Official word from Rapala.com...

[Fishooked]

On stuff that is discontinued, right from their site:

What if I don't see the Rapala product that I am looking for listed on your website?
Our website is updated with current product. Chances are the product you are looking for has been discontinued. Many anglers have had success with online auction sites when locating discontinued product for sale.

Why does Rapala discontinue certain lures?
We understand that every angler has their favorite lure, but in order to improve our lure selection each year we need to discontinue certain lures. Not to worry, each time a lure is discontinued, we come out with a more effective version.

Sooo....

My guess is that if you dont see a color pattern on Rapala's site, is that you can bet its discontinued, since they've recently revamped the site.

Which means I have some homework to do on some color patterns Ive suspected are discontinued, for example:

Fathead Minnow
Minnow (or Minnow Varion)

Dont know the color codes off the top of my head...

[wallcat]

I'm pretty sure they put an end to the FH and MN colors. They will linger on shelves for a year or more than I would kiss those colors goodbye. They were never really big sellers but I'll let the Rapala community in on a secret. We have found the MN color to be absolutely deadly on Monster walleye on open flats. I don't know if its the splash of pink in the lure or the tone of green but those lures produce. I've been stockpiling these lures when I find good deals.

Shane

[Fishooked]

Shane,

Good to know...I'll have to start hoarding them...LOL

[RapalaGuru]

Keep this in mind,
The rapala.com site would be those lures available in OUR market.
As we know, the other markets may or may not have some of these lures available.
I have some knowledge on this subject (limited )
I've just noticed some new color patterns for the Japan market
so ya just never know what "Dis-continued" really means.
Just a thought from a small rapala collector.

Steve "Rapala-Guru"

[Fishooked]

Steve,

Yeah I hear you 100% - anything I mention here that is rare, disc, etc, really only applies to us in the good ole USA...and yeah I hear you, I cant keep up with what the Japanse are doing...lol..

[Bodeen]

I knew I should have snagged all of those fatheads and minnow colors from Gander last year. Atleast I have the ones I will use. Thanks for the heads up on the walleye fishing tip.

[Fishooked]

bodeen said:

I knew I should have snagged all of those fatheads and minnow colors from Gander last year. Atleast I have the ones I will use. Thanks for the heads up on the walleye fishing tip.

So far from my latest rounds they still seem to be fairly available. You can probably pick up a bunch of them on ebay fairly cheap before the rest of the crowd picks up on the fact they are discontinued...and of course jacking up the price, lol...

[msulli16]

Keep this in mind,
The rapala.com site would be those lures available in OUR market.
As we know, the other markets may or may not have some of these lures available.
I have some knowledge on this subject (limited )
I've just noticed some new color patterns for the Japan market
so ya just never know what "Dis-continued" really means.
Just a thought from a small rapala collector.

Steve "Rapala-Guru"

I Agree %100... I have recently purchased a couple of lures from Japan that are the old color Fire Tiger - Shallow Fat Rap - And I was very surprised when they arrived and the box shows made in Estonia 2002.

cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7220429687&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

The really scary part of this is that I have some original late 70's made in Finland models of this lure, and I cannot tell them apart.... The made in Estonia lures even say "Rapala SRF-7 Finland" on the plastic lip.

These lures came in official Rapala boxes with inserts that had 2002 date. So, I guess my lesson learned is "Buyer Beware".

-M

P.S. Hey Ted - Could you add the word Rapala to the spell checker? ;D

[Bodeen]

I like the Japanse spelling actually

[RapalaGuru]

Estonia,
The Rapala group has a factory there.
The only time this MIGHT be a problem is
if your going after the older lures.

then your going to have to ask questions about the box style.

As for it being a "Rapala" It is 100%

I'm not sure what other boxs have the "Estonia" reference.
But I do know that certain rapala factorys do certain things.

One factory does not produce the 'complete lure & package'
lips produced in one sent to another, boxes come in from some other factory, etc.

So unless you're going after a date/time frame for your lure collecting
these are what I refer to as re-issue, special varitions, or whatever word you want to use.
And by the time you done, you'll find yourself with a color collection of these "Estonia" box marked SFR's

Steve "Rapala-Guru"

[msulli16]

Thanks for the expert info Steve,

Sounds like you have this "re-issue" thing all figured out.

I am either well on my way to the "Estonia box marked SFR's" collection, or about to put some REALLY mint looking lures into my tackle box... So, I figure it a win either way.

I will sayI think its odd that they have chose to use lips with the old "Finland" imprint. I guess I could understand if they are currently making lures in Finland, but I have not bought a commercial lure for years that had the "Finland" imprint.... Or, am i wrong and there is still some production in Finland that does not reach North America?

-Mike -msulli16

[RapalaGuru]

Ok, how can I answer this.
Lips, yup, they might be using 'leftover stock' or those lips might be made in finland.
As for production, this is tricky.
I know that balsa(and other wood) lures are made in finland.
where the other parts come from, I'm not sure.

A few years ago, My Aunt & Uncle spent time in Ireland (his work open a factory there)
They were in Ireland for about 2 years.
And while they were there, I sweet-talked my Aunt into seeing if they could get some info or a p[icture of the outside of the Rapala co in Gallway, Ireland.
Well, they got the whole sha-bang.
A guided tour by the V.P
he found it rather odd, that my aunt & Uncle would go out of thier way to check on something for me. And found it even odded that I was a Rapala collector.

My Uncle, (An engineer for GM) knows about all these machines that rapala uses in it's production. So he took great notes & etc.
He noticed that a couple of the 'plastic lures (Husky jerks, etc) were in fact made there.
Remember, just the bodys.
He said he saw bins full of lure bodys, next bins of lips,
They also saw the test tanks in that factory.
All the steps of the process.
He also mentioned that certain piece's & parts that were made there were sent out to the other factorys.
Some of the things he didn't notice (cause I'm the rapala junkie) and he wasn't aware that it would be info I wanted was
what piece's were actually made there and then shipped out.
all those little details


Anyway, thery had a great trip to the Rapala Factory, I got some great photos, a nice box of goodies from rapala and even made a new contact through their trip to the Rapala factory.

anyway, hope that helps some.
It's amazing to look at the factorys Rapala has and where.
Then look at some of the companies they have bought over the years.
Most of the companies they bought in the early years were based solely on where the company was located. In case a war broke out somewhere, they had a factory that would be able to make parts for them within a reasonable time frame.

Hell, they (Rapala group)
bought out Luhr Jensen late last year.
I can only guess why.
and that would be, the nip, spin-i-diddee are current lures that luhr jensen did.
And those are some of the best twin propped lures out there and have been for several decades.

And the skitterprop (In my thoughts) while a great 'lookin' lure,
just didn't have the action I was looking for in a prop bait.
Plus luhr jensen has a greeat line of 'metal' baits.

Steve "Rapala-Guru"