Rapala and VMC Hooks Sign Mike Iaconelli

MINNETONKA, Minn. (April 19, 2011) – Rapala, the world's favorite fishing lure and VMC, your hook expert, have added professional angler Mike Iaconelli to their pro-staff lineup.

Iaconelli – a powerhouse in the sport of professional angling – won the 2003 Bassmaster Classic, was awarded angler of the year in 2006, came in second in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic and 2009 Forrest Wood Cup (the two biggest tournaments in competitive bass fishing), won three FLW Outdoors tournaments, achieved numerous top-10 finishes and is host of the national television show "City Limits Fishing".

"I am excited to join the Rapala/VMC team", said Iaconelli. "This is really a dream come true for me. I’ve been a big fan of the products for many, many years! I look forward to a long partnership with Rapala/VMC."

"We couldn’t be more excited to be adding Mike to our pro staff", said David James, field promotion and media relations manager for Rapala. "Mike is a first class angler and a great promoter. We know he’ll have a strong impact on our brands."

Rapala was unofficially founded in 1936 when Lauri Rapala invented the Rapala fishing lure. Rapala has grown from humble beginnings to a market leader in the fishing tackle industry. The Rapala brand's functionality and high quality are known by fishermen around the world. Rapala maintains its strict standards of craftsmanship while delivering its fishing products to anglers in more than 130 countries.

Visit the following links for more information on Rapala and VMC Hooks.