VMC

VMC Mustache bucktails, hooks and pike rigs at Charlie's Fishing

The VMC Mustache is the heart of how we fish for pike: a bucktail and a jig head in one, with a screw that holds a big soft tail straight and a VMC Pike Chain Rig as the stinger. The Mustache Rig, Mustache Shallow and Mustache Shallow Baby are among the pike lures we sell most, loose or ready to fish in our own Mustache Mouse Combos. Behind them is VMC, the French hook maker of Viellard Migeon & Cie, a family industrial company founded in 1796 in Morvillars in the east of France. VMC still makes its hooks in its own factory in Morvillars, on automatic machines it designs and builds itself, with a capacity of about 4 million hooks a day, and it is one of the world's leading makers of treble hooks. Since 2000 VMC has been part of Rapala VMC, which is why the hooks on Rapala lures are VMC. We have visited the VMC factory ourselves and seen how a hook is made, from the wire to the final sharpening. Next to the Mustache bucktails we stock the Sharpshooter, Pike Chain stinger rigs, jig heads and offset hooks, UV trebles, titanium and steel leaders, and the snaps and split rings that hold it all together. Below you find what each one is for.

VMC Mustache bucktails: Mustache Rig, Mustache Shallow and Shallow Baby

The Mustache is a mix between a jig head and a bucktail, developed by VMC with pike guides to fish big soft tails: the bucktail pushes a lot of water, a built-in screw holds the tail straight, and you add a VMC Pike Chain Rig as the stinger. The VMC Mustache Rig is the sinking version with a lead-free zinc head in 11 g (to about 2 m) and 20 g (to about 4 m), with slow sinking on the pause instead of dropping like a stone, for casting and trolling. The VMC Mustache Shallow has a wooden body with a zinc keel and runs high, to about 1 metre, over weed and shallow flats. The VMC Mustache Shallow Baby is the lighter 14 g version for smaller tails such as the CWC Double Tail Mini, also running to about 1 metre. Spare VMC Refill Screws and the VMC Refill Weight keep your Mustaches fishing. Read our step by step guide VMC Mustache Rig: Four Steps to Rig This Pike Bucktail, and see all Mouse and Bucktail Lures.

Charlie's Mustache Mouse Combos: ready to fish

Our own combos are built around the VMC Mustache and are among the pike lures we sell most. The Charlie's Mustache Mouse Combo puts a CWC Double Tail on a VMC Mustache Shallow with a VMC Pike Chain, 20 cm and 80 g. The Charlie's Mustache Mouse Baby Combo is the smaller version on the Shallow Baby, and the Charlie's VMC Mustache Mouse Combo Sinking uses the Mustache Rig in 11 or 20 g with a CWC Double Tail Mini for deeper water. The Charlie's Bucktail Baby Mustache Combo completes the set.

VMC Sharpshooter: lead-free bucktail hardbait

The VMC Sharpshooter is the newest member of the Mustache family: a slow sinking, lead-free ABS head with a bucktail and a VMC 4551 3/0 hook, 13 cm and 38 g, with a stable action that stays easy to fish in current and wind. The VMC Sharpshooter Combo comes with a CWC Double Tail fitted, 22,5 cm and 80 g, and has an extra eye to add a weight or a Pike Chain. Read VMC Sharpshooter: A versatile bucktail hardbait explained.

VMC Pike Chain Rigs and stingers

The VMC Pike Chain Rig is the stinger we sell most: a treble on a short chain that follows the bait without stiffening it, made to fit the Mustache and big softbaits. The VMC Pike Chain Rig UV has a UV treble for coloured water, the VMC Pike Chain Double and the VMC Pike Chain Double UV carry two trebles for long tails. The VMC Belly Pike Rig places the trebles under the belly of big softbaits. See all Rigs and Stingers.

