Muskie First
Published December 17, 2002

Jason_Smith: Welcome Chuck Nelson from Mepps to MF industry night......We have lots of good questions for you and your great product lines.....welcome and let start the chat

Chuck_Nelson: Hi everyone, glad you could all make it

ToddM: Any new products for 2003?

mikie: Chuck, my dad fished Mepps for years for bass, did well. What do you have for muskies?

Chuck_Nelson: Gander Mt. exclusive Aglia Long Musky Killer in 6 colors

ToddM: cool

Oneida_Esox: How long is it??

Chuck_Nelson: Musky Killers(single and tandems) Magnum Musky Killers and Giant Killers(single and tandems)

Chuck_Nelson: Aglia Long Musky Killer is basically a baby Giant Killer

Jason_Smith: Magnum killers in tandems......NICE

Chuck_Nelson: great for burning

MRoberts: That sounds very nice

Chuck_Nelson: Magnum Killers not in tandem yet, sorry if I miss typed

Chuck_Nelson: Rollie and Helens make the tandem Magnums

Schuler: Chuck, I noticed somewhere that some of the new mepps have glow blades...do they help a lot at night vs. regular blades?

Jason_Smith: Those would be awesome....too bad....maybe in 2004

mikie: how about in the slop? Glow better?

Chuck_Nelson: The paint we use glows very bright and holds the glow

Chuck_Nelson: easy to see it coming back

Schuler: any plans for glow hair?

Chuck_Nelson: works well in low light, stained water and night

Oneida_Esox: Glow blade is an awesome bait

mikie: can we order off your website?

Chuck_Nelson: Throwing any spinner into slop is hard unless you have seen the one Oneida has, oops, LOL

Chuck_Nelson: Yes, you can order off of the site, but I will let you know, it is much more expensive

crazycanuck: Any plans for using single hooks instead of trebles? I find hookup ratios to be the same and releases are easier

Guest4791: how is the hooking percentage on the single hook top prop

Chuck_Nelson: Single hooks have been looked into, but no plans as of yet

Jason_Smith: What about Spinnerbaits.....Is Mepps ever going into that market?

Chuck_Nelson: The weedless super is actually a Mister Twister bait

Chuck_Nelson: As long as you wait until you feel them, the hook-ups are good

MRoberts: One thing I really like about the Mepps spinners is that they are all interchanable!

Chuck_Nelson: that is ok guest, we own Mister Twister

Chuck_Nelson: Mepps made a bass spinner bait several years ago

Chuck_Nelson: I would like to see it and I have put my 2 cents worth in, we will have to see where it goes

Steve_Worrall: I remember that, I think

Guest4791: what is the all around go-to mepps bucktail?

Jason_Smith: okthanks...I wish they would

Oneida_Esox: Chuck, put a plug in for Buzz baits

Chuck_Nelson: It was the Bass Killer, a great quality bait long before the market allowed a premium bass spinner bait

mikie: wow, Mepps quality in a buzz bait; awesome

Steve_Worrall: If you can build a Muskie spinnerbait as tough as that lure was, it will be a winner

Chuck_Nelson: The all around goto Mepps bucktail is the one that you feel most comfortable throwing, LOL

Oneida_Esox: For me the go to mepps is a Magnum Musky killer

Chuck_Nelson: Honestly, the old silver blade and black tail is probably the most popular

Schuler: sorry my computer froze...is there any plans for glow in the dark hair?

MRoberts: I don't think you can miss with a Musky Killer

ToddM: Chuck, what size wire are the mepps made with?

Chuck_Nelson: Sorry about that Schuler, forgot that question before

Chuck_Nelson: Right now no plans for glow hair

Steve_Worrall: When did Mepps stop using the real silver on the blades of the straight line spinners?

Schuler: dang, do you know if its doable?

Chuck_Nelson: .063 I believe

Chuck_Nelson: I am not into all of the specific specs like that

Chuck_Nelson: I believe that glow artificial hair is available

Chuck_Nelson: but as everyone probably knows, all we use right now is bucktail and squirrel tail

MRoberts: Chuck what about adding a little tinsil for a little extra flash? Ever tried?

