HONOLULU, OAHU, HAWAII — ACTIVE YEARS EARLY 2000s – PRESENT

Lon Tanigawa is a modern Honolulu master whose handmade lures have quietly climbed into the top tier of the craft. He builds each one himself, one at a time, with a level of meticulous precision that his peers single out — Garrett Lee of Tsutomu names him among the makers he holds in the highest esteem — and they're as beautiful to look at as they are productive in the water.

The Tanigawa signature is weight. His lures are more heavily keel-weighted than most makers', which gives them real, fishable advantages: they run better in rough water, swim deeper to reach fish reluctant to come up, and can be trolled faster without blowing out, so you cover more water. He pairs that with crystal-clear, high-grade resin, holographic glitter, and "cracked glass" / shattered mother-of-pearl inserts that give every head a deep luster.

The lineup spans 7 to 14 inches and covers the full spread — the heavy 2-Hole Bullet, the 2-Hole Slant, the jetted Two Hole Jet (whose jets add turbulence and make the skirts vibrate), the small 7-inch Slant, and the Ahi Bomb. They're deadly on marlin, ahi, mahi, ono, and billfish, and a particular favorite among tuna fishermen.

As a museum and archive, we're honored to document Lon Tanigawa, a contemporary Honolulu craftsman earning his place among the best.

Notable shapes: 2-Hole Bullet, 2-Hole Slant, Two Hole Jet, 7" Small Slant, Ahi Bomb

Identification tips:

• Heavier keel weighting than peers is the hallmark — they sit and run a bit differently
• Crystal-clear resin with holographic glitter and cracked-glass / shattered-MOP inserts; "Lon's Choice" is his multi-holographic head finish
• Modern, branded maker — shape plus finish help ID

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