VMC jig heads, Pela Jig and weights

The VMC Bullet Jig is the all-round jig head for shads, and the VMC Dart Jig makes a pintail dart sideways for perch and zander. The VMC Pela Jig is a vertical jig for pelagic fishing under the boat, with a corkscrew head that holds it stable beneath the transducer even in strong current, and Charlie's Pela Jig Combo 60 g comes ready to fish with two Frapp Snatchers. The VMC Cheburashka weights make a free-swinging rig with the VMC Cheboo offset hook, whose red bait keeper holds the softbait however hard you cast. The VMC Drop Shot Sinker has a quick-change clip, in 14 and 17 g. More in Jigheads, Weights and Pelagic.

VMC hooks: Texan, drop shot and UV trebles

The VMC Hook 7316 Texan Strong Wide Gap is the strong offset hook for weedless softbaits on the Texas rig, and the VMC Dropshot Hook is made for perch and zander on the drop shot. For hardbaits there are the VMC UV Hooks Orange Round Treble and the VMC UV Hooks Assorted Round Treble, round bend trebles with a UV finish that stays visible in coloured water. See all Hooks and Rigs.

VMC titanium, steel and fluorocarbon leaders

VMC makes its titanium leaders per lure type, so the length and strength fit the job: the VMC Titanium Pike Leader, VMC Titanium Jerk Leader, VMC Titanium Swim Leader, VMC Titanium Twitch Leader and VMC Titanium Crank Leader. Titanium does not kink and springs back straight after a pike. For your own leaders there is VMC Knotable Titanium. The VMC BlackFlex Leader is a black-coated 7 strand steel leader, and the VMC Fluorocarbon Leader is the choice for zander and perch where pike are not around. More in Lines and Leaders.

VMC snaps and split rings

The VMC Stainless Crosslock Snap, VMC Switch Snap and VMC Techset Snap let you change lures in seconds. The VMC Crank Bait Snap has a round shape that lets a crankbait swim freely, and the VMC Crankbait Snap 360 adds a rolling swivel against line twist for spinners, spoons, lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits. The VMC Heavy Duty Split Ring is the strong ring to upgrade the hooks on your lures. See Small fishing tackle.

Which VMC product for which job

• Big pike on a soft tail over weed: Mustache Shallow with a Pike Chain Rig, or the ready Mustache Mouse Combo.
• Big pike in deeper water: Mustache Rig 20 g or the Mustache Mouse Combo Sinking.
• A bucktail that is easy in current and wind: Sharpshooter or Sharpshooter Combo.
• Stinger for big shads: Pike Chain Rig, Pike Chain Double for long tails.
• Shads for zander: Bullet Jig, or Dart Jig with a pintail.
• Pelagic fishing under the boat: Pela Jig or Charlie's Pela Jig Combo.
• Weedless and free rig: Cheboo offset hook with Cheburashka weights, 7316 Texan hook.
• Leaders for pike: titanium per lure type, or BlackFlex steel. See Pike, Zander and Perch.

Why buy VMC at Charlie's Fishing

VMC is the backbone of how we fish for pike: our Mustache Mouse Combos are built on it, and the Pike Chain Rig is on almost every big softbait we sell. We stock the full VMC range for predator fishing, ship it from our own stock in the Netherlands with fast delivery across Europe, and can tell you which Mustache, stinger or leader fits your lure. VMC is part of Rapala VMC, so see also our Rapala collection, and the Rapala x Charlie's Fishing Limited Edition, which is rigged with VMC hooks. The Charlie's Fishing Giftbox regularly contains VMC products too.

Where are VMC hooks made?

VMC hooks are made in the company's own factory in Morvillars, in the east of France, where Viellard Migeon & Cie was founded in 1796. VMC has been part of Rapala VMC since 2000.

Which Pike Chain Rig fits the Mustache?

The Mustache Rig takes the VMC Pike Chain Rig S, the Mustache Shallow the Pike Chain Rig M. For long double tails choose the Pike Chain Double.

Mustache Shallow or Mustache Rig?

The Mustache Shallow has a wooden body with a zinc keel and runs high, to about 1 metre, over weed and shallow flats. The Mustache Rig has a sinking zinc head in 11 or 20 g for water of about 2 to 4 metres.