Schuler: does mepps outsell all bucktail companies?

crazycanuck: I remove the rubber from rubbercore sinkers and crimp them onto the bucktail shaft to improve casting.......ever think of incorporating this into Muskie Killers and similar products?

Chuck_Nelson: Actually I have a few tails with some Flash-a-Boo tied in it

Guest4791: any acton on the jigging spoons

Steve_Worrall: How much for a squirrel tail these days? I used to sell a few each year there.

Chuck_Nelson: No plans for it right now though

Chuck_Nelson: Mepps sells very well in the Musky market

Schuler: When did mepps get started?

Chuck_Nelson: We do add some weight to the tandems now, they are brass

Chuck_Nelson: Syclops for ice fishing for walleye and perch, never tried jigging them for musky

Chuck_Nelson: We need all of the tails we can get

Oneida_Esox: Chuck, any plans for Mepps to branch out into other styles of lures??

Chuck_Nelson: price depends on quantity and quality

Steve_Worrall: used to bring in 25 at a time, greys

Chuck_Nelson: Mepps actually got started in France back in the 30's if I am not mistaken

Chuck_Nelson: Todd Sheldon bought the rights to Mepps US late 40's early 50's

Chuck_Nelson: Oneida, that is not a fair question, it is loaded, LOL

Oneida_Esox: sorry!!!!

Schuler: the hair on a mepps is tied to a hook as are other bucktails but some are tied to a coil...what advantages/disadvantages does tying to the hook vs coil have?

Chuck_Nelson: Actually, yes we are

MRoberts: Musky baits?

Chuck_Nelson: I like it tied directly to the hook because it does not seem to come undone very easy

Oneida_Esox: I think tails that are tied to the hook seem to hook better

jlong: Chuck, any advantage to squirrel hair over deer hair?

Schuler: good point, how many mepps employees accidently stab themselves in year requiring a trip to the hopsital?

Chuck_Nelson: Yes Mr Roberts, Oneida has seen them, you have just heard about them, LOL

ToddM: schuler works for osha

Chuck_Nelson: Squirrel hair seems to pulsate a little more, but does not take die as well

jlong: Has Mepps ever studied the different vibrations produced by various blade shapes and sizes?

Chuck_Nelson: I do not know of anyone that has had to go to the hospital yet, kind of surprising as we use VMC Cone Cuts

Oneida_Esox: Chuck talked about a secret lure that is tearing up the muskies on the Ottawa river!!!!!!

Chuck_Nelson: Yes we have jlong

jlong: Any conclusions to those studies Chuck?

Guest4791: any luck trolling the bucktails

Guest1098: Has mepps ever thought about making solid body lures like rapala or heddon?

Steve_Worrall: Mepps has a very unique clevis on their spinners, did the company design that part?

Chuck_Nelson: Magnum French lots of thump, French more hi pitched, Willow Leaf fast tinging, if these make any sense

Chuck_Nelson: best way to describe the noise

jlong: Do fish respond differently to those different pitches/frequencies?

Chuck_Nelson: We have people trolling bucktails out east

MRoberts: Jason, they all sound different and will all work in different situations.

Chuck_Nelson: Not as of right now Guest

Schuler: ever thought of using a wide willow blade on a mepps? Was my secret blade this year when no others could find fish

Chuck_Nelson: Yes we did Steve, that is kind of our own little secret, LOL

Steve_Worrall: I have actually taken apart a Mepps to use thart clevis on a big bucktail...

Chuck_Nelson: Yes jlong, water clarity plays a large part

Trophymuskie: Any plans on making some huge tails like the eagle tails and the likes in the 10-12 inch range?

Chuck_Nelson: Darker water was the Magnum

Oneida_Esox: Magnum is awesome in dark water

Chuck_Nelson: Not as of right now Schuler

Guest4791: how about counting them down in certain locations any tips

jlong: Why would water clarity affect vibe selection?

Jason_Smith: Chuck, How much muskie fishing do yo do? and if so, does that help in product development?

