According to the IGFA, lures from Rapala and Storm set more world records than those of any other company last year-15 and 14, respectively. A Rapala Magnum (www.rapala.com) caught a 20-pound, nine-ounce Mexican snook (Centropomus poeyi), an all-tackle record, and the Storm Swim Shad (www.stormlures.com) broke ten records alone. It got us thinking: If we went record hunting, what lure would we use? We asked six house experts to weigh in on the matter. Here's what they had to say.
Target: Striped Bass
Pro: David DiBenedetto, SWS Editor
Lure: Secret Spoon; www.striperspoons.com
Advantage: "It's big, and it has a wobble that draws strikes from even the most pressured big fish."
Target: Kingfish
Pro: Dave Workman, SKA Tournament Pro
Lure: Yo-Zuri Bonita (purple-and-black); www.yo-zuri.com
Advantage: "Troll it inshore, and kings will be all over this lure. It dives deep and has a really natural movement."
Target: Seatrout
Pro: Bob McNally, SWS contributor
Lure: Heddon Super Spook; www.heddonlure.com
Advantage: "At 7/8 ounce it can be cast a long way, which is key because big trout in shallow water spook easily."
Target: Dolphin
Pro: George Poveromo, SWS Editor at Large
Lure: 161/4-ounce Yo-Zuri Bonita (dorado or blue-mackerel); www.yo-zuri.com
Advantage: "When rigged to a 16-ounce trolling sinker, it swims enticingly a few feet beneath the surface."
Target: Redfish
Pro: Dave Lear, SWS Boating Editor
Lure: 5/8-ounce D.O.A. Deep Runner Bait Buster (silver-glitter-and-black); www.doalures.com
Advantage: "It mimics a finger mullet, has good action and an effective scent."
Target: Blue Marlin
Pro: Gary Caputi, SWS Offshore Editor
Lure: Black Bart Brazilliano; www.blackbartlures.com
Advantage: "Big lures equal big fish. When rigged with a 14/0 hook, it is large enough to look like an appetizing meal for huge blue marlin."
