Live sonar juice, Tattle on walleyes, Golden crappie parade 😳

Few details on the new stick:

> "..the "Sharp Shooter" or 2B-STH80ML-M is an 8′ telescoping bobber rod that collapses to 6'10" for easy storage. ...this slip float specific rod features oversized guides and tip for shooting slip-knots through the guides, allowing you to place the bait precisely where the fish are. With the perfect backbone and a moderate action to keep fish pinned all the way home...."

Obviously you don't need to have forward-facing sonar to put this rod's benefits to work...I think anyone who likes soaking a slip-bobber for walleyes would appreciate some of those key features. 💯

Oh, and speaking of new things created with "live" forward-facing sonar in mind...

From Dylan Nussbaum, who loves to "bass fishing for walleyes" like myself. The full Q&A on Z-Man's site has a bunch more, but a few snippets below:

How to use it

> "A walleye or a bass tends to paint a pretty solid image. But a carp or a muskie, for example, can look a little grainy on the screen.

> "If I'm out hunting fish on open flats, I'll set the unit to scan out to 100' from the boat. Crank the sensitivity or gain (Lowrance calls it contrast) up to +10, especially for places like Lake Erie – or anywhere fish spook easily.

> "If I'm around rock or stumps or vegetation, I'll dial back to 4 or 5, and if I'm working smaller structures, I reduce range to about 60'.

> "If I'm in giant boulders or trees or weeds, I might go with 40' to zoom in and get a more accurate picture, especially to separate fish from objects or bottom.

> "I find that a good high-contrast color palette, such as Lowrance's #6, a dark amber hue, really helps fish and your lure stick out on screen.

> "If I can find a school of 5 or 6 walleyes, that's ideal. I won't often cast at a single fish or 2 unless it's a big walleye. With a big fish, I might spend 5 minutes trying to trigger a reaction. A bigger fish moves differently than a smaller one. Larger walleyes often just tilt up to look at the bait, moving slowly and deliberately. But when they decide to bite, they swim fast and with lethal intent.

> "On my home lake, Kinzua Reservoir (PA), I've learned to differentiate between a 15-17 incher and a 22-incher. Just by seeing fish on screen and then catching them, you learn the subtle differences in fish movement, body size and shape.

> "Forward-facing sonar really saves a lot of time by keeping you from working a lure through fishless water."

Finding new groups of fish

> "Found scattered small pods of big walleyes suspended 15' down over 40' of water. I pitched a 3/8-oz jig and Jerk ShadZ and watched fish shoot up 10-15' and just crush the lure. What's interesting is that I've found this same pattern happening on every lake I've been to since. You might see smaller walleyes near bottom, but the suspended fish are always bigger – like 5, 6 and 7-lbers.

> "Fished a similar scenario...at Lake Erie this year. Cruising along at a 1/2 mph, I'd make wide sonar scans and eventually reveal these mega schools of 20-30 fish, all suspended 60' down over 80' of water. You'd get 1 or 2 casts on 'em – and usually catch a fish on both casts – before the whole school would spook and vanish."

Whether fish shy away from FFS

> "Especially with fish within 50' of the boat, you often get just 1 – maybe 2 – casts at them before they vanish. Other times, catching a single fish from a school makes them scatter. At Green Bay in the spring, for instance, I've found that FFS is almost useless because you simply can't get within 60' of walleyes without disturbing them. Hard to say whether they're spooking from the boat's shadow, sonar pulses or other sounds."

Some key presentation adjustments since FFS

> "At times, it's made me get more aggressive when pitching plastics. I'll start most days with a 3/8- or 1/2-oz jig and Jerk Shad – that new 'pro yellow perch' pattern has been deadly. Really ripping it fast and violently. If walleyes react with fast following moves, I know I'm on the right track and will usually crack a couple fish right off. But if the fish seem to move and react reluctantly, I'll slow way down, maybe go with a lighter jighead, or tweak my color choice.

> "I've also become a fan of a dropshot or a Tokyo rig for less aggressive fish. The buoyancy of ElaZtech baits like the Trick ShotZ and Finesse ShadZ make them hover naturally on these rigs. They're super soft, too, so the little tails shake and kick with the slightest rod tip movement.

> "...I used to make these super long casts and work the bait all the way back to the boat. I still do this sometimes. But way more often, I'm making shorter 60' pitches to keep the lure in the sonar's line of sight. If I'm not seeing fish, I won't work the bait all the way back. Might just retrieve it 10-20' and burn it right back to the boat. FFS really saves a lot of time by keeping you from working a lure thru fishless water. And when you've got an interested fish on the screen and you're playing cat-and-mouse with your lure, that's exciting. When you get everything right and they crush it, man, it's a rush."