Guest1098: A tandem style magnum musky killer would be great for the market. I buy a tandem tail and place on the magnum blade body.

Chuck_Nelson: Unfortunately the market does not demand it right now Trophy

Chuck_Nelson: Count down the Giant Killers

Chuck_Nelson: They run deep anyway and will stay down

Trophymuskie: Whos trolling tails out east? have you ever fished up here? the big O

Oneida_Esox: The magnums also countdown very well

Chuck_Nelson: Lateral Line jlong

MRoberts: Come on jason, you know the answer to that. More thump needed to draw fish from farther away.

Chuck_Nelson: Well, Boom Lake is probably home during the summer

jlong: So if dark water fish are more dependent on the lateral line.... why is more thump better?

Chuck_Nelson: We have some field staff trolling them, not sure of names. They have been doing well

jlong: MR... if the fish living in stained water are more accustomed to using the lateral line... perhaps it is more sensitive and LESS could be better????

Chuck_Nelson: Can't exactly answer that one for you jlong

jlong: Chuck.. do you at least have an opinion on the subject?

Jamie_Schmidt: Chuck, how are the maraboo Mepps coming along?

Trophymuskie: My first muskie bait was a giant killer, wish they made bigger ones

Chuck_Nelson: I think that a musky in dark water can sense that thumping more as it travels through the water better

jlong: Chuck... how long are we going to have to BEG for the Magnum blade in your yummy glow color?

Chuck_Nelson: SSSHHHH, Jamie, LOL

Chuck_Nelson: Glow Magums available at Rollie and Helens

jlong: Be right back... gotta log onto Rollie and Helens (haha)

Chuck_Nelson: Glow blades available with any of our tails through Rollies

Trophymuskie: anything new and exiting from Mepps in 03 like spinnerbaits and others

Guest1098: Tandem magnums? Tandem Magnums? Tandem Magnums?

Chuck_Nelson: Well Trophy, we have Aglia Long Musky Killers that are a Gander Mtn exclusive in 6 colors

Trophymuskie: hmmmm maybe I can find one on the way to Pittsburg :-)

Chuck_Nelson: The Aglia Long Musky Killers are Musky Killers with our size 4 Willow leaf blades

Chuck_Nelson: Great for burning

Schuler: what is the aglia long musky killer?

MRoberts: Chuck you also rep for Mister Twister Right?

Jason_Smith: Every tried combo blades?

Chuck_Nelson: Yes, we own Mister Twister

Chuck_Nelson: Tried combo-ing up our Musky Killer and Magnum blades, I did not like how they ran

Steve_Worrall: What kind of paint are you using on the lure bodies?

Chuck_Nelson: We are looking into 2 other types of spinners, one is weedless

Trophymuskie: I want to see those aglia long muskie killers, soon!

Steve_Worrall: weedless...

Guest1098: Mister twister ever making large musky twister tails and jig combos for late fall jigging?

Chuck_Nelson: Not sure the actual brand Steve

Chuck_Nelson: I do know it is expensive and we bake them to make them durable

ToddM: Chuck, the spray paint for plastics, any new colors? black, white, etc?

Chuck_Nelson: I have put a word in for them Guest

Steve_Worrall: That's what I wondered, looked like it is baked on

Jamie_Schmidt: Chuck...why don't they package a few Twister tails with the Muskie baits...like they do with the Timber Doodles?

Chuck_Nelson: Color Burst? Not white right now

Jason_Smith: One thing I look for is "teaser" tails for my bucktails......I know Mister twister makes some good ones, maybe a combo kit for us muskie anglers?

Chuck_Nelson: Black is actually hard to do, believe it or not

Trophymuskie: Hey Chuck what percentage of your business comes from the muskie market?

Chuck_Nelson: Good idea Jason

Chuck_Nelson: I will pass it along

Guest1098: How about pure orange?

Chuck_Nelson: Very small Trophy, musky is a nitch market

Chuck_Nelson: A good pure orange has been asked for Guest

Trophymuskie: I actually had pike maniacs who had to catch muskies on #5s LOL and we did

Jamie_Schmidt: Chuck...is that Aglia long Muskie Killer heavy enough to burn...or do I need to add a rubber core to the hook shaft?

