Museum Archive: Vintage Rapala Original Floater F9, 1/8oz Fire Tiger fishing lure #15382

Dressed in the classic, high-visibility Fire Tiger pattern, this balsa wood minnow displays sharp black stripes over a vibrant green-to-yellow gradient with a bright orange belly. This Rapala Original Floater F9, identified by product code 15382, weighs 1/8 oz (4 g) and measures 3 1/2" (9 cm). The clear diving lip is stamped with the manufacturer's mark, identifying its production in Ireland. This specimen is in 5/5 condition, featuring two original bronze treble hooks and a clean, glossy finish. The construction utilizes the buoyant properties of balsa wood, a material chosen for its specific density since Lauri Rapala’s initial 1930s designs. It is engineered for surface twitching or steady retrieval to reach shallow depths, or it can be fished deeper with the addition of a split shot. The transition from the dark green spine to the yellow flanks and orange throat remains a foundational color scheme for targeting aggressive strikes.