The big bucktail craze has taken the musky-fishing world by storm. Mepps’ entry into this market is creating a storm all its own – from the heavy water movement of its twin No.10-sized blades to the big muskies it’s catching. Thousands of musky anglers have caught their first or their largest muskies with Mepps products and this trend is sure to continue with the H210. In fact, in a 2009 reader survey conducted by Musky Hunter magazine. Sixty-one percent of respondents chose Mepps products compared to 13 percent choosing the next-favored brand. This is proof positive that a huge majority of musky anglers prefer Mepps products over all others – by more than a four-to-one margin compared to the next-favorite bucktail!
The H210 is the largest of Mepps’ bucktail line and was designed with trophy muskies and pike in mind. In fact, to prove how tough this bait is, Mepps tested the H210 and found out it took over 180 pounds of force to destroy the bait, and it was the split ring that failed. Rest assured, when you set the hook on your musky of a lifetime, your H210 will be there from start to finish, and when you release that fish your H210 will be ready for your next giant.
The H210 features Mepps’ classic jointed design. This allows mix-and- match versatility, meaning all you need is a split ring pliers and you can change blades and tails with other H210s so you will never be without the “hot” color. The jointed design also allows the H210 to cast like a rocket for greater distance and accuracy, prevents the torque a hooked musky exerts on a hook (meaning fewer lost fish), and allows for a lifelike wiggle as the H210 is retrieved to the boat.
The H210 features quality components throughout. Heavy, dual, high- lift No. 10 Indiana blades move water to call big fish from a distance. The heavy-duty stainless steel shaft is made even more rigid by the solid brass body. Brass components assure perfect balance and operation. With 100% holographic Flashabou concealing two heavy-duty 7/0 VMC cone cut hooks, the H210 will attract and hook big muskies.
The H210 is designed for big muskies and pike, so to best fish this lure the smart angler chooses his equipment for the task. A medium- heavy- to heavy-action baitcasting rod measuring at least 7 1/2 feet long will provide the snap to cast the H210 accurately and to drive the hooks home. A quality reel featuring a low retrieve ratio (5.1:1 or less) will make retrieving the H210 easier. Spool the reel with braided Spectra line testing between 80- and 100-pound test, and use a single-wire or fluorocarbon leader with a ball bearing swivel and quality snap, and you’re all set.
The VMC cone cut hooks used on the H210 are the best quality hooks available. However, use a small file to sharpen the hooks until they’re “sticky” against the skin of your fingertips to increase your hook-up percentage.
It’s important to “synchronize” your cast with any bucktail. To do this, thumb your spool as the lure nears the water to create drag, which causes the H210 to lay out and hit the water in a horizontal fashion, ready to be retrieved. Engage your reel as soon as the H210 hits the water to get the blades spinning and begin the lure’s movement back toward the boat. A musky that’s holding where you just cast will often attack any bucktail -especially the H210 – as soon as it hits the water. Muskies in areas of wind-blown rocks sometimes locate in extremely shallow water, and synchronizing your H210 so it’s moving immediately upon impact will result in fewer snagged casts and many more strikes.
A semi-fast retrieve is best to start with, but during your retrieve it helps to speed up and slow down the H210. Sometimes changing direction of the lure’s path by swinging your rod tip to one side or the other is effective. If you see a musky begin to follow your H210, quickly speeding up your retrieve while adding a direction change may trigger the fish.
Another effective tactic is to “bulge” the H210. Speed up your retrieve until your lure begins to bubble on the surface, and it may produce an audible “pop” or “gurgle.” If you can’t get the lure to bulge by reeling, lift your rod tip slightly. You can do this at any time during the retrieve and a musky doesn’t need to be following at the moment for this to be effective. Many savvy anglers do this when their lure is approaching weeds – not only does this keep the lure from fouling in the foliage, but it may trigger a musky that’s lying in ambush in that weed patch.
A smooth transition to the figure-8 maneuver is important with any lure, but especially so with the H210 because you may find that 50 percent of your strikes will occur at boatside. When the swivel on your leader is six to 12 inches from your rod tip, smoothly pull the H210 into a big sweep and begin moving it in the shape of an “8”.
Remember that speed is important – slow figure-8’s often result in slow follows, but speed up the 8 and an explosive strike may result.
Whether fishing the H210 over wind-blown rocks or bulging it over weedtops, the H210 is extraordinarily effective at catching big muskies.
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