Anvil Outdoors Guide Service

The Storm Lure Company was a family business started by two brothers in 1964 and then a third brother a few years later in Norman, Oklahoma. The company was sold to Rapala in January 1999. The business was very old school, making their own molds/prototypes, Some production was moved to Mexico in the late 1980s but it took years before the plant was fully operational and some production remained in Oklahoma. In 1989 the labels changed from red to the more common blue and green. All inventory, equipment and molds were shipped to Minnetonka, Minnesota in early 1999 after the sale to Rapala. Molding continued in Oklahoma until August 2000. The lures/boxes marked with Rapala / Minnetonka are the last lures made by Storm in that original mold. They came in many models/sizes and over 120 different colors from the Wee Steelie Wart, Pro Series Short Wart, Standard Short Wart, Wee Wart, Pee Wee Wart, Rattlin Flat Wart, Wiggle Wart and Magnum Wiggle Wart which is the largest of the series and great for Chinook in the Pacific NW. For me it has been the Hanford Reach and the mouth of the Wind River out of Carson. They are casted from shore or speed trolled down to 18 ft. As of 2020 Rapala/Storm still make the Magnum Wiggle Wart in 31 colors and Brads makes a version of their own called the “Wiggler” in 55 colors. They all will catch fish especially in the red/orange/flo-red colors. However, if you run them side-by-side and compare the hook up ratios you will see a difference. The pre 2000 Storm bodies and bills are different and the beads inside make a different sound. They changed the mold when Rapala took over. You can see the difference in appearance and how they swim. The old ones have a more random erratic swimming action. Not every single one is fishy so find a used one that has a lot of teeth marks on it. Like all plugs some crush fish better than others. Some of the smaller crawfish colored wiggle warts are worth good money to mid-west bass fisherman and collectors, but the average old school magnum value is $5. If it comes sealed in a box they will run $10 and up depending on color. The newer versions are $6-$7 in stores. You will see the words “Magnum Wiggle Wart” under the bill. None of the new ones will have this stamp. You will only find these plugs from older fishing buddies, garage sales, Craigslist and Ebay. If you don’t like the color contact Tony Milewski at Hanford Reach Outdoors and he can custom paint what you want.