Iconic PRADCO brands to mark 25th Bass Fishing Hall of Fame anniversary
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Unveiled on the eve of this weekend’s Bassmaster Classic were a series of limited edition lures from a trio of iconic PRADCO-Fishing brands to mark a very special anniversary.
The lures from Heddon, Norman and Cotton Cordell will be adorned with the signatures of Rick Clunn, Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Bobby Murray and Larry Nixon – all of whom were inaugural members of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF), which is celebrating its 25th birthday this year.
PRADCO will produce 300 of each bait in five commemorative colours. The lures will be priced at $14.99 each and will be available for sale to lure collectors and fans of the sport, raising an expected $22,000 in revenue for the Hall of Fame.
“There is no better way to commemorate the Hall of Fame’s 25th anniversary than to release these iconic baits signed by legends of the sport,” said Bruce Stanton, Vice President and General Manager of PRADCO. “What makes this limited line-up even more special are the lure designers or founders are also Hall of Famers.”
After the original Heddon Zara Spook was introduced in 1939, Hall of Famer James Heddon introduced the One Knocker Spook with its single tungsten rattle contained in a sound-intensifying chamber. The Rick Clunn signature version will be produced in Green Back Gizzard.
The Bill Dance signature Heddon Spit’n Image was initially released in 1996 as a Dance signature bait under the Excalibur brand. The commemorative bait will be produced in Threadfin Flair.
It should be no surprise that topwater magician Roland Martin’s signature will appear on the Hall of Fame anniversary release of a Heddon Super Spook in Peacock Bass.
Hall of Famer Bill Norman’s lure legacy lives on with the Norman Deep Little N as a stalwart of crankbaits since it was introduced in the mid-1970s. Fellow Arkansan and Hall of Famer Larry Nixon’s signature will adorn the commemorative lure in the unique Enchilada Sauce colour.
Bobby Murray, winner of the first Bassmaster Classic in 1971, will have his signature on another classic lure released by fellow Arkansan Cotton Cordell. Murray’s signature Cordell Big O will be produced in Hot Gill.
“With the exception of Bill Dance, the other four legends are not currently sponsored or affiliated with the PRADCO brands,” Stanton said. “Supporting the Hall of Fame’s core values was their motivation to be part of the limited-edition series. We do appreciate their willingness and in some cases their sponsors’ willingness to do this for the Hall. Again, it shows how the Hall brings the industry together.”
The lures will be sold through PRADCO’s online store at Lurenet.com beginning September 1, while several sets will be included in the Celebrate Bass Fishing Week auction in September as part of the lead up to the 2025 induction ceremony on September. 25 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Mo.
