About Minnkota Tackle
Handmade walleye tackle from Madison, Minnesota.
Built on the Water, Not in a Factory
Minnkota Tackle started the way most good things in fishing do — out of necessity. Pete McGinty couldn't find tackle that performed the way he needed it to on the tournament circuit, so he started building his own. What began as a tackle box full of hand-tied rigs for personal use turned into a business when other anglers on the water started asking where he got his gear.
Based in Madison, Minnesota, every piece of Minnkota Tackle is still built by hand. The spinner rigs, slow death rigs, live bait rigs, and accessories you find in our shop are the same rigs Pete fishes with in competition. There's no separate "pro staff" line — what we sell is what we fish.
Madison sits at the intersection of some of the best walleye water in the Upper Midwest. Lac qui Parle Lake is right in our backyard. Big Stone Lake is a short drive west. And when tournament season heats up, the road leads north to Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, and Devils Lake. Every body of water teaches you something, and those lessons end up in the tackle we build.
Pete McGinty
Pete has spent decades chasing walleyes across Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Manitoba. A fixture on regional tournament circuits, he's put in thousands of hours refining the rigs and presentations that consistently put fish in the boat.
His approach to tackle building is simple: use the best components, tie every rig by hand, and test everything on the water before it goes in the shop. No shortcuts, no mass production, no compromise.
When he's not at the tying bench or on the water, Pete works with retailers and guides across the Upper Midwest to get Minnkota Tackle into the hands of anglers who demand tackle that performs.
Tournament Tested
Minnkota Tackle has been tested on tournament waters across the Upper Midwest. From Lac qui Parle to Lake of the Woods, our rigs have proven themselves against the toughest competition. When results matter, we trust the same tackle we sell.
Years on the Water
Rigs Hand-Tied
Handmade in MN
Products We Trust
Every product in our shop is something we'd tie on our own line. No filler, no knockoffs, no compromise.
Carry Minnkota Tackle in Your Shop
We work with bait shops and retailers across the Upper Midwest. Get in touch for wholesale pricing and minimum order details.