it pretty fast - getting it  down a foot or so.  The other guy recommended throwing a Dixie Jet spoon - as far as I could and then jerking it back - reeling and jerking so that it never got deeper than 3 feet or so.

 

If you want to go fast,  and stay on the surface, might as well throw a buzz bait - or wake a spinner bait.    If $25 is your price range,  I have 2 adjusted jointed Red Fins  ( with a feathered tail no less) and I'd sell you one of mine for $25.

[RenzokukenFisher]

Okay thanks I'll need to check around a bit more then and get out of the highrent neighborhood because I dont have the money for it as a broke college student?. 25 is already pushing my budget but it was a custom bait from a local angler who in the past has helped me out so I had no problem supporting his work. Also thanks for the lighter tip I'll have to give that a shot!

[Bluebasser86]

Sounds like you're looking at hand carved or small batch wakes. Those baits are more expensive simply because of supply and demand. The amount of R&D that goes into them and time spent creating them is another big factor. 

 

If you want a cheap wake bait, the Strike King 2.5 wake or Berkley Surge Shad are both under $8 and really good wakes. One is the longer profile, the other is the shorter, fatter profile. 

[HaydenS]

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Speed_Wake_Wakebait/descpage-SFAK.html

This one is only $14, if you're looking for something a little bigger than a crankbait.

[rangerjockey]

I've never had much luck heating the bill on a red fin.  I use the good ol' suspend dots method right in front of the joint and add a feathered treble on the back. Some never will run and end up in the trash can . Braid will make a so so running fin better however.

 Honestly , At least here on Table Rock where the red fin is a religion close the the wiggle wart a lot of guys have gone to the Berkley Surge Shad. They run right and the hardware is useable right out of the package. 

 

[BassNJake]

I have a strikepro hunchback and it's a very good bait 15 dollar range

 

[Ratherbfishing]

Funerals are all very expensive.  (Dumb/bad joke, I know).

[Born 2 fish]

You want a good cheap wake bait get a spro rat in 30-40 size. I prefer the 50 but that takes a bigger rod.

[PhishLI]

On 5/27/2021 at 8:13 PM, RenzokukenFisher said:

I dont have the money for it as a broke college student?.

Try to find a Livingston Bullnose in white. Locally they're $12, and totally worth it. I have a number of 70mm/3 inch wakes that attract bass, but this one attracts everything. The sound emitting EBS tech might have something to do with, but I'm not sure. All I know is that this particular bait will often get me something when nothing else is working. It'll crank down a bit too. Good for when they're not willing to come to the surface, but are hot for anything just below it. Don't let the fact that Livingston calls it a saltwater lure bother you. It's great fresh water bait.

https://www.livingstonlures.com/products/bull-nose

 

[TheBasslayer]

I got a wakebait for 7 dollars called a Strike King 2.5 wakebait in bluegill and I caught my PB on it! Idk of this type of wakebait is what you are talking about, but it isn’t too expensive. It’s pretty much a top water crank bait.