Rapala Ultra Light Shad Lure

As Lauri Rapala fished the waters of Finland's Lake Paijanne in the 1930s, he quietly rowed and watched. What he saw was that big fish eat little fish — especially little fish that are wounded. So Lauri started whittling, carving, and shaving a lure that would mimic that wounded minnow. And from cork, tinfoil, and melted photographic negatives, the Original Floater™ was born.

As the Rapala® legend grew, so did the product line. Along came the Shad Rap® lure, Fish 'n Fillet® knives, and the XLT series rods, to name just a few of their inspired products. Today's offerings include an eclectic mix of lures, rods, reels, and accessories, all born of the legendary Rapala innovation and with one simple goal: to help fishermen catch fish.