Reminder: If your email program cuts off the bottom of this email, click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry about that β email programs keep changing stuff. |
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Check out this 14.5-lb burbot-eating walleye! |
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Linsey Gould and Greg boated this 14.5-lb freakazoid (34" long x 19.5" girth) using a 1/2-oz jig with a big creek chub in 25β². Were fishing somewhere in northern ON where walligators were chasing around ciscos aka tullibee...apparently 14" burbot made the menu too. #HalfDigested |
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Just in case the "fish police" are muttering under their breath how that can't be a 14+ blah, blah, blah...here's a couple more generous holds to help do the fish justice: |
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Such an insane fish! π€―πππ |
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Rant of the day. ππΏ |
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I will never get over the fact that to win most walleye tournaments, you need to catch the biggest small fish.
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No, I'm not throwing shade at any one specific tourney platform or league out there...just some random thoughts I had while on the water a few hours the other day.
I understand that lakes and states could/should/do have slot limits, so in the olden days = that's just how tourneys worked...but now with the technology readily-available to measure and release those fish it just feels wrong to basically penalize teams for dialing-in the bigs.
Example: In MN walleye tournaments (that are NOT catch-measure-release format) you can only have 1 fish over 20" per person. So catching these things is typically more important than being on BIG fish during game day:
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Oh, and you might as well just cut your line if you catch one of these in MN. π€£π© #Ouch |
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Imagine catching a dozen+ walleyes that were 24-27β³ in a single day (during a tourney) and losing because you could only weigh 1 or 2 of those fish. And then some jabronies win with 5 or 6 fish in the 15-19" range hahaha!
That'd be like fishing in a bass tournament where you're only able to weigh 1 bass over 3
lbs...then the rest of your limit had to be just 12- to 14-inchers.... π₯΄
Okay, okay...I'm done venting now lol. Just had to spew some thoughts all over the keyboard. And remember:
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Everything you want to know about rigging BIG chubs this fall. |
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I bring back this TargetWalleye.com write-up each fall back because the best chubbin' bite is coming soon and I want you to be prepared β it's exactly how a bunch of fall derbies are going to be won from here on out. Full post here, few quickie excerpts below:
> You can catch fish all year doing this, but I really get excited for the big-minnow bite once the water has cooled down to 62 degrees...ideally 58-60. It stays good until temps hit 45 or so...after that the fish have already fed heavy for a couple of weeks and are now transitioning to winter patterns. You can still catch 'em, just not nearly as many.
> Many weeds start to die off when the water temps drop below 68 degrees. That's why you'll notice piles of weeds floating around out there. A lot of the baitfish have pulled out of those dying weeds and are now schooled up in open water. The wind positions the baitfish on structure and the fish follow.
> Pay attention to which direction the wind has been blowing from in the days leading up to your trip. Even fishing in deep water such as 35-50β² the fish will still typically be stacked on the windblown sides of underwater points, bars and breaks.
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> Walleye prefer a larger minnow in the fall when the water temps are on the drop. It's the 4-7" redtails and creek chubs that seem to work best most days, but sometimes even bigger.
> Why creek chubs and redtails? Because they're hardy minnows that will often swim right along with the boat. There's times you'll actually feel them 'getting excited' down there the moment before a walleye smacks them.
> You can catch the occasional fish on a sucker minnow, but they're usually too lethargic for this technique and will end up being drug behind the boat [versus lively darting from side to side.]
> I run a 1/2- to 1-oz egg sinker depending on minnow size, wind and depth. The 3/4-oz seems to be good all around, but I bump up to a 1-oz anytime I'm fishing 30β² or deeper. The bigger sinker also helps to anchor that minnow and keep it in the strike zone.
> Egg sinkers because they're super dense for their size and work perfect for this application. I'm not dragging them on bottom, I'm trying to fish the sinker like a jig β keeping it 6-18" off bottom and as vertical as possible. Occasionally drop it down to tap bottom and raise it back up.
> Trolling between 0.3-0.8 mph covers most scenarios for pulling big minnows in the fall. When it's calmer I'll start off on the slow end of that to stay right over the tops of fish. If the wind is blowing there will be a current that seems to get everything moving down there [on the bottom] β that's when I'll pick up the speed.
