Written By - Peter Manoske - 06/15/2007
Link to Original Article here

European Lures have made a big splash in North American fishing markets in the Midwest. In fact, one of the most prominent lures in North America has long been Rapala. Rapala has been providing American anglers with lures to catch everything from bass and walleye to pike and musky, not to mention just about everything else that swims. In fact, Rapala boasts more world record fish in the United States and Canada than any other lure company.
European lure designers have a reputation for quality control and performance that is sometimes lost in the mass production of plastic lures. Rapala has found a niche in the hearts of American Anglers and now, anglers state-side have discovered that Rapala isn\'t the only lure company that has origins in Europe. A new player on the American shore is Salmo, a crankbait company that is enjoying an amazing success over the past couple of years. Musky, pike and walleye anglers in the Midwest have taken notice to this particular brand of lures and the response has been extraordinary.
Anglers used to the price of mass produced plastic baits are at first surprised that the high performance Salmo lures are usually about thirty percent more expensive than similar lures. American anglers are starting to discover however that you get exactly what you pay for. Salmo lures are the only lure with a lifetime guarantee and are tested for high performance action right out of the box. In fact, loyal Salmo users in the United States have come up with a new term to describe these baits, \"super tuned.\" Salmo Lures aren\'t just tuned, they are \"super tuned.\"
This attention to detail and fine eye for quality control has resulted in a very durable and effective lure. Anglers in the United States have responded in a big way. The number of retailers carrying Salmo Lures has sky rocketed over the past few years and this lure company already has more loyal of a following than many lure companies that have been selling lures in the United States for several years.
Salmo has made the biggest splash in the musky/pike arena and with walleye anglers. European anglers target extremely large pike and the pike fishing is very similar to that found in North America with the exception that European pike are usually much bigger. The Salmo lures designed for large European pike happen to strike a nerve with the Muskellunge of North America. Salmo also recruited the expertise of Leech Lake musky legend, Al Mass. Al Mass is undisputedly one of the most highly respected musky experts and guides in Minnesota. Mass\'s expertise on lure profiles, color patterns, hook placement along with effective actions was crucial in fine tuning musky lures that would be extremely deadly right out of the box. As soon as these new European lures hit the big musky water of Minnesota, Ontario and Wisconsin, interest and demand skyrocketed. The demand has also spread itself across a wide demographic range, as musky fishing becomes popular with more anglers in several areas known for excellent musky fishing.
Besides carving a niche in making baits that appeal to the largest predators in North America, Salmo has caught on with the walleye crowd over the past two years. Several guides, charter captains and professional anglers consider the Salmo Hornet one of the most effective walleye baits. In fact, on Devils Lake North Dakota, considered one of the best walleye lakes in the United States, Salmo Hornets were said to easily be the most effective lure used by trolling anglers. Hornet sales have exploded as word of mouth spread on the effectiveness of these lures. Besides the popular Hornet, other lines of Salmo High Performance Lures have caught on with walleye anglers as well, notably the Chubby Darter, Bullhead, Perch, Minnow and Sting.
No doubt that Salmo and other European lure manufactures have discovered that American anglers appreciate quality and performance when choosing a lure to fish with. Looking at how successful companies like Rapala have become in the United States leaves little question in how American anglers respond to imported lures. Many industry analysts predict that Salmo will soon become one of the most popular lure companies in America. Who knows, Salmo has a long ways to go to break all of the records set by Rapala but many believe that the new kid on the block will do just that. Salmo Lures are supposed to be that good. Time will tell if Salmo has what it takes to catch the anglers as good as they catch fish.