KONA, HAWAII — ACTIVE YEARS MID-1990s – PRESENT

Barela Lures are among the most lifelike fish-head lures on the market, and they come from an unusual pedigree. Chris Barela was a professional surfer who traveled the world's oceans; when he stepped away from the tour, he stayed connected to the sea through art, sculpting a strikingly realistic line of bronze big-game-fish sculptures and providing trophies to some of the world's largest fishing tournaments.

That sculptor's eye is exactly what sets his lures apart. Hand-painted in Hawaii with realistic head profiles and lifelike eyes, Barela's baits — Opelu, Ahi, Malolo (flying fish), and other bright baitfish imitations — are built to look alive in the water. Many are keel-weighted jet heads skirted in Flashabou, which keeps fluttering enticingly even as the boat slows after a hookup, making them deadly shotgun and tuna lures.

As a museum and archive, we're honored to document Barela Lures and Chris Barela's artist's approach to lifelike Hawaiian lure design.

Notable shapes: Opelu, Ahi, Malolo (invert and bullet), keel-weighted jet heads

Identification tips:

• Hyper-realistic, hand-painted fish-head profiles with lifelike eyes — the artistry is the signature
• Often keel-weighted jet heads, frequently skirted in Flashabou
• "Barela Lures" branding; modern maker

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