Dan Basore sends news that Bagley and Rapala have just joined forces! This is GREAT news for the Bagley name!
Showing posts with label Rapala. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rapala. Show all posts
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Thursday Review: Rapala Legendary Fishing Lures by John E. Mitchell
Thursday Review: Rapala Legendary Fishing Lures by John E. Mitchell
Rapala Legendary Fishing Lures by John E. Mitchell came out in 2005 but I haven't seen very many reviews of it on fishing history sites, so I thought I'd give me two cents on it.
In short, it's about the most thorough history of a major tackle company we are likely to ever get. This is because it was written by John E. Mitchell, a British fishing writer and long-time Rapala employee, and was based almost exclusively on Normark corporate archival material. Research in Finland was conducted by a former Finnish Rapala employee who lived not far from where the founder, Lauri Rapala, grew up.
It's refreshing that the book seeks to put the rather incredible tale of a humble Finnish farmer into the proper historical context, constantly reminding the reader of such things as the Great Depression (during which Lauri Rapala worked so hard to provide for his family) and the incredible impact of World War II on Finland. That Lauri Rapala served as a soldier during the war is not surprising; what is surprising is that he managed to continue making lures.
The Finnish Minnow, Rapala's most enduring contribution, is chronicled from its origins in the mid-1930s through the post-WWII years, when Lauri took the huge gamble in starting a tackle enterprise full time, to the fortuitous sale of Rapala lures to Ground Zero for the Rapala Revolution--Duluth, Minnesota--where Ron Weber would famously stumble upon them and decide to get into the business of importing lures from a man he'd never met living in a country he'd never visited speaking a language he could not understand.
It is on such strokes of fate that thousands of livelihoods--and millions of angling hours--would turn.
Ron Weber and Ray Ostrom went on to found Normark, a company they formed to specifically import Rapala lures (the original letter of introduction is reproduced in the book, one of the most important letters ever written in fishing history). Later Normark Rapala would expand to such items as the Rapala fillet knife, but at its core the company was always about the Finnish lure maker's products. The Rapala family is never far from the center of the story, as first Lauri and then his sons play critical roles in not just running the company but growing it into an international conglomerate.
Mitchell is a deft writer working on solid historical ground. His judicious use of Rapala archival material will be a delight for all tackle collectors and the detailed descriptions of each and every lure ever manufactured by Rapala (including years of manufacture and colors) make this a definitive history of Rapala fishing tackle. Perhaps the most difficult chapters to write were the ones on recent Rapala history, which saw this family-owned company morph into a multi-national giant. Mitchell does a nice job navigating these tricky waters.
There are only a few minor quibbles. Little time is spent explaining Rapala's position vis-a-vis other tackle competitors and allies. Not all lure colors are pictured; in fact, most aren't. Additionally, the historical overviews seem to stop some time around 1950, which is a shame as they are some of the most interesting parts of the book.
A very attractive hardcover with dust jacket, this book is 208 pages and in full color. It is a book that absolutely must be part of any decent fishing tackle or history library. It is currently available from Amazon.com and other outlets.
-- Dr. Todd
Rapala Legendary Fishing Lures by John E. Mitchell came out in 2005 but I haven't seen very many reviews of it on fishing history sites, so I thought I'd give me two cents on it.
In short, it's about the most thorough history of a major tackle company we are likely to ever get. This is because it was written by John E. Mitchell, a British fishing writer and long-time Rapala employee, and was based almost exclusively on Normark corporate archival material. Research in Finland was conducted by a former Finnish Rapala employee who lived not far from where the founder, Lauri Rapala, grew up.
It's refreshing that the book seeks to put the rather incredible tale of a humble Finnish farmer into the proper historical context, constantly reminding the reader of such things as the Great Depression (during which Lauri Rapala worked so hard to provide for his family) and the incredible impact of World War II on Finland. That Lauri Rapala served as a soldier during the war is not surprising; what is surprising is that he managed to continue making lures.
The Finnish Minnow, Rapala's most enduring contribution, is chronicled from its origins in the mid-1930s through the post-WWII years, when Lauri took the huge gamble in starting a tackle enterprise full time, to the fortuitous sale of Rapala lures to Ground Zero for the Rapala Revolution--Duluth, Minnesota--where Ron Weber would famously stumble upon them and decide to get into the business of importing lures from a man he'd never met living in a country he'd never visited speaking a language he could not understand.