There's a lot more to riggin' big minnows than we could possibly fit in this email...so we put together a complete guide on TargetWalleye.com loaded with everything you want to know about rigging BIG chubs for fall walleye: |
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"Some days the fish just winβ¦." |
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- That was Scott Mathson's caption under this throwback Instagram post from prefishing for a NWT Championship a few years back: |
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Hah!!!
Check what Scott says they thought was going on down there β makes sense after looking at the pic again:
> Scott: "We think it's the corner of an old fence line for the Hs, and the A was probably another post we just graphed mid turn. Dylan was up in the bow and I told him it might be time to head in...the fish are literally laughing at us."
North Dakota, you crazy....
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New βTop 5β coming in hot! π₯ |
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I just posted episode 18 a few minutes ago β π big thx to our friends at Sea Foam for making this video series possible! |
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P&W stocked fertile walleye (ones that could reproduce) in the reservoir back in the 70s. But now say they "pose a threat to native, in some cases endangered, fish in the Colorado River should they escape into Rifle Creek from the reservoir, reach the river and reproduce and prey on native fish."
So they installed a "fish screen" in 2013 on Rifle Creek to filter unwanted fish that escape from the reservoir:
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Then they worked for several years to remove as many fertile walleye from the system as possible, so they could put infertile (ones that can't reproduce) back in:
> That plan has allowed for the annual stocking in the reservoir of triploid, meaning sterile, walleye that can't grow in number should they somehow escape the reservoir and get past the screen and into the Colorado River.
> Ben Felt, an aquatic biologist for Parks and Wildlife, said that "triploid" fish are ones with a third set of chromosomes, rather than two, which makes them infertile. He said newly fertilized eggs put into pressure chambers produce triploid fish that are reared in hatcheries, and eggs subjected to that process at Pueblo Reservoir have been used to produce fish stocked at Rifle Gap.
Sounds like there's a load of those 15-18" sterile fish in there now. So to reduce predation pressure on yellow perch (catch rates have been decreasing in fishery surveys) they're considering increasing the bag and possession limit to 3 fish with a 15" minimum and no more than 1 of those could be 18" or longer...which would protect the reservoir's ability to produce trophy-size walleye:
> ...the reservoir is capable of producing walleye approaching state-record size, but aging data shows walleye there grow relatively slowly, with fish exceeding 30" in length often being over 20 yrs old.
P&W is expected to decide on the proposal in Nov...takes effect Apr 1 if approved.
> NFT's President/CEO, Gregg Wollner: "Tom Huynh has proven to be a 'Game Changer' in the competitive walleye fishing world. I am thrilled to offer him a product development and marketing platform to bring his techniques to life. I am beyond excited about our future together."
> NFT's Marketing Director, Mike Anselmo: "I couldn't be happier to work with Tom. When it comes to the relationship between his tackle, electronics, boat positioning, and determining fish location, Tom's ability to comprehend and understand the big picture is truly next level. Tom is very familiar with the Northland brand, but it's the new product like our recently-introduced Short-Shank Tungsten Jigs, and other pieces in the product development funnel that really help pull the relationship together. We're making jigs and tackle that are important to him. Tom is quickly changing the way people fish for walleyes, and Northland Fishing Tackle is moving fast and evolving right along with him.
> "We're going to run hard together in an effort to bring the best new products to consumers, tell great, informative stories, and educate people on hot techniques β and put a bunch of fish in the boat along the way."
> Tom Huynh: "Working with Northland Fishing Tackle is a great fit. They're legendary. Currently, I've been fishing the 1/8th-oz Northland Short-Shank Tungsten Jig and it's perfect for what I do. The narrow, aspirin-shaped head cuts through the water great and falls in a really unique fish-catching way...the shape of the hook is perfect and the hook shank is right on. It's also really sharp for solid hooksets on far casts in deeper water, even though I'm fishing a lighter jig."
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> "Not to divulge too much, but Northland also has some jigs coming out soon that are geared exactly toward what I've been envisioning. I look forward to contributing to bait design where I can.
> "I'm also looking forward to the relationship to provide content for them and their loyal customers based on what I do on the water β which is different than how most walleye anglers fish. I'll be utilizing their line of jigs and soft plastics and it's going to make me a better angler, too, to work with a company that has the bandwidth to modify presentations to the way I like to fish. All things said, I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with Northland and proud to represent their brand moving forward."
Big congrats to both! π€
> Using electrofishing boats, crews will survey the shallow areas near the shoreline of lakes at night with the goal of capturing young-of-year walleye.
