One of my favorite color shadow raps, a chrome gold color, doesn't seem to be available anymore.  And when I dig deeper, I noticed that there aren't really that many examples of chrome on the market place at all.  I'm assuming that truly chrome baits must be more expensive to produce?

Or it's just not popular these days? 

 

In all honesty, it looks unrealistic and after a few fish, they look terrible. Thinking back through history, I can think of lots of historic baits that came in a ton of chrome colors:

 

Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap

Manns Baby 1-

Storm Wiggle Wart

I don't know how they paint chrome commercially but it isn't easy to do it yourself with spray paint. When you clearcoat it it becomes cloudy/dull.

Back in the 90s Rapala made a series of INOX (stainless steel) lures, both wood and plastic, that were made by coating the lures with a conductive ink and then electroplated. They were popular among saltwater anglers and those up north going after the toothy critters. The production didn't last long as they found it wasn't cost productive. I have some of the Clown and Red/Black head Magnums that I sometimes use for bass with success. It's too bad they didn't make more of these lures.

 

Maybe I am looking at something different, but I see a TON of options for chrome baits out there.

The Bomber Long A Minnow with the silver flash  insert would be a good alternative . It has a bright white flash. I have real good success with it .

A lot of baits are doing flashy inserts too, which I think are more natural looking and last way longer. There's still a ton of chrome baits out there though. Some of my most productive jerkbaits this winter have had a chrome finish and are still readily available.

On 3/12/2020 at 4:34 PM, jbsoonerfan said:

Maybe I am looking at something different, but I see a TON of options for chrome baits out there.

I see it also and have been fishing chromed silver and gold hard baits for years. Some of the new chromed baits look good and I find them pretty productive.

 

I have more than enough Rat-L-Traps, happen to be a big fan, they flat out catch fish. Chrome w/ black back, Chrome w/ blue back, Chrome w/ chartreuse, Gold w/ black back and Red Chrome happen to be my favorites. There are other new chrome patterns they put out that I'm finding work equally as well.