The NWT Championship is happening RIGHT NOW on Devils Lake, ND. One of those special fisheries where folks can catch ‘em using a pile of different techniques, so people can fish to their strengths and catch ‘em how they want.

Most folks didn’t have forward-facing sonar yet the last couple times the NWT has been there (2019 and 2018) but here’s how the top fellas caught ‘em...

Caught 5 of his 15 weigh fish on slip-bobbers and leeches under 1/16-oz jigs. The other 10 came from a mix of Moonshine Shiver Minnows, Jigging Raps and Johnny Darters. Said he went through 300 baits [!] thx to all the stumps, rocks, you name it. #WorthIt

Here’s how he said he was fishing ’em...

Smaller baits: Hard snap and then follow them down.
Bigger baits: Lift it aggressively and then control the fall.

Caught his fish running Sufix 832 Lead Core – with 8′ and 10′ 15-lb Sufix fluorocarbon leaders – 200′ and 220′ back to get his crankbaits ticking the tops of rocks in 35-45′.

https://bit.ly/482NVBq

Used Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerks and Berkley Flicker Minnows. Said the #10 and #12 Husky Jerks caught most of his fish, and that yellows were best – both stock and custom-painted by Dutch Fork Custom Lures. Sent me this shot:

I’ll be super curious to see how it goes down this year now that more folks are spending their time “sniping” fish 🎯 with forward-facing sonar. Sounds like that combined with an extremely healthy fishery has most thinking it’s going to take up to 30 lbs a day to win. 😳

If I had to guess this time of year, it’s going to be a FFS guru running thru multiple spots/programs each day that brings in the heaviest 15 fish over 3 days. But you never know...when that basin leadcore bite is on, it’s tough to beat. Also folks can’t cull, so there’s going to be some tough decisions to make on the water.

The LIVE weigh-in for day 1 just started at 3pm CST or you can hit the live leaderboard.

Another episode of “Never know what I’m going to find in the Target Walleye inbox!” 😅

This wild series of events is coming from TW reader Bret Brown, who somehow snagged a broken off bottom-bouncer that had a 13” walleye attached to it...BUT also that 13” walleye had been eaten by a 29.5” channel cat! He never had a hook in either of ‘em:

Can’t make this stuff up! Even his dog was super impressed:

Btw here’s what I’d imagine it felt like reeling in that mess (lol):

That pic was shared by Randy Bean in "The Casting Deck - Dock Talk" FB group. Supposedly caught whatever kind of wild sucker variation that is out of Eden Lake near Leaf Rapids in northern Manitoba.

Couple years ago, bass-head John Murray outed what he calls the “triple dropshot.” Runs a small treble hook with a fluke on each point. Looks like a little school of fish, yet doesn’t use multiple hooks so it could (maybe???) be legal in states where that’s an issue.

Thought it might just get your creative juices flowing on the walleye side of things!

- That’s Walleyedan talking, who no doubt is ripping his #7 Rapala Jigging Rap right in the thick of it!

Btw quote is a reference to using one of those “tournament culling beams” where you put a fish on each side and the heaviest one drops...makes it super quick to cull-out your smallest fish during a tourney.

On Gull Lake. I believe as of today they have a full 120-boat field registered because 1) it’s a great cause, 2) the fish are usually snapping that time of year on Gull, and 3) it has BIG-time payouts with $15K for 1st place.

Local hammers Mark Hightower and Jeremiah Piepkorn won it last year with 5 for 15.56 lbs (only 1 walleye can be over 20”).

Mark – or “The Doc” as we call him in our local walleye league – has been absolutely lighting it up around here the last few years. No matter what lake our local derby is on, he consistently brings in quality fish 🔥 and it’s downright impressive! I had reached out to him to get a few details on their big Gull Lake win last fall and here’s what he had to say:

> “We didn’t go deeper than about 30-33′ as we prefer the shallow fish to avoid barotrauma both prefishing and on tourney day. The way we fished was a combination of finesse rigging and power fishing with Rapala Jigging Raps. We got a lot of bites by targeting suspended fish with Jigging Raps. Those fish high in the water column crush them on the drop and it’s a blast to watch it happen on screen.

> “I have to give a big shout-out to my partner, Leisure Outdoor Adventures guide Jeremiah Piepkorn. Not only is he a great partner but he made a crucial call towards the afternoon when I was looking to move locations and he convinced me to wait it out and we were able to get a couple of our 19″+ unders.”

Big props again, fellas! 🙌

...was attended by more than 100 Veterans!

...(just north of Brainerd) is happening Sat, Sept 30.

This year they’re doing a guaranteed $5K to 1st place! The tourney helps raise money to better walleye fishing in the Brainerd Lakes Area. It’s a $300 team entry fee (80% payout) and they’re capping it at 50 boats.

Great cause and a great fishery! I’m already registered to fish it – you can be too.... 😏👊

Matt Castle and Denny Gourhan won it last year with a 12.68-lb bag, and also took home the ‘big fish’ pot with this gorgeous 28-incher:

Near Willmar.

...with acquisition of Fliteboard. Brunswick = Merc, Lund, Lowrance, MotorGuide, and more.

Save $30 on a $200+ order with promo code: SAVE30.

That’s the basically sold out everywhere Walleye Nation Creations Death Jig. One of the weapons he used to win the last NWT stop out of Sault (pron. “Soo”) Ste. Marie, MI on the St Marys River. Not sure if there’s anyone who has spent more time fishing with the Death Jig than Max, so I always listen when he’s spewing details on the program:

- That’s Warren Fisher getting his Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk on for Green Bay gold!

National Professional Anglers Assoc.