OAHU, HAWAII — ACTIVE YEARS 1993 – 2007 (a few personal lures through 2018; making lures since the 1970s)

Alpha Bait was the lure line of Tenny, a maker whose finish work was so exceptional it caught the eye of a legend — Joe Yee himself once asked Tenny to come finish lures for him, on the strength of sanding and polishing that was, by every account, incredibly precise. Tenny had been building lures since the 1970s alongside Horace Kurata before launching Alpha Bait under his own name in 1993. He wound the brand down in 2007, making only a few personal lures through 2018.

As a museum and archive, we're honored to document Tenny and Alpha Bait — a maker whose flawless hand-finishing earned the admiration of Joe Yee himself. (Swap in your distributor line if you carry the brand.)

Notable shapes: (To be confirmed — the hallmark is impeccable sanding and polishing)

Identification tips:

• "Alpha Bait" / Tenny (Oʻahu); the tell is exceptionally precise sanding and polishing — flawless finish work
• 1993–2007 production (a few personal lures to 2018); roots in the 1970s with Horace Kurata
• (Provenance helps; finish quality is the signature)

Below, you’ll find our ever-growing digital archive showcasing every lure that has come through our shop. This collection is constantly evolving as new lures arrive, making it a living record of rare, limited-production lures. We will continue updating this database regularly, building what we aim to be the largest digital archive of offshore trolling lures in the world.

If you have any further information or any lures you believe deserve to be showcased, please reach out to us at ren@luremonger.com