THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND FLAPSLAP LURE
MEGABASS'S FLAPSLAP Series: A Flat-Sided Legend
The FLAPSLAP is a highly specialized flat-sided crankbait that creates a massive disturbance and unmatched strobe-flash. It has earned a reputation as a closely guarded secret weapon among US tournament pros, notably playing a crucial role in Edwin Evers’ victory at the 2016 Bassmaster Classic.
Whether you're fishing clear lakes where its high-pitch flash draws fish from a distance, or muddy water where its powerful displacement commands attention, the FLAPSLAP triggers vicious reaction strikes.
The Original FLAPSLAP Engine
What makes the original model so unique is its Crank (Bending) Shaft Balancer (PAT.).
-
Super Low Center of Gravity: The internal balancer is bent and positioned along the very bottom of the bait.
-
Pendulum Action: The weight is mounted slightly offset from the lure’s roll axis. When retrieved, this intentional misalignment creates a violent, erratic "pendulum" roll.
-
Maximum Water Displacement: Despite having an incredibly thin, flat-sided profile, the erratic rolling action allows the FLAPSLAP to push water and create vibration on par with a fat squarebill crankbait.
-
Strobe Effect: On a fast retrieve, the axis of the roll shifts continuously, emitting an unpredictable, frantic flash that perfectly mimics a fleeing shad.
Next-Gen Tech: The FLAPSLAP LBO II
Megabass took the legendary action of the original and upgraded it with the LBO II (Linear Bearing Oscillator) weight transfer system to solve the traditional casting issues of lightweight, flat-sided baits.
-
Frictionless Weight Transfer: The LBO II features a shaftless bushing packed with micro ball-bearings arranged in an infinite loop. This allows the internal weight to shift instantly with zero friction.
-
Bombing Casts: The system eliminates wobble during flight. Combined with a powerful neodymium magnetic field that accelerates the weight transfer on the backswing, the LBO II model achieves a 20% increase in casting distance over the original—even when punching into a stiff headwind.
-
Instant Start-Up: In standard crankbaits, there is a delay before the weight settles and the bait starts diving. The LBO II system magnets lock the weight forward the millisecond the bait hits the water, resulting in an immediate, zero-lag swimming response.
-
Refined Action: By synchronizing the center of gravity directly on the roll axis, the LBO II model delivers an even higher-pitch screw-roll and tighter flash than the original.
-
Extreme Durability: The LBO II system has been torture-tested to withstand over 100 million casts.
The Secret History & Engineering of the FLAPSLAP
The Origins of the LBO II and the "Bent Shaft" The modern FLAPSLAP-LBO (PAT.) has become a staple at the Megabass headquarters in Hamamatsu, gaining explosive popularity across the US, Europe, and Asia as the ultimate super-slim crankbait. But the DNA of its internal weight system—a cylindrical balancer with built-in bearings—actually traces its roots back to the early 2000s with the patented "Shaft Balancer" first introduced in the legendary VISION ONETEN and VISION95.
About two years after the VISION95, Megabass craftsmen went to work by hand, physically bending (cranking) that shaft balancer so it would perfectly hug the very bottom contour of a flat-sided bait. This painstakingly hand-crafted, ultra-low center of gravity design became the ORIGINAL FLAPSLAP.
Why the Original is a Closely Guarded Tournament Secret
For years, the Original FLAPSLAP has been treated as a rare, highly classified secret weapon by a select group of US pro tournament anglers. Just like the Vision ONETEN, it is considered a "trump card" for winning. Pros actively hunt down and hoard pristine original models. It has famously helped secure countless limits on the Bassmaster Elite Series.
In fact, tournament anglers still regularly call the Megabass of America (MOA) logistics center begging to see if there is any vintage "new old stock" laying around.
The Technical Difference: Original vs. Modern LBO
The magic of the Original FLAPSLAP lies in an intentional "flaw." Unlike the modern LBO model, the Original’s shaft balancer is deliberately offset from the lure’s roll axis. This exquisite misalignment creates immense water resistance when the bait rolls.
As a result, this tiny, ultra-thin shad body displaces a massive amount of water. Furthermore, if you burn it on a fast retrieve, the roll axis occasionally slips, creating a frantic "pendulum action." Because the axis of the flash isn't constant, it throws off a violently erratic strobe-light effect.
On the other hand, a super-thin, tall body design is notoriously difficult to manufacture; even a millimeter of misalignment between the line tie and the center of gravity will normally kill a lure's action. The current FLAPSLAP LBO solves this by perfectly aligning the cylindrical LBO weight directly on the roll axis.
By doing this, the tall, flat body overcomes the massive water resistance and transforms into a perfectly balanced, high-speed rotating cylinder, delivering an incredibly smooth, ultra-high-pitch roll and blinding flash.
