Florida is no stranger to Paul van Reenen’s Unfair Lures but folks around the country are starting to discover these baits. Paul’s Rip N Slash is perhaps his most popular. Demand is greater than supply so I had to wait almost a month for a new production to come off of the line. That might have been lucky. It could have been longer.
Last week I was able to put the lures to the test in some less than ideal conditions (wind, muddy water and a temperature drop) on the Texas Coastal Bend. Here is the verdict.
The Good
The Rip N Slash comes in several colors to meet the conditions. I chose a black and gold, chartreuse pearl and black backed color schemes to try to give as wide of an array as possible without having to buy each color. At around $8 each, the bait is priced right with other slash baits on the market and has better finish out detailing. The red frilled gills and large eye stands out on these baits. Add in the rattles inside and you can definitely get their attention. The Suspending Rip N Slash pulls through grass like a champ and didn’t hug the shell bottoms like some other baits. Even in three feet of water it suspended like it is supposed to. I could cover a lot of water very quickly with the bait and the flash was pretty good even in the stained water.
Needs Improvement
The supply for this bait needs to be ramped up. Demand is growing as people across the country are finding the bait and what it can do for them. The Rip N Slash is currently made overseas. I would love to see production moved back to the United States. Currently it is available in the 70 model. A 90 is in the works (90mm) which will be nice for some variety for when conditions call for something else. Expansion into Texas would be nice as well. Tackle Town in Rockport would be a good start.
Final Thoughts
If you are fishing along the Gulf Coast this summer, the Unfair Lures Rip N Slash is an additional bait that will put fish in the boat. If you’d like to check them out or order some see the folks at Treasure Coast Tackle. Online orders (when the bait is in stock) are processed very quickly and ship out without delays. Their site also tells you when something is unavailable so you don’t waste your time. If you’d like to save a little money, Treasure Coast Tackle gave me a code you can use as well. Enter TEXAS7 at checkout.