The Custom Color Craze: Walleyes, Wonderbread and Beyond

While Lake Erie typically gets credited as the birthplace of the custom-colored hardbait craze—with walleye anglers painting over existing crankbait colors/patterns in garages and workshops—Dan Quinn, Rapala’s Director of Field Promotions/R&D says it actually goes back farther than that.

“Custom colors all started with the Luhr-Jensen salmon guys in the Northwest,” Quinn said.

“You talk about being picky with minute color details; it’s unbelievable in the Pacific Northwest and the salmon world. If the bait’s got 3 pink dots instead of 5, they’ll swear it won’t get a bite. Meanwhile, they’re taking a piece...

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