Dirty Ned Rig trick, Huge humpback walleye, Fan cast vs troll 💯

We’re getting to the point in the season where fish will soon start grouping up on specific edges, but for now they’re still fairly scattered – some up, some down – on structure. That’s why Jason Mitchell says you should be fan casting for ’em:

> “Don’t get locked in on finding a specific edge or depth post-spawn fish are using. For example: we catch a few fish in 22′ and then spend the rest of our time trying to catch more fish at that depth.

> “Later in the season – as fish become edge-orientated on structure – you might spend the whole day fishing a specific depth and catch lots of fish.

> “Early in the season fish movements are often wider...might pop a few deep below the boat, catch some with a long cast to the top of the structure...others hit the jig halfway back to the boat. That’s typical in spring.

> “Fan casting jigs and soft plastics allows you to touch all the different zones and find fish much more quickly...can deliver your presentation away from the boat when fish are shallow and won’t let you drive over them.

> “Some fish might be scattered in 15′ while others are laid up in 7-10′. [Instead of making 2 trolling passes] you can cover a lot more water by making a single pass in 15′ and casting up shallow water...fishing the water below the boat at the end of each cast.”

One of the things you should maybe be doing at the ramp to help stop the spread of invasives (I’m not sure if it’s required?) is tilting your motor all the way down and letting any water drain out before launching or leaving – you’d be surprised how much will come out of there.

That’s part of my usual ramp routine, and it ALWAYS freaks me out that I’ll get busy doing other things and forget to trim back up before driving off. Especially if there’s an AIS inspector at the ramp doing a survey...seriously appreciate everything they do [!!!] but the only time I seem to miss a step (forgetting a buckle or strap, the drain plug, or whatnot) is when I get busy talking and out of my “normal process” or rotation that I always do those things in. Can anyone else relate?

These pics posted by JP DeRose on Insta hit me right in those anxious feels:

Yikes! I mean starting to drive off is one thing, but you’d almost have to try to make it from point A to B without feeling or hearing THAT going on. #LetTheSparksFly

Assuming they were either:

A) Heavily-bumping the music,

B) The catalytic converter is somewhere not attached to their tow vehicle, or

C) They were having one of those moments where you don’t even remember the drive home ‘cuz you’re mentally beating yourself up for getting your butt kicked by the fish:

Sam Chadwick is a 24-year-young walleye guide out of Ballard’s Resort on Lake of the Woods who was recently diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (a bone cancer) that has rapidly spread from his shoulder to his lungs and lymph nodes. He is now unable to work as he’s traveling back and forth to receive chemo treatments at the Mayo Clinic.

I haven’t personally met Sam, but have heard from numerous folks that he’s “one of the most genuine, light hearted and caring individuals you’ll meet, and always puts a smile on the face of the people around him.”

His sister setup a GoFundMe account if you can spare a few bucks to help him and his family financially. Hopefully the fishing community can do its thing and help a brother in need! 🙏✝️ If you’re the praying type, please send a few their way. Crazy how quickly life can change....

2. Justin Schneider is leading the NWT AOY race.

After capturing 7th (Illinois River) and 11th (Lake Winnebago) at the first two events. But it’s a tight AOY race heading into the Pickstown, SD event (Lake Francis Case) June 22-23.

3. Recreational boating’s economic impact soars to $230 bil. 🤑

> ...the annual economic impact of recreational boating increased 36%, from $170B in 2018 to $230B in 2023. The industry’s contributions to the U.S. workforce grew as well, with an 18% increase in jobs supported, from 691K in 2018 to more than 812K in 2023.

> ...the analysis [also] breaks down data at the state level. While the top-5 states remained the same from the 2018 study, their rankings shifted with FL and CA retaining their 1st and 2nd spots respectively, TX moved to the 3rd position with MI and NY rounding out the top 5. Newcomers to the top-10 states are GA and MN, each saw upwards of a 120% increase in both economic output and job growth.

4. National Safe Boating Week is May 20-26.

Just in time for one of the busiest boating weekends of the year.

Get this: Over 80% of drowning victims were NOT wearing a life jacket. No doubt many of those outcomes could have been waaaay different for the better. 😣

5. Gamakatsu now has “feathered” G-Finesse Treble hooks.

Gamakatsu has “feathered” G-Finesse Treble hooks. I’ve used the original G-Finesse Trebles and they’re insanely sharp + strong. These newer feathered versions will come in 5 sizes (6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0) and 2 colors (white/tinsel and chartreuse/tinsel):

Planer boards aren’t just for multiple-line waters.

If you’re not running Off Shore Tackle Planer Boards in places you’re allowed to run multiple lines, you’re not catching as many fish as you could/should be.

That being said, there’s lots of other reasons to use ’em in places you’re only allowed 1 rod. More info in the full Jon Thelen write-up, few excerpts below:

> Shallow: Typical MN lakes have a weedline which forms in 9-12′. Early in the season running small crankbaits along and over this emerging weed growth can be deadly. I can get my bait to run above the weeds – out to the side of my boat – without spooking the baitfish...or walleye.

> When fishing weedy areas...the Tattle Flag Upgrade Kit is a must...no better way to tell if you have a fish on than being able to watch a flag go down. I can tell if my lures have picked up any debris…when fouled, the flag will slightly pull down or pull down and pop back up.

> Deep: With water clarities being what they are, schools of roaming walleye suspend as if they were transplanted from the Great Lakes. There’s a simple rule of thumb here: The clearer the water, the more a walleye is apt to rise up and use the whole water column to feed.

> Suspended fish can be both the most aggressive and yet the most spooky at the same time. Aggressive, in the sense that they will explode in chase of a fast swimming crankbait from long distances away...spooky enough that the shadow of a boat or noise of an outboard can send them on an equally explosive retreat.

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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Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

(218) 824 5026

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