Mold Craft Limited Edition 293/1000 Frank Johnson Sr. Memorial Senior Wide Range 12″ 6.5oz Mold Craft

Frank Johnson Sr. Memorial Wide Range

“To All of our friends, Soft Head fans and most importantly all of our loyal customers. It is with some reluctance and much emotion that I make this announcement. As most of you know my father Frank Sr. Passed away almost six years ago. At his Memorial service someone suggested that we create a “special” memorial lure for Dad. Well, here it is, the Frank Johnson memorial Wide Range. It is also appropriate as Frank was a proud American manufacturer. This lure has a number of very special features! Most obvious is the striking American flag motif. This color pattern was a corroboration with EvelynGore our general manager and her eldest son Anthony, who printed the masks for the star pattern with his computer printer. Evelyn came up with the rest of the patriotic color pattern. They also include a capsule of Billfish Juice™. An amino acid based fish attractant developed by Dr. Ben Diggles from Australia.

And most importantly a capsule of Frank’s Cremains.

Yes you, can go fishing with I.G.F.A. hall of famer Frank W. Johnson Sr.

These will be limited to a special edition of 1,000 pieces. Each will come with a numbered signed letter of authenticity. I know most of you will hang them on the wall. BUT! Please, Please take Poppa fishing again. He would be so proud!

Please share your fish stories. And keep his legacy moving forward. The sun never sets on the Soft Head empire!

With joyful tears.

Tight Lines!

Frank W. Johnson III President”

*****

The Mold Craft Wide Range series of lures are perhaps the most famous trolling lures on the planet. They’ve caught piles of world record fish and Grander Marlin over the years and are still used in the boats of prominent Captains all over the world. The “Wide Range” name derives from its “wide range” of trolling speed offerings – They advertise anywhere from 4-14 knots. These are excellent in all waters including rough waters. 

If you are familiar with the “Hard Head” shapes that lure makers such as Koya Lures & Marlin Magic offer, the “Hard Head” was derived off this original Wide Range – The main difference being that the Wide Range and other Mold Craft lures are in fact “soft heads” or made out of a rubber material vs. the typical resin materials used in trolling lures now.  The head shape is basically a mostly flat and fairly slender lure shape, close to a Tube shape on the back and belly, but with a very slight forward taper. The nose is where the Wide Range really makes the difference in action with a mostly flat but slightly cupped nose. Some “Hard Head” designs that mimic this style of lure use both a flat nose or a cupped nose – This is almost in-between those two nose designs with almost a lip around the edge of the nose. The result is a magic lure that even in the most prominent lure fishing locations such as Kona still swear by this lure as one of the most reliable and consistent producers out there.

When we’ve ask Captains what their favorite lures are over the years, the “Soft Head” is one of the most consistent phrases that comes out of their mouths.

The two sizes we are currently offering are the Standard 9″ & Senior 12″ sizes. The Standard size is an excellent Tuna and Billfish lure while the Senior size is a better Billfish/Marlin lure. Both are excellent in their respective classes of lure size, and there are very few that could out produce them on a day in and day out basis. While not in the traditional handmade resin mold, there is no doubt that these are effective trolling lures.

**This is the 12″ Senior Wide Range version.**

Weight: 6.6oz
Overall Length: 12.5″
Head Color: Blue Back with White Stars-Red Belly
Skirt Color: Red-White