> "Conducting surveys on both stocked and unstocked lakes can affect decisions about future walleye research and stocking efforts and give valuable insight into the status of the younger walleye in the system."
> Biologists also will collect and keep a sample of young-of-year walleye from stocked lakes to determine whether the primary source of reproduction is natural or stocked. Many walleye that are stocked are marked with oxytetracycline, a chemical marker that can be observed within captured fish by using a microscope with an ultraviolet light source in a laboratory setting.
π€¦ββοΈ
Day 1 of 2. They usually livestream the weigh-in starting around 3cst on their FB page. Believe it's the last qualifying event of the season for folks trying to make it to the 2023 MWC World Walleye Championship on Lake Sharpe (Pierre, SD) Oct 5-7 next year.
The FishUSA Premium Braid Scissors include "notches for adjusting lure rings or bent spoon lures, holes for hook straightening and tightening knots, and other jobs on the water...even a screwdriver...." |
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Currently has no length regulations, but:
> The DNR is proposing a 15" minimum length limit on all walleye captured from Rathbun Lake. These changes will start Jan 1, 2023. All walleyes measuring <15" must be immediately released. Anglers can keep 5 walleyes per day. ...will not apply to the Chariton River below Rathbun Dam.
The DNR wants folks' input and is accepting comments thru Sept 29.
> The current regulation, in place since 2011, was implemented to improve catch rates of larger fish and to improve reproduction. The regulation is now due for review before a decision is made to extend, change or allow it to expire.
> "The Big Sandy Lake walleye population is entirely sustained by natural reproduction, so regulations that focus on reproductive conditions are a critical component of fish management in this system. Since the current reg was implemented, the abundance of 14-18" walleye has increased substantially and reproduction has improved and stabilized. As part of the review process, it's important for us to hear from anglers about their experience on the water."
9. MN: Couple invasive updates...
...to rebuild facilities in Sturgeon Bay, Kenosha and Sheboygan.
Including their fiberglass 5' 3" shorty for sending baits out the back:
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Bunch of great info from a guy who spends more time on the water than in his own bed.
Someone probably illegally dumped unwanted pet fish and they exploded:
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Few TargetWalleye.com Highlights
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What's π₯ on Target Walleye's YouTube π₯
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How to target WARM fall walleyes.
> When the water is cooling, you can focus on a spot or location. When the water warms during the fall, you need to cover as much water as possible. Many fish will be transitioning, and trolling crankbaits can be a great way to target them.
> As fish transition and travel between point A, and point B, they typically take the shortest and easiest route. What this means is that primary main lake contours and the old river channel on reservoirs essentially become underwater highways....
> Cover water over big locations. For specifically targeting big fish...don't be afraid to double the length and profile from what you would typically use the rest of the year.
> Don't get hung up on an icon or waypoint...or troll until you find the fish and then assume that you will catch more from the same location. Instead focus on your fish per hour. On a tough bite, I'm happy with a bite an hour...2 would be considered good in some cases.
> Scattered fish often have a more difficult temperament...they're not competing with other fish and in some cases are stressed from the distances traveled.
> This is exactly why I love to troll crankbaits in the fall when dealing with tough conditions. Not only do I cover water and contact more fish, I can also do a better job of getting a reaction strike by using speed to trigger fish.
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If you ever see walleyes scattered all over out deep β with no structure to hold 'em in one spot β you want this dude fighting on your side: |
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Warren Fisher's gonna have to swab the deck after this fat 31-incher gets done No.2'ing on things. #ChockFull #MakeYaSayUgh |
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Said he caught her trolling for "mid-day lazy ones over deep-water current deflections" using βa Door Country staple with a Target Walleye twist!β
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Hope you have your hands full (of fish) this weekend, too! |
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Sign up another fish-head!
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Friends of Target Walleye |
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Who is Target Walleye
Target Walleye β walleye during open water and all species during hardwater β is brought to you by Al Lindner, Jim Kalkofen, Jay Kumar, Brett McComas and other diehard fish-heads like you!
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Brett McComas is the main man for Target Walleye He was discovered in Brainerd, MN after years of wondering how in the heck people break into the fishing biz. He's in it now, but still can't answer that question.... Brett is one of those guys who majored in marketing, only because there was no such thing as a "fishing degree" at the time.... Get him at brett@targetwalleye.com
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P.O. BOX 2782
Baxter, MN 56425
(218) 824 5026
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