It is on such strokes of fate that thousands of livelihoods--and millions of angling hours--would turn.
Ron Weber and Ray Ostrom went on to found Normark, a company they formed to specifically import Rapala lures (the original letter of introduction is reproduced in the book, one of the most important letters ever written in fishing history). Later Normark Rapala would expand to such items as the Rapala fillet knife, but at its core the company was always about the Finnish lure maker's products. The Rapala family is never far from the center of the story, as first Lauri and then his sons play critical roles in not just running the company but growing it into an international conglomerate.
Mitchell is a deft writer working on solid historical ground. His judicious use of Rapala archival material will be a delight for all tackle collectors and the detailed descriptions of each and every lure ever manufactured by Rapala (including years of manufacture and colors) make this a definitive history of Rapala fishing tackle. Perhaps the most difficult chapters to write were the ones on recent Rapala history, which saw this family-owned company morph into a multi-national giant. Mitchell does a nice job navigating these tricky waters.
There are only a few minor quibbles. Little time is spent explaining Rapala's position vis-a-vis other tackle competitors and allies. Not all lure colors are pictured; in fact, most aren't. Additionally, the historical overviews seem to stop some time around 1950, which is a shame as they are some of the most interesting parts of the book.
A very attractive hardcover with dust jacket, this book is 208 pages and in full color. It is a book that absolutely must be part of any decent fishing tackle or history library. It is currently available from Amazon.com and other outlets.
-- Dr. Todd
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The History of the Finnish Minnow by Henrik Londen
My friend Henrik Londen posted this over on Joe's Board and he kindly assented to let me edit it slightly, play with the images, and post it here so that it can be visited and revisited for all time. This is an important and interesting piece, and Henrik should be thanked profusely for putting it together.
The History of the Finnish Minnow
by Henrik Londen
It started in the early 1930s when Lauri Rapala was a commercial fisherman trying to feed his growing family, Toivo Pylvalainen was a hermit who lived in an abandoned hut on an island in the middle of the lake, where he caught his fish and then went into town and sold them, often ending up consuming all the proceeds in the local tavern.
He knew his lures caught fish and sold some to the local cottagers and city folk who came to the lake in the summer. He also tested the lures in the shallow waters to see that they swam correctly, and the ones that were not good in his opinion he sold to people he disliked.
In a 1937 entry from a local fishing club, there is mention of Pylvalainen lures and how they catch fish.
Toivo Pylvalainen was the inspiration for the Rapala. He gave two of his lures to Lauri when the two met on the lake, they were both commercial fishermen and when rowing between their traps they would troll. Just a twig and line and when a fish hit they would throw it over board and retrieve it later when the fish was tired.
The story is that Lauri Rapala caught 40 kg of salmon the following day and then started making his own lures, inspired by these Pylvalainen lures.
Initially it was Lauri's cousins who made the lures, but unfortunately both of them were killed in the second world war, which forced Lauri to start making lures himself. The war lasted until 1945, so not much happened on the lure front during those years.
It was the success the summer guests were having that spread the word to the local tackle shops and one guest was Fritz Schroder, the store owner from Helsinki that also sold Creek Chub and Heddon lures. In 1950, he caught a large trout on a Rapala, and immediately ordered 500 lures. The was the first large order for Rapala.
Early Rapalas were made out of pine bark which is very unstable, hence the sway back and rough edges.The supply of Balsa wood and cork was very tight at this time in Finland, so some lure makers took cork out of the life jackets from the local cruise ship. Luckily these life jackets were never needed for their intended purpose.
The 1952 Olympics were in Helsinki and as it happened some of the US atheletes bought some lures and brought them home with them. It created some interest, but the sales were slow. In 1952, there were also a few lures sold in Duluth, Minnesota by the Finnish Consul who owned a fabric store. One customer, Ron Weber, saw an opportunity and applied for the rights to be the North American Agent. It took some time, though, for the lures to catch on. It was only in 1959 that the first order for 500 lures came to Rapala. It was translated for Lauri Rapala by the local school teacher. (For a little article and information on how Rapala's first became popular in America, click here).
