This story begins back in 1996. That’s when I first met Randy Hatanpa. At the time, Randy was the creative director at an agency in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and I was at a studio just down the road. We’ve worked on many projects together and have had countless conversations over the years since, and in that time found we share a common love for the outdoors. But more recently I discovered that Randy harbors a near fanatical passion for Muskie fishing, and making custom lures.
I also learned that Randy shares this obsession with his son, Corey, and together they make and sell artisan-quality muskie lures under the banner Gen1:20 Lures. When I visited their shop to shoot this photo, Corey broke into a big smile and told me about the careful work that goes into each lure, from the individual resin casting, to the detailed custom painting, and even the multiple layers of clear epoxy finish that make each one a work of art. Randy and Corey’s deep bond, and the love they have for their work and each other, is evident as they talk about their lures, and the elusive fish those lures are made to entice. Their eyes light up when they talk about their time together on the water and share photos of the monster fish they’ve caught. Those lures may be meant for muskies, but clearly they’ve also reeled father and son closer together.
So, twenty-plus years later, life’s taken some interesting turns, but Randy and I still do the occasional photo project together, and we still talk about the outdoors. But now we also talk about our kids, the memories we’re making and the legacies we want to leave them. It seems Randy can still find new and creative ways to inspire me.