At Last!!
Well, here it is. The 20th page added to this section of the "Cove" And the topic of this page couldn't have happened at a better moment.
This is a little tale that seems to have lasted quite a few years.(3-4?) Let's take a look back. I was starting to focus on my Rapala collection and was trying to get as much printed material as I could. I was also just starting to get involved with a little (at the time) online auction site. I was getting a few rather odd looking Rapala lures. Some of them had black writing on them. It must have been around this time that I first saw a rather strange looking Rapala lure (at least that's what they called it.) to me it looked like a combo of different parts, the lure itself was no-doubt a Rapala. The hooks, well there were the nastiest looking things I'd ever seen. A double-ring of barbs(at least 12) Well I tried to get that lure. It went a little over what I was willing to pay. I did however manage to get and keep a copy of that first "Odd" Rapala, just for furture reference.
As time passed and my rapala collection took a few turns. I was getting more and more printed material. I believe I had around 15 different yearly catalogs. I had seen a few lures in these catalogs that I was not familar with. Needless to say I started focusing on finding types of these 'forgotten' rapala's. I spent what time I could searching the global connection (which I was getting more comfortable with) I was finding a lot of places that sold rapala lures. I wasn't able to find a lot of web-sites that delt with rapala in a collectable way.
As I was adding the Deep Diver series to my collection, I was also keeping my eye on printed material. As it so often happens, I had made a deal with a gentlemen and through that I was able to get a rather large lot of rapala catalogs, mini-guides and some other misc rapala items. It was the mini-guides that brought me back looking at a Rapala Lure that was very cool. The mini-guide was from oversea's and had several different color patterns (ones I wasn't aware of) besides this, It had the lure that I had seen. And in fact what I thought was a combo of parts in that first lure was in fact how the lure was made. This mini-guide listed it as the SQ-Squid and it appeared in 4 color patterns. This again brought back to looking or trying to look for any informartion I could get. I searched through the printed material I had, hoping to find any reference to this lure. I even got as many of the Rapala books that I saw. In the end I had another piece of information. A written piece of information at that. I didn't know where to get one of these lures.
2 years later and the Rapala project is born. A place where I can put what information I have on Rapala lures. A place where I can display my collection. I took what I had and started putting it together here. Is it in an orderly fashion, well that's the beauty of it. As you go from page to page you can get a small look at the direction my collection has taken. Besides the "Cove" the Rapala project also consits of a "still in progress" research of Rapala lures. I've taken all the information, out of all the yearly catalogs that I have from the mint 1967 catalog to the newest 2001 (I'm missing a couple) and put it into chapter form for each lure series, marking all the additions, changes in size, color patterns and other important information. This other side project has and does get a lot of my time. besides the written material that I'm putting together, I've also managed to get quite a few images scanned and saved. Why do I include all this here, cause it all keeps leading back to 1 lure. The Rapala Squid. While I have a couple of images of it and some written material on it. I still didn't have one.
Fast forward to late 2000. I've been on 2 systems for a while. While I do believe in WEBTV and everything it can do, I'm also a puter user. A tool that I've come to enjoy. It was through a oversea's web-site that I again got a look at the Rapala Squid. Through this new tool I started the long process of trying to translate this information into english. A long slow process....
What I first noticed about these "New" images I was looking at, was that they were indeed "New" lures. A model line called VSQ (Velvet Squid) & PSQ (Pearl Squid) I gathered all the images and information I could get. I went back searching and looking after all this time, through my new tool and the globel connection. This time I was able to locate quite a bit of information. I'm still in the process of sorting it all out and may include it, in either the "Rapala Project" or as a seperate project. I've been able not only to see the "Squid", but quite a few different color patterns and a couple of different lure series that once wern't available in the USA. I did a deal with a European tackle store and got several Team Esko's about a year an half before they made it to our tackle stores here. I also picked up several floaters in color patterns not available here. I still couldn't find a source for the Rapala Squid.
2001. Through the Cove and the Rapala pages, I've recieved several e-mails from quite a bunch of nice people. One of which, again sparked up that old collecting fever. The Rapala Squid was once again on the front burner. I had to, if nothing else get more info on it. I started this trip with posting at a web-site's(in Japan) messege board in English (my mistake) The difficulties in trying to translate showed. I did get a couple of nice e-mails but nothing ever came of these. I tryed keeping up with this "whole" project and at times there are some gaps. The E-mails I was sending/recieving on rapala's refering to "odd color patterns" and included some disscusion on the Rapala squid and other Rapala's (color patterns) and where to locate them.
March-April, 2001
My desire to find as much information on Rapala has lead me to using some very intersting methods and search engines. I've gathered quite a bit of info from all over the globe. It was this last pass through the information highway that I came upon another messege board. I thought and lurked for a few days to get a feel of what the board was like. Then I decided, what the hell, go ahead and post. What can it hurt. That first post, caused a flurry of e-mails and response's. I was very surprised at the number. I was even more surprised at the offers that I was getting. I'm still waiting for the first deal I made to get here. It has the distinction of being the first from the "Land of Oz" I have later learned that this will be coming from one of the top anglers in the world. A man with over 30 years and countless articles written on angling.
Also from this Oversea's messege board I was able to get a e-mail from a great guy who made mention to the Rapala Squid that I was aquiring about. Unbelievable, He (David S.) made me aware that he might be able to get me a few. A few e-mails passed between us as we tryed to figure out what I wanted, price, shipping all the little things. he'd let me know when they got them. I was getting closer. I waited what seemed like months. I got the e-mail. Letting me know what sizes and color patterns were available. I sent David right away an order (never even considering the price) We had a couple of e-mails figuring out the minor details of this order. (I was really close to completing this deal)
David and I finally got ever thing all settled and I was ready to finish this order when it got really cool. We decided in e-mails that it would be good to talk to each other and he made the call to me. It is quite amazing to me that David went out of his way to get me these Rapala lures from the "Land of Oz". It was great to talk with David and it wasn't all about the Lures. We talked about fishing in his homeland and here in the states and about my job as a cook and some of the "Wild" things that they do.
Well, we finished doing the order and then had a short talk about customer service these days (another rant of both of us) In these day, how many people do you run into like this, willing to go the extra mile (or, in this case "miles & miles") to make sure in the service they provide.
So, On April 19th, 2001
I order Rapala's Velvet Squid. I hope to have these in my collection in mid May
Right now, I'd like to Thank, in no un-certain terms David S. for everything he did. The number of e-mails that I sent in the middle of the night asking questions concerning these lures. I hope to do more deals with him. This has turned out to be a great bunch of guys. This will be one of the center-pieces in my collection.
Below first is a preview of the Rapala lures that I ordered. I will have scans of the lures themselves, when they get here from the "Land of Oz"
Velvet Squid Preview.
View it here!
UPDATE!! April 30th, 2001
I got a great package in the mail today. My First order of the Rapala Velvet Squid (VSQ). So many details to explain. This is bar far the wildest Rapala lure I have in my collection. Beside the basic shape of this lure. It's 'flocked' and the eye's are different than those on other Rapala lures. It also has feathers on each side in the front. The hooks, wow are these wicked, 2 fixed sets of gang hooks (Barb-less)
The biggest surprise! These Lures glow in the dark. The stripes stand out as the belly and other 'white flocked' areas seem to have a wierd glow.
I hope to have some images very soon here. I'm also working on get one of them in the "Glow" state.
Update 6/24/01
Below are several pic's of the Velvet Squid, One of which I tryed to get in the dark.
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