One early customer, was the editor of Life Magazine. He was so impressed that he sent a field reporter to Finland to write a story about the miracle lure. This story was published in the same issue that covered the death of Marilyn Monroe in 1962.
After the article the lures sold out everywhere, and the demand was such that they were rented for $5.00 a day, and if you lost it, the cost was $20.00.
The Tulos Minnow, this one covered in fish skin, and the Creek Chub Pikie were the lures that Pylvalainen copied or used as inspiration.
Word spread quickly, and cottagers bought lures and caught fish both with Rapala and Pylvalainen models, which caused others around the lake to begin manufacturing their own. All lures were hand tested, a tradition started by Pylvalainen himself. It is said that he believed the optimal lure would be one that could suddenly dash to the side like a fleeing minnow. It was only when quite drunk that he claimed to have developed such a lure.
Unto Saarinen was one of these men who made lures with remarkable detail on the scales. He later sold his lures to ABU.
Finlandia Lures only made these copies for a few years and then switched their name to Nils Master and began making different lures.
Pyhajarvi and box.
If you have anything like this or want to learn more, just let me know, I am happy to share what I know and always love talking lures. You can contact Henrik at lurerin@aol.com.
-- Dr. Todd
It started in the early 1930s when Lauri Rapala was a commercial fisherman trying to feed his growing family, Toivo Pylvalainen was a hermit who lived in an abandoned hut on an island in the middle of the lake, where he caught his fish and then went into town and sold them, often ending up consuming all the proceeds in the local tavern.
He knew his lures caught fish and sold some to the local cottagers and city folk who came to the lake in the summer. He also tested the lures in the shallow waters to see that they swam correctly, and the ones that were not good in his opinion he sold to people he disliked.
In a 1937 entry from a local fishing club, there is mention of Pylvalainen lures and how they catch fish.
Toivo Pylvalainen was the inspiration for the Rapala. He gave two of his lures to Lauri when the two met on the lake, they were both commercial fishermen and when rowing between their traps they would troll. Just a twig and line and when a fish hit they would throw it over board and retrieve it later when the fish was tired.
The story is that Lauri Rapala caught 40 kg of salmon the following day and then started making his own lures, inspired by these Pylvalainen lures.
Initially it was Lauri's cousins who made the lures, but unfortunately both of them were killed in the second world war, which forced Lauri to start making lures himself. The war lasted until 1945, so not much happened on the lure front during those years.
It was the success the summer guests were having that spread the word to the local tackle shops and one guest was Fritz Schroder, the store owner from Helsinki that also sold Creek Chub and Heddon lures. In 1950, he caught a large trout on a Rapala, and immediately ordered 500 lures. The was the first large order for Rapala.
Early Rapalas were made out of pine bark which is very unstable, hence the sway back and rough edges.The supply of Balsa wood and cork was very tight at this time in Finland, so some lure makers took cork out of the life jackets from the local cruise ship. Luckily these life jackets were never needed for their intended purpose.
The 1952 Olympics were in Helsinki and as it happened some of the US atheletes bought some lures and brought them home with them. It created some interest, but the sales were slow. In 1952, there were also a few lures sold in Duluth, Minnesota by the Finnish Consul who owned a fabric store. One customer, Ron Weber, saw an opportunity and applied for the rights to be the North American Agent. It took some time, though, for the lures to catch on. It was only in 1959 that the first order for 500 lures came to Rapala. It was translated for Lauri Rapala by the local school teacher. (For a little article and information on how Rapala's first became popular in America, click here).
One early customer, was the editor of Life Magazine. He was so impressed that he sent a field reporter to Finland to write a story about the miracle lure. This story was published in the same issue that covered the death of Marilyn Monroe in 1962.
After the article the lures sold out everywhere, and the demand was such that they were rented for $5.00 a day, and if you lost it, the cost was $20.00.
The Tulos Minnow, this one covered in fish skin, and the Creek Chub Pikie were the lures that Pylvalainen copied or used as inspiration.
Word spread quickly, and cottagers bought lures and caught fish both with Rapala and Pylvalainen models, which caused others around the lake to begin manufacturing their own. All lures were hand tested, a tradition started by Pylvalainen himself. It is said that he believed the optimal lure would be one that could suddenly dash to the side like a fleeing minnow. It was only when quite drunk that he claimed to have developed such a lure.
