**C.C. Roberts ** Mud Puppy – River Model – Natural Sucker
Around 1917 C.C. Roberts introduced the Mud Puppy. It was the first tail spinning top water musky lure. Roberts got the idea after watching a musky chase a salamander in the shallows of the Rib River. The bait has proved to be phenomenal and has produced muskies up to 52 pounds. When Roberts died, his tackle company was willed to Jim Rheinschmidt Sr., who had worked with Roberts as a youth. Today, Rheinschmidt’s son, Jim Rheinschmidt Jr., carries on the tradition of manufacturing one of muskie fishing’s most innovative lures. The Mud Puppy “River Model” is slightly smaller than the Super Mud Puppy and has one tail finn. The main difference is that it has three hooks permanently attached to the bait. This prevents the bait from floating down the river while you fight the fish. It has the same great action as the standard Mud Puppies but greater care must be taken while landing the fish.