Sk8man

Good one Ed!

Here's a contact page - http://www.rapala.com/Contact-Us/customer-contact-us,default,pg.html?fdid=rapala-contact-us&id=1

Suggestion - Normark is the company that makes Rapalas (I think was once "Fiskers") I'd send them some good pics and see what they say.

My input was based on my own personal memory (which I find suspect myself sometimes ). I am curious though about what made the "prior to 1972" determination in your research ? The pricing sure suggested that too.

I sure second that on both counts!

Glad you are having some luck with things Marty....not easy selling your favorite stuff...best of luck to you. Hang in there bud. Les

Steelydan''s point is a good one....."to the right buyer" and I'd add "at the right venue" (e.g. auction or other gathering of lure collectors)

The pricing sounds more like late 60's to early 70's to me. The ones before about the late 80's said 'Finland" on the belly area - newer ones say "floating or "jointed" etc.). I think during the late 80's or 90's the boxes were reddish orange with black writing too. That size 18 may be older than the others too but the plastic protector may be an after market hook protector. See if the lures say Finland on the bottom of the stomach for starters. I don't believe they had the " jointed floaters in the 60's to my knowledge anyway. Those colors are definitely not 60's colors (orange/gold and Blue Mullet). I think the ones 60's or before had seams down either side of the stomach rather than a painted appearance without them. Lures used or unused don't seem to hold much of their original value on here. To replace them with new lures at retail though it would be well over a couple hundred bucks. On the other hand Rapalas are one of the best multi-species lures known to mankind so they are a welcome addition to any tackle box

They look like they may be the 2nd generation originals.. are they made from balsa wood or the next generation from that some sort of composite? the colors are newer than the real old ones that were just silver and black and gold and black and bodies were thinner and were definitely made from balsa wood with a paperish type covering not painted per se. My hunch is they are from the mid to late 70's or so. Hard to say what they may be worth....one of the most popular lures since the early 60's (for me anyway)...could have been around much before that too in Europe and Finland in particular andnot really rare as millions of them have been in circulation. I'd be using them if it were me....the older ones were better balanced than these new ones. Also the boxes on the old ones were more greenish in color.

We are a pretty crazy bunch aren't we?

Ah thanks for the info.

Thanks....me too! So Onanda wasn't open?

Nice going on the fishing. I was wondering what the status is of the Woodville launch....is it iced in yet? You sound like me (getting excited over the tackle) I spent the afternoon making up some home made trolling flies....I guess I won't be putting Atomic out of business anytime soon with mine

Here is a shot at just about the same point taken in July....note the heron

Have to hand it to ya Joe....you're "hardcore for sure I once crunched my way through the ice on the Seneca canal at the north end out to the lake in a blinding snow storm (Barrett's was the only place possible to launch) The folks at the marina thought I was totally bonkers in my little13 ft. whaler in the middle of January but when I returned after less than an hour with my limit they weren't quite so sure. Nothing like winter fishing......sure wish I had kept that little boat for the winter stuff.....WTG Joe!

Bandrus hit the nail on the head. Lake trout are very "bottom-oriented" fish much of the time (but not always...e.g. summer months). They are considered a "meat and potatoes" fish by many charters because they are a little more predictable in their habits than some other species (e.g. salmon, and steelhead especially) and in that sense thought to be "easier" to catch - especially when things are slow for the other more "exotic" species. They are aggressive feeders and will ingest a variety of baits. I have found everything from sawbellies (stuffed with them) and smelt (when they were available) to sunfish, perch, small bass, fresh water Sculpin, crawfish and shiners in their stomach contents over the years. Although lakers can be caught suspended in the water column (mainly summer) nearly all of the time they are caught near or on bottom. Traditionally, on the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario as well wire line, sinkers, cowbells with peanuts or Worden's Wobble Trolls trailing behind them and used bouncing just off bottom have been the ticket for nailing big Lake Trout throughout the year. Other rigs are also effective such as flasher/fly and Spin Doctors/fly or both with spoons or peanuts, downriggers run short just off bottom with various attractors/lure setups, leadcore "secret weapon" rigs (one or two colors run on downrigger rod a few feet off bottom or even Seth Green rigs (run on Finger Lakes primarily....(no Chinooks to tear them up ). Lakers like action near the bottom such as anything disturbing the bottom or bouncing along it followed by a rise to a few feet above the bottom. One of the most effective rigs to use for them is a "meat rig" whether using alewives or bait you catch or prepared (brined) strips or whole dead alewives or other herring or the use of artificial plastic immitations scented for extra "realism" As far as jigging goes it is a very effective method when used especially for grouped fish and can be done while drifting or anchored (anchor away from the fish and let out rope until near them so not to spook them). A variety of fairly heavy jigs (e.g. 1/2 oz to 1 oz or so usually) with either cutbait attached or various plastic equivalents. Basically you let the jig hit bottom and either "drag it short distances, or jerk it upward with a slight pause and reel it up a few feet at a time and repeat etc. Everyone has their own special technique for this but this is the BASIC idea. If you have a good depth finder you can see the fish "streaking" upward or downward after your jig and it's a real kick to see it (addictive even ). There are many other methods to catch lakers (e.g copper wire with Pfleuger spoon or Twin MInnow etc.) used on the Finger Lakes and other lakes but not much on Ontario. You always have to keep in mind the powerful Chinooks in Lake O as a possibility so some methods are less desirable there...such as copper wire that could sever your fingers with a Chinook on the other end This is very basic info ...hopefully others will flesh it outwith additional things they use. Lakers when directly on bottom are sometimes hard to discriminate from the bottom itself or from bait when real close to it (which they often are) and it may take you a while when using a new depth finder....

I've caught some big ones trolling in late Feb and the first week in March in the past on Seneca in the cold water....they were in 12-20 ft of water on top lines cold water but different point in season too.... good luck if you go!

If the current temps continue you may be considering ice fishing as the launch ramps will be frozen up

wow...and to think it is still 3 weeks or so until WINTER

I think most folks experiment according to their own boat/motor/equipment setups and I know many of the folks on here would have different setups and views than me. Most of the time during the height of salmon season I run pretty close to the ball if running flasher/fly combos say 3-6 ft (I have on occasion run it 18 inches from the ball and caught steelhead and salmon as well). I vary the distance of the fly too from18 inches to 3 ft or so depending on conditions. It also depends on what/how much else you are running and at what speeds (mainly to avoid tangles). Spin Docs can also be a problem in this regard. There seems to be a relationship of distance from the ball (for me at least) in terms of the fish being attracted by the continuity of the ball/attractor/lure vs. when the components are too far separated... ( they shy away from it). At least that is the way it has looked on my depth finder over the years. I think the ball may spook them in some cases but there are also times when the fish seem to want it further from the ball....again you have to experiment during the present conditions. Trolling is always an experiment for me