Bass's Rapala Info

Part of my main focus in collecting antique fishing tackle has been those products made by Normark-Rapala. As I started buying older rapala lures. I decided that I needed to have some idea on the age of these lures. I started looking around for information. I was able to find a little. Due to the lack of info I was able to find. I sorta thought about a little project. Put together on this site. What information I could find. So I slowly started looking around for the resource's I would need.
Well, that search has lead to this. A project to take what info I have. Sort it out and try to make some sense of it. Then describe here that information. I'll take the info out of the yearly catalogs I have, such as lure style's, models and color patterns available for that year. I'll also add other intersting facts out of these catalogs. I'll also describe some of my own rapala collection. Lures that I have bought or gotten to add to my collection.

I will have some images (scans) of part of my collection. I hope to add more over time. So I hope you find this interesting whether you collect rapala's or just enjoy collecting antique fishing tackle.

A great starting point to gather information. In my quest to gain and get some reference material on what style's, models and color's were available. I started buying catalogs as I came across them. I'll try to gleen the catalogs listed below and under each year, describe what info I can. Over time I'll try to expand this information as I find it. I have some scans of some of these catalogs.

A: Rapala 1970 catalog.View cover here.

This so far is the oldest catalog I have. It is in very good shape. The graphics are wonderful. One image that stands out to me is, on a lure box, one end shows the rapala "fish" logo.
As for the lures that were available in this catalog. Here's the line-up.

Original floating. Came in 6 sizes and 3 color's
Countdown. Came in 5 size's and 3 colors.
Magnum floating and countdown. Came in 2 size's and 3 color's.
Jigging. Came in 4 sizes and 2 colors.

Color codes listed in this catalog: S,G and BM.

B: Rapala 1981-82 catalog.View cover here.

The Basic Info from this catalog as follows.

Original floating: 6 size's and 6 color's.
Countdown: 4 size's and 6 color's.
Jointed floating: 3 size's and 5 color's.
jointed Countdown: 3 size'sand 5 color's.
Fat Rap-shallow: 2 size's and 5 color's.
Fat Rap-deep: 2 sizes and 5 color's.
Mini Fat Rap: 1 size and 4 color's.
Jigging: 4 size's and 3 color's.
Magnums: 7 size's and 5 color's.

Color codes listed in this catalog:
S,G,B,P,GFR, RT,SD,CW,SFC,SM,GM and RH.

This catalog describes the Magnum #11, #14 and #26 as being new.

C: Rapala 1982-83 catalog.View cover here.
Basic Lure Info.
Original Floating: 6 size's and 6 color's.
Jointed Floating: 3 size's and 5 color's.
Countdown: 4 size's and 6 color's.
Jointed countdown: 3 size's and 5 color's.
Fat Rap deep: 2 size's and 6 colors.
Fat Rap shallow: 2 size's and 6 color's.
Mini Fat Rap: 1 size and 4 color's
Magnum's: 6 size's and 5 color's.
Jigging: 4 size's and 3 color's.
Color codes listed in this catalog:
S,G,B,GFR,P,RT,SFC,CW,SD,SM,GM and Rh.
The Shad Rap is introduced in this catalog.
D: Rapala 1983-84 catalog.View cover here.
Lure Descriptions.
Original Floating: 6 size's and 6 color's.
Jointed Floating: 3 size's and 5 color's.
Coundown: 3 size's and 6 color's.
Jointed Countdown: 3 size's and 5 color's.
Fat Rap deep: 2 size's and 6 color's.
Fat Rap shallow: 2 size's and 5 color's.
Mini Fat Rap: 1 size and 4 color's.
Jigging: 5 size's and 3 color's.
Magnum's: 7 size's and 5 color's.
Shad Rap: 2 size's and 4 color's.
Color codes listed in this catalog:
S,G,B,GFR,P,RT,SFC,CW,SD,SM,GM and RH.
Items added in this catalog.
The SR5 added to the Shad Rap line.
The W2 added to the jigging line.
The CD9 added to the Magnum line.

This catalog also states that 2 new images will appear on the lure box. The "hand tuned, Tank tested seal" along with the UPC code.

E: Rapala 1985 catalog.View cover here.

Lure Descriptions

Orginal Floating: 6 size's and 6 color's.
Countdown: 4 size's and 6 color's.
Jointed Floating: 4 size's and 6 color's.
Fat Rap deep: 2 size's and 6 color's.
Fat Rap shallow: 2 size's and 6 color's.
Mini Fat Rap: 1 size and 4 color's.
Magnum's: 7 size's and 5 color's.
Shad Rap: 2 size's and 4 color's.
Jigging: 5 size's and 4 color's.
Pilkki: 4 size's and 3 color's.

Color Codes.
S,G,P,B,GRF,SFC,RT,RT,CW,SD,CFR,SM,GM,RH.

The J13 is added to the Jointed Floating Line.
Also the color SFC is added to all Jointed floating minnows.
The Rapala Pilkki is added in this catalog.
The Jointed Countdown is not listed in this catalog.

F: Rapala 1997 catalog.View cover here.

Lure Descriptions.

Original Floating: 6 size's and 8 color's.
Jointed Floating: 4 size's and 7 color's.
Countdown: 5 size's and 9 color's.
Fat Rap deep: 2 size's and 8 color's.
Fat Rap shallow: 2 size's and 8 color's.
Mini Fat Rap: 1 size and 8 color's.
Jigging: 6 size's and 9 color's.
Husky: 1 size and 8 color's.
Shad Rap: 4 size's and 8 color's.
Shad Rap shallow: 4 size's and 8 color's.
Super Shad Rap: 1 size and 6 color's.
Minnow Spoon: 8 size's and 7 coor's.
Rattlin' Rap: 4 size's and 9 color's.
Down Deep Rattlin' Fat Rap: 2 size's and 8 color's.
Rattlin' Fat Rap: 3 size's and 8 color's.
Magnum's: 10 size's and 6 color's.
Sliver: 2 size's and 6 color's.
Husky Jerk: 4 size's and 8 color's.

Color Codes.
S,G,B,P,GFR,SFC,FT,MN,SD,CW,SB,SG,GT,CHB,GL,CH,BSD,GSD,CHR,TSD,OCW,SM,GM,RH,NF,GR,CLN.

Minnow finish added to the Countdown series.
2 new size's. HJ8 and HJ10 added to the Husky Jerk series.
A new "glow in the dark" finish added to the Jigging series.
Silver Gold finish added to several model lines.

To continue to page 2 of this project click "next"

Note: New feature, The home button will now take you back to the "Project Rapala" contents page. It will be the same on all of the Rapala pages.