Last summer when I was using mepps up north I was only getting little northerns. It was a black fury 2, dressed. It may be that I simply wasnt on the walleye when I was using the mepps. I later talked to someone more experienced than I was at Gander Mountain and he said he hadn't done so well himself with walleye using mepps. Could have been with him too that the stars just didn't align, I dont know. My other mepps is an undressed aglia 4, probably too big for targeting walleye. So, now I'm bidding on some mepps spinners that should be in a better size range for walleyes, size 3 aglias and longs, all dressed. What are other people's insights on mepps for walleye? In addition to choosing the right model and size, conditions and locations for using mepps, I'm also curious whether walleye like dressed spinners or if they are deterred by that furry stuff and prefer undressed...? thanks a million!

I would say you may not have been deep enough. Hard to go very deep with a small spinner, they snag up easily and are light in weight. Better would be a spinner rig on a bottom bouncer. Also, I think a number 2 is too small. Size three would be better. Size 4 is not too big for them but on average 3 is about right. Also were you tipping with a worm?

Sometimes walleyes just get a case of lock jaw, and weather plays a big part as well.

Moonman.

I have caught a few Walleyes on mepps, but it was usually when I was fishing for Bass or some other species, or fishing shallow river areas where there is a lot of current. By shallow I mean water less then 2 feet deep. That being said I have never targeted them with spinners as a bait. In areas where spinners would possibly work I would choose to throw a diving crank bait, or Rattle Trap, or some lure like that fits that catagory.These seem to work better on walleyes then the spinners. I must admit that 90% of my walleye fishing is done with jigs and live bait, or jigs and twister tails.

If the Walleye and the Mepps are running the same depth and they are fairly active you'll catch Walleyes. I've even caught Walleye on topwaters when they were shallow. Usually at night. As for size a #4 isn't too big if they are keying on large forage. I've caught shocking numbers of walleyes on 7"-10" musky baits, often very shallow, sometimes at mid-day.

Anyway I'd consider a Mepps if you had a nice shallow reef, point or current area that walleyes were cruising at night. Otherwise it wouldn't be my first choice. Actually even in those situations I might use other lures first. Jig and shad or twister tail is a nice all purpose walleye artificial.

They work well for me in rivers. I use a chartreuse panther martin.

For lakes I'd use lindy's if you want to use spinners for walleye's.

Mepps spinners will surely take walleyes form time to time (and vice versa)but I don't think they are generally thought of as a "walleye lure." Nine times out of ten --or 99 times out of a hundred-- when people talk about catching walleyes on spinners they are refering to live bait spinner rigs trolled behind three-ways or bottom bouncers. That being said, if you find a bunch of shallow active walleyes I'm sure a mepps would work fine, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

quote Moonman: " Also were you tipping with a worm?





Moonman."

Nah, just the spinner

quote lundo: " That being said, if you find a bunch of shallow active walleyes I'm sure a mepps would work fine, but that is the exception rather than the rule."

On one of my trips last july I found a bunch of shallow active walleyes in the middle of the day, on bright sunny days, and I was killing them with a little cleo. That experience had contradicted everything I had heard about them up to that point and it was such a blast I couldn't believe how aggressive they were!

...and I just want to say thanks to all for the input, the helpfulness of getting some direction through the experience of others can't be overstated

Mepps spinners would be about my 137th choice for walleyes, dont use them as a go to lure for walleyes.

quote Basspro69: "Mepps spinners would be about my 137th choice for walleyes, dont use them as a go to lure for walleyes."

lol

quote Basspro69: "Mepps spinners would be about my 137th choice for walleyes, dont use them as a go to lure for walleyes."

amen to that. I thought I was the only one around here that thought these are way overrated.

d

I caught a small 12" walleye on a mepps once on a local lake. I was fishing for bass. I think the walleye must have been hanging around bass and got confused. I don't use them to target walleyes either.

quote dutchman: "

quote Basspro69: "Mepps spinners would be about my 137th choice for walleyes, dont use them as a go to lure for walleyes."

amen to that. I thought I was the only one around here that thought these are way overrated.


d"

I wouldn't say mepps are overrated as a lure (although I personally prefer Panther martins), but agree not a top choice for walleyes.

Moonman.

The one Mepps I like (i.e. have had regular success with) is a #4 plain orange Aglia. Great for northerns, and I did catch a decent eater walleye in a shallow weedy bay in Insula once on it. But if walleye fishing, as others have stated I would use a jig and leech or twister tail OR a Rapala (#9 or 11 original or jointed in silver, gold, or perch, or a shad rap in goldfish).

quote Basspro69: "Mepps spinners would be about my 137th choice for walleyes, dont use them as a go to lure for walleyes."

Got a kick outta that one . lol ! I'm on a walleye mission this year and I'm gonna use Leeches on a jig , on a slip bobber , swim baits , and rapala blue and silver originals. That's it I'm gonna keep it simple and hopefully get into some. This is our groups first year for targeting them actually.