C to C Bait Co., makers of the innovative, weed-less Slop Frog, has cast a new bait for the 2015 fishing season. Designed by Wisconsin-based tournament fisherman, Jim Torgerson, and produced by C to C Bait Company, The Mendota Rig is a unique, high-performance lure for tournament and recreational fisherman of all ages and skill levels. The launch of the Mendota Rig demonstrates Torgerson and C to C’s continued commitment of introducing innovative artisan baits to anglers across the country.
Custom-made and distributed by husband and wife team, Steve and Amy McQuin, The Mendota Rig is the second product line designed by creator and tournament angler, Jim Torgerson. Under ownership by the McQuins, with Torgerson as designer, The Mendota Rig is available online at mendotarig.com and in a growing number of bait shops and chains.
“We are excited to introduce The Mendota Rig to all types of anglers this season,” said Steve McQuin, owner of C to C Baits and the Mendota Rig product line. “Amy and I grew up fishing in Wisconsin and appreciate the talent of lure designers like Jim. We’re looking forward to putting it in the hands of many fishermen that care about the craftsmanship and performance of their lures. We did a “soft launch” at the Madison Fishing Expo and now have them available online.”
“Initial feedback on the Mendota Rig has been very exciting. It is a truly unique bait that offers something to all kinds of fishermen. We knew we were on to something when the smallie, walleye, big bass and Lake Michigan guys were all interested in working them out.” said McQuin.
“We launched the product site on May 15th and had our biggest single day of orders ever. What’s great is that anglers from all over the country, Canada and even Australia ordered. It is validation that the Mendota Rig can be used successfully on many different fisheries in a number of applications.”
“The sinker is the innovation.” Said Torgerson. “We cast it in one piece to make it strong and added the skirt to make it different than any other reverse-weight. Use our plastics and hook for the most complete system or use the sinker to customize with your favorite plastics. The sinkers alone add a lot of versatility to your tackle box.”
Designed to Catch More Fish
The Mendota Rig will come in three custom-made weed-less styles: a “tube”, “craw” and “skirted craw”. The lures are designed for fishermen to reliably catch fish in weeds, wood and other structure where fish reside. An “all-purpose” bait, the Mendota Rig will catch Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Musky and even Great Lakes Trout. With a patent pending reverse-weight sinker design, The Mendota Rig can be used in multiple applications: top-water, jigging and flipping wood. With the sinker and hook at the bottom of the bait as one unit, anglers need less weight and the fish feel less obstruction at the front of the bait. The rig design also solves the problem of a loose sinker getting hung up as can happen with a Texas Rig or Carolina Rig.
The Mendota Rig Tube features a custom solid soft plastic body including a weed-less slot; a sinker with a hole that the hook threads through; and a 5/0 Mustad hook for a high success rate. The Mendota Rig Craw and Skirted Craw feature a similar design with larger profiles. All lures come in popular color combinations to attract fish in light and dark conditions and different types of structure and cover. The Mendota Rig can also be customized with your favorite plastics, increasing the applications further.
“As an active member of the Wisconsin fishing community, I’m constantly designing baits that work first for me, then we try to make them available to all anglers.” said Jim Torgerson, inventor of the Mendota Rig and the Slop Frog. “The biggest fish are in structure, slop and weeds and I know from experience you can catch more fish in these conditions because of our unique materials and design. It’s pretty simple really – whether you’re a tournament-level angler or just starting out, our lures are versatile, affordable and they work.”
Each Mendota Rig is handcrafted in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, using only American-made components. The lures will be sold in a 4-pack: 1 fully assembled rig and three extra plastics. The packaging includes detailed instructions on how to assemble the rig and videos can be viewed on the web site and YouTube. As a response to anglers and dealers, replacement sinker packs are also available.