Guest1098: Orange has been the best color for my musky hunting!

Jason_Smith: TM..I have boated nice muskies on #5's

Chuck_Nelson: A lot of labor goes into these baits and labor in the US is not cheap

Chuck_Nelson: Should be heavy enough for you Jamie, but with the way you burn, 2 ounces would be enough

Trophymuskie: I pay top dollar for my tails, hand made ones at that but well worth it. They don't fall apart after a couple of fish

Jamie_Schmidt: (I was thinking 3oz)

Oneida_Esox: Neither do Mepps

Chuck_Nelson: Our #5 Aglia is probably our best selling bait for musky/pike

Trophymuskie: exacly

Oneida_Esox: I Had a Magnum this year that had over 20 pike and musky on it!

Oneida_Esox: Still have it

Jamie_Schmidt: magnums are hard to burn

Trophymuskie: #3s to #5 must be top3 in pike fishing

Jason_Smith: What color...OE

Chuck_Nelson: Bill Sandy is on my Pro Staff and had 40+ fish on one tail before changing

Chuck_Nelson: Very true Trophy

Chuck_Nelson: I will have a video at the Musky Shows this year where we have a 53"er on video

Chuck_Nelson: we got that this past summer

Chuck_Nelson: Magnums are not a good choice for burning, will "burn" you out

jlong: Chuck, any chance of beefin' up the split ring on the Magnums and Killers?

Chuck_Nelson: good question jlong

Chuck_Nelson: I have brought that up in the past and we were talking about that in the office today

Chuck_Nelson: playing with different split rings to see what they do

Oneida_Esox: try some 4 million pounders if you have them!!!!!!

Chuck_Nelson: Oneida, MRoberts and I talked about that this past late summer, early fall

Trophymuskie: when are we going to see those weedless baits?

Chuck_Nelson: Not sure if they are a definite go Trophy, we put a good 3 years into our baits before releasing them

MRoberts: They don't need to be bigger just sprung tighter.

Chuck_Nelson: I just came up with this one the very very end of last year

Steve_Worrall: sure would like to see that one, though!

Jason_Smith: Does Mepps and Mister Twister have a website?... if so what is the address?

Guest1098: Why are mister twister topwater prop combos in musky size so expensive?

MRoberts: I have used the weedless tail from the Super Top Prop with a musky killer body, it works great.

Chuck_Nelson: www.mepps.com and www.mistertwister.com

Trophymuskie: well Chuck you can always mail a few out my way and I can tell you if they work ;-)

Oneida_Esox: Chuck, I gotta go, keep up the good work at Mepps and thanks for a good chat

jlong: Giant killer that is. The willowleaf.

MRoberts: Did the split rings recently change, because i have never heard of this problem until this year.

Chuck_Nelson: I have a Magnum Giant Killer Prototype, it is a beast to retrieve

Guest1098: I've seen topwater mister twisters for as much as $25 bucks WOW! Is this because of labor cost?

Chuck_Nelson: changed the way they were put on Mike

jlong: Need field testers (wink wink)?

MRoberts: Maybe the extra thump of the Mag blade cause the ring to vibrate off easier. All the failers we saw where on the Mag bladed baits.

Chuck_Nelson: No guest, someone trying to make a good buck

MRoberts: Got you!

Chuck_Nelson: Actually jlong, I am always looking

RAZE1: Chuck, ever hear about drilling tiny holes in the blades

Chuck_Nelson: Been there done that RAZE, LOL

jlong: Just give some to MRoberts... and I'll make sure they mysteriously disappear (haha)

Chuck_Nelson: I am also a charter captain, I love to experiment

RAZE1: A tip I heard 20 yrs ago

Oneida_Esox: Chuck it was fun other than the Hockey kids causing a few problems

Jason_Smith: Chuck Nelson, thank you for sharing with us on Industry night here on muskieFIRST. You did a great job and no doubt have a product line that is a proven producer. Thanks and see you at the shows!

Chuck_Nelson: Thank you all

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