Unto Saarinen was one of these men who made lures with remarkable detail on the scales. He later sold his lures to ABU.
Finlandia Lures only made these copies for a few years and then switched their name to Nils Master and began making different lures.
Pyhajarvi and box.
If you have anything like this or want to learn more, just let me know, I am happy to share what I know and always love talking lures. You can contact Henrik at lurerin@aol.com.
-- Dr. Todd
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Review: The "Unofficial" Rapala Message Board
Having been born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, I have always had a predilection for Rapalas. For those who don't know the story, it was a small shop on London Road in Duluth that began the Rapala revolution back in 1960. The clothing store imported items from Finland and brought in a handful of original Rapalas from the old country, and when these lures fell into the hands of a couple of Duluth guides, record catches resulted. As news spread, the demand for the Rapalas went through the roof, and rumors (apparently true) of guides requiring a $50 deposit to use a Rapala abounded. When Life Magazine ran a feature on the Rapala in 1962, the mania grew, resulting in the formation of Normark, the importation of tens of millions of Rapalas, and one of the great success stories in the history of fishing.
Original 1938 Lauri Rapala hand-made lure
So I was not surprised and more than a little pleased when I discovered a couple of years ago there were a small but growing cadre of Rapalamaniacs on the internet, who, thanks to the work of Steve "Rapala-Guru" Wight, now have their own chat board in cyberspace. The "Unofficial" Rapala Message Board has pretty much everything you'd ever want to know about the collectable Rapala. From how to fish the Rapala, to how to distinguish rare Rapalas from the common, to a trading forum and an ebay discussion board, this site is pretty much the end all of Rapala collecting.
Vintage Fat Raps like this sometimes sell on eBay for $50
Rapala collecting offers both unprecedented opportunity and incredible challenges. As perhaps the best-selling brand of lures of the second half of the twentieth century, there are lots of them out there. But many, many of these Rapalas (particularly the early ones) were fished nearly to death, so finding them in decent condition can be a problem. In addition, color collecting offers its challenges, as a cursory perusal of the forums shows an almost surreal number of color variants. Add to this rare models that didn't sell well, advertising lures, signed Rapalas, and other variations, and you can spend a lifetime collecting this lure.
The great bonus in collecting Rapalas is, in my opinion, that if you need to catch a fish, you can always pluck a lure out of your collection and outfish any other lure ever made. This is reason enough--if any is needed--to think of the Rapala with more respect.
For those interested in a detailed history of the Rapala, check out The Rapala Guide (Normark, 1976) and Rapala: Legendary Fishing Lures by John Mitchell (MBI, 2005).
-- Dr. Todd
So I was not surprised and more than a little pleased when I discovered a couple of years ago there were a small but growing cadre of Rapalamaniacs on the internet, who, thanks to the work of Steve "Rapala-Guru" Wight, now have their own chat board in cyberspace. The "Unofficial" Rapala Message Board has pretty much everything you'd ever want to know about the collectable Rapala. From how to fish the Rapala, to how to distinguish rare Rapalas from the common, to a trading forum and an ebay discussion board, this site is pretty much the end all of Rapala collecting.
Rapala collecting offers both unprecedented opportunity and incredible challenges. As perhaps the best-selling brand of lures of the second half of the twentieth century, there are lots of them out there. But many, many of these Rapalas (particularly the early ones) were fished nearly to death, so finding them in decent condition can be a problem. In addition, color collecting offers its challenges, as a cursory perusal of the forums shows an almost surreal number of color variants. Add to this rare models that didn't sell well, advertising lures, signed Rapalas, and other variations, and you can spend a lifetime collecting this lure.
The great bonus in collecting Rapalas is, in my opinion, that if you need to catch a fish, you can always pluck a lure out of your collection and outfish any other lure ever made. This is reason enough--if any is needed--to think of the Rapala with more respect.
For those interested in a detailed history of the Rapala, check out The Rapala Guide (Normark, 1976) and Rapala: Legendary Fishing Lures by John Mitchell (MBI, 2005).
-- Dr. Todd
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