Terminator Spinner Baits

[ohbass17]

I recently purchased 7 new Terminator spinner baits from my local tackle shop. 4 were the regular wire and 3 were the titanium. In the last two weeks I fished two events using the Terminator as my main bait. Out of the 7 spinner baits I purchased 5 have broken at the wire where you connect the line. The other two are still in my box. I called Terminator (Reppela ) today starting the conversation by saying I was not placing the call for a refund or product replacement but rather to bring the defect to their attention. By the way to his credit he called me after I had left a message. I told him about the lure failures and he asked me how they happened. I explained to him in one case I had hung the lure in a bush, trolled over to it and shook my rod over it to get it loose. When I did that the lure which had been used for maybe twenty cast broke in two and fell to the bottom. I then tied on a new titanium 3/8 oz Terminator spinner bait and with in 3 or 4 cast caught a 2lb bass swung it in the boat and the same thing happened, the wire broke by the line tie area and the fish feel with only the hook and skirt to the floor of the boat. To my surprise his response was I'm glad you told me how it happened. You are abusing the lure when you swing your fish in the boat. The lures are not designed for that. And as far as the one stuck in the boat when you pull it with your rod, that's whats going to happen, it's going to break. I thought I was hearing things. I couldn't believe his response. I said you have to be kidding me, I'm taking my time to call you and report a problem that happened 5 times in two weeks and that's all you got. That to me is amazing. He offered to replace the lures and I declined. I told him again that was not the purpose of the call and besides I had lost my trust in the lure ability to hold up. Thank goodness it wasn't a 5lb dug into the weeds or around a limb. I just wanted to warn you about my experience and hope it saves you a lost winning fish someday.
Tight lines and thanks for letting me vent. They just don't make them like they used to.

[Walkabout7781]

War Eagle.

[21XDC]

Thin wire = weak.... Thick wire = Strong.... I live in Smallmouth country and they put spinnerbaits to the test.... No thin wires for me.

[KandKKustomz]

I strickly use T1's and never have had one break in years of use.

[cubswin]

Terminators have been breaking since about day 1, in fact I think it is the only 1 I've ever broken on the same day I opened it. War eagles will break, but not until you've bent them back in shape about 30 times. I've got faith in war eagles putting fish in the boat, and only one I can remember actually breaking was on a blue cat. They do wear out though, replace a few every year.

[John Jackson]

I've had almost every brand of "R" bend spinnerbaits and buzzbaits break at the bend. I've never had the ones with the twisted line tie break. The action and vibration of the blade concentrate stress at the bend, causing eventual breakage no matter what brand. And once they weaken enough, they will break with no load. As they start getting weak, they will break when swinging the largest fish. I've gotten to where I will replace any spinnerbait that has had more than2 solid days fishing on it. Keeps breakage way down.

[21XDC]

I never break my spinnerbait "R" bends... I use .041 and .045 wire... I catch 100's of smallies per bait that get swung unto the boat.... The bass dont have a micrometer to measure thin wire, Nor do they care.

[Sunkist]

War Eagle.

Roll Tide



OK, in this case yes, War Eagle and nothing but.... Except hawg caller

[jigman51]

War Eagle.

The things you described are the reason I quit using terminator baits.

[Jeff Hahn]

Sounds like the Terminator customer service guy used to work at Lowrance!

[John Jackson]

I never break my spinnerbait "R" bends... I use .041 and .045 wire... I catch 100's of smallies per bait that get swung unto the boat.... The bass dont have a micrometer to measure thin wire, Nor do they care.

Swinging dinks don't count.

[Iowa Bass Hunter]

I've had almost every brand of "R" bend spinnerbaits and buzzbaits break at the bend. I've never had the ones with the twisted line tie break. The action and vibration of the blade concentrate stress at the bend, causing eventual breakage no matter what brand. And once they weaken enough, they will break with no load. As they start getting weak, they will break when swinging the largest fish. I've gotten to where I will replace any spinnerbait that has had more than2 solid days fishing on it. Keeps breakage way down.

This^^^. The thicker the wire the longer it will last though. Swinging in fish definitely speeds up the process of breakage. Also long casting. I do think that the OP had his baits break prematurely though. A terminator should last through several dozen fish unless they are all 6 pounders. I have fished the same War Eagles and homemade spinerbaits for several days in a row on the giant stupid smallies on upper Lake Michigan before they break. A War Eagle has a life span of 20-100 fish depending on size of the fish being caught. Lipping or netting the fish will increase the life span of the bait.

[joby1]

Had a "Terminator" right out of the package with only a few cast on it lose a blade this past weekend. Set my rod down on the deck, go to use it again and the blade is just laying there.

[21XDC]

Swinging dinks don't count.

lol Not all dinks

[billnorman1]

Never broke a Terminator Titanium, but break plenty of wire baits at the tie on point. These take quite a beating when you get a strong fish on, I've had them almost straighten the wire. When you bend it back it weakens the wire every time it bends. Broken wire goes with the territory.

[JINXBASS]

War Eagle.

I called them with the same problem and they told me the same thing. It is ridiculous in my opinion.

[98 Elite203]

I have been using the T1's for years. Probably have 40 of them or so.

I have only had a few break in all those years....and the T1's that broke were after a serious dosage of catching BIG fish. 5lbers +. Caught a 9.2 and 10.6 on one as well before it ended up just shattering on a cast.

one of the best spinnerbaits on the market tho.

[donmuffy]

I've caught tons of fish, large and small on a T-1. But they break way more than any other spinnerbait that I've used and exactly where you say. I'm nursing a sore finger that was dinged by one that broke while removing a small bass. For the price you pay for these they should last a lot longer. I'm in the process of switching to other premium spinnerbaits. I am a slow learner and over the years have had probably 20 or 30 of them break and too many to count loose the first blade.

[KandKKustomz]

For those of you switching id be happy to take T1's off your hands.

[brownndown]

yall need to save some money and try some humdingers