11/10/2026
In 1997, Terminator Fishing Lures out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, introduced a spinnerbait that changed the game.
The Terminator T-1 featured a revolutionary titanium wire frame that could bend and spring right back into shape. No more constantly straightening bent spinnerbait wires after catching fish!
At around $8 apiece, they weren't cheap, but fishermen loved them. With Jimmy Houston and Terry Bradshaw helping promote the brand, Terminator quickly became one of the hottest names in bass fishing.
Then came the Rapala buyout in 2007.
Rapala purchased Terminator and announced plans to move production from Mexico to China. Although the brand continued, they stopped using titanium, and the quality was never the same/.
Today, those original T-1 spinnerbaits still hold a special place in the tackle boxes of fishermen.
