Original Floater
Encyclopedia
The Original Floater is a wobbler type of fishing lure
, manufactured by Rapala
. It is the first lure created by founder Lauri Rapala
, in Finland
in 1936. It was made of cork
, and wrapped in tinfoil from cheese and chocolate, and covered in melted film negatives as a cheap alternative to lacquer
.
Today, the original floater is made in seven different sizes and fourteen different colors. It can be found in many anglers' tackle boxes, and is the best-selling lure Rapala makes, and possibly best-selling in the world.
The lure, when retrieved, swims with an action that mimics that of a wounded baitfish
. It was designed this way by Lauri Rapala, because of his observations as a boy and young man of the behaviors of minnow
s and fish in lakes near his home in Finland, where he noticed that in a school of minnows, an injured
minnow swimming with an odd wobble made it the target of a larger fish looking for a meal.
After seeing this, he crafted this lure, with the help of some of his friends, originally to help him catch more fish without having to constantly rebait
the thousands of hooks he had used to catch pike and perch
. But his lures, being quite good at catching fish compared to conventional methods of the time, made its way around the world, increasing in popularity, so that the whole Rapala family had to help with creating these lures. Lauri's sons learned to make the lures, and became so skilled that one of his sons, Ensio, won a national craftsmanship award for his lure. The same son also invented a machine to help mass production of this lure.
Fishing lure
A fishing lure is an object attached to the end of a fishing line which is designed to resemble and move like the prey of a fish. The purpose of the lure is to use movement, vibration, and colour to catch the fish's attention so it bites the hook...
, manufactured by Rapala
Rapala
Rapala is the world's largest manufacturer of fishing lures and other fishing related products. It was founded in Finland in the 1930s by Lauri Rapala. Their most popular product is a balsa wood minnow imitation lure called the Original Floater....
. It is the first lure created by founder Lauri Rapala
Lauri Rapala
Lauri Rapala , Finland, was the founder of Rapala-Normark Group, the worlds largest fishing lure and tackle producer. He died in 1974 at the age of 69. During the course of his life, he married once and fathered four children...
, in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in 1936. It was made of cork
Cork (material)
Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material, a prime-subset of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber , which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa...
, and wrapped in tinfoil from cheese and chocolate, and covered in melted film negatives as a cheap alternative to lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
.
Today, the original floater is made in seven different sizes and fourteen different colors. It can be found in many anglers' tackle boxes, and is the best-selling lure Rapala makes, and possibly best-selling in the world.
The lure, when retrieved, swims with an action that mimics that of a wounded baitfish
Bait fish
Bait fish are small fish caught for use as bait to attract large predatory fish, particularly game fish. Species used are typically those that are common and breed rapidly, making them easy to catch and in regular supply. Examples of marine bait fish are anchovies, halfbeaks such as ballyhoo, and...
. It was designed this way by Lauri Rapala, because of his observations as a boy and young man of the behaviors of minnow
Minnow
Minnow is a general term used to refer to small freshwater and saltwater fish, especially those used as bait fish or for fishing bait. More specifically, it refers to small freshwater fish of the carp family.-True minnows:...
s and fish in lakes near his home in Finland, where he noticed that in a school of minnows, an injured
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
minnow swimming with an odd wobble made it the target of a larger fish looking for a meal.
After seeing this, he crafted this lure, with the help of some of his friends, originally to help him catch more fish without having to constantly rebait
Bait (luring substance)
Bait is any substance used to attract prey, e.g. in a mousetrap.-In Australia:Baiting in Australia refers to specific campaigns to control foxes, wild dogs and dingos by poisoning in areas where they are a problem...
the thousands of hooks he had used to catch pike and perch
Perch
Perch is a common name for fish of the genus Perca, freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which there are three species in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Perciformes, from the Greek perke meaning spotted, and the...
. But his lures, being quite good at catching fish compared to conventional methods of the time, made its way around the world, increasing in popularity, so that the whole Rapala family had to help with creating these lures. Lauri's sons learned to make the lures, and became so skilled that one of his sons, Ensio, won a national craftsmanship award for his lure. The same son also invented a machine to help mass production of this lure.