Full scoop here.

Okay, apparently here's what's really going on:

> "Golden crappie are actually the result of a genetic condition – known as xanthochromism – that causes fish to have a much more orange or yellow pigment to them. Crappie are typically white with black bars or spots. The yellow color is very abnormal for the species of black and white crappie."

I've only seen maybe a handful of others caught over the last 7-8 years. This one that was sent in a couple ice seasons ago was similar, but unique in its own way....

Matteo caught and released this southern NH creamsicle on a Clam Drop Jig tipped with a spike. Gotta love the color contrast next to that 13 Fishing "Radioactive Pickle" combo! Looks more like a "nuclear orange crappie" to me 🤣 but wowza:

3. Some info on "voice stress analysis" and polys...

...that Jay Kumar shared in the last BassBlaster – he was sent it from a retired judge:

> I had to comment on the "voice stress analysis." I'm a retired circuit judge. The "voice stress analyzer" is a machine used by law enforcement basically as a trick to try to get alleged perps to confess. It's accuracy rate is about 50%, which is just as good as a guess.

> Law enforcement administers the test to arrestees and then tells them that they failed. That often prompts a confession.

> Another trick my late son-in-law who was an FBI agent told me about was for a detective to have a foot-controlled light mounted on the table or desk. The detective would tell the suspect that if he lied, the light would come on. The detective would ask a question, and when the suspect answered, the detective would activate the light with his foot.

> With regard to a lie detector, it is more accurate but still subject to error. Most people don't know that the test detects deception on the question, not the answer. Sometimes the question prompts the suspect to be nervous about something completely unrelated to the crime being investigated. Those tests are only admissible in court if the attorneys on both sides agree to admit them, which seldom happens.

Crazzzzyyyy stuff.

4. OH: One of the accused walleye cheaters has another legal problem?

This article says:

> [He] pleaded not guilty July 26 to one count of domestic violence and one count of unlawful restraint, according to Ashtabula Municipal Court records.

5. Nichols Lures acquires Dirty Jigs Tackle.

Both brands will be manufactured under one roof in Thomasville, GA. And actually, Nichols Lures team [has] been assisting Dirty Jigs with OEM production since late 2021.

> Nichols Lures prez, Brooks Woodward: "It is essential that we maintain only the highest standards for Dirty Jigs products. Keeping production under our control in Thomasville, GA, ensures that the tackle fishermen love will continue to be made properly, and it provides numerous jobs in our community."

6. Pradco acquires Whisker Seeker Tackle.

A premium brand of catfish tackle located in Grimes, IA.

> Whisker Seeker Tackle was founded in 2015 by Matthew Davis, who will continue to operate in IA as its Vice President and General Manager. Whisker Seeker Tackle has a direct-to-consumer model and will continue to conduct business this way.

https://whiskerseeker.com/

> Davis: "With PRADCO's support, we're well positioned to propel Whisker Seeker Tackle to the next level. I'm honored that Whisker Seeker Tackle will be alongside some of the most iconic fishing brands in the world. I remember seeing many of these brands in my grandfather's tackle box, so joining forces with PRADCO is a true honor. I look forward to our partnership as we work together to bring more innovative catfish tackle products to our current and future catfish anglers."

> Pradco VP and GM, Bruce Stanton: "Every time we started talking about plans and what we wanted to look like in the catfish business, we kept saying we wanted to be like Whisker Seeker Tackle. Instead of fighting against Whisker Seeker, we are now all working together to grow what is already the premium brand of catfish-specific tackle in North America."

7. Freedom Ultra Divers added to Precision Trolling App.

These Freedom Tackle Ultra Divers have an insane dive curve!

The big ol' “soup cooler” on the larger 85 Shad model hit an incredible max depth of 44' [!] on a flat-line troll. 🤯

8. Lowrance is having a big sale on HDS Live units.

Note that those packages do NOT come with the ActiveTarget Live Sonar transducer.

9. PA is reintroducing blue cats into the Ohio River.

> ...the project's goal is to restore the species to its historical Pennsylvania range [for the first time in more than 100 yrs] spanning most of the Ohio River system.

> The 4" to 4.5" juveniles [13,000 fingerlings] were planted in waters off the Point in Pittsburgh and 13 miles downriver in Kilbuck. Another stocking [was] scheduled for Thursday in Ohio River waters off Leetsdale and Monaca.

> ...any fingerlings that survive another 8 years are expected to grow to 65 lbs – becoming southwestern PA's biggest, most voracious aquatic predator.

10. NE will certify youth fishing instructors at Oct 23 workshop.

> Instructors are part of the Youth Fishing Program, a statewide team of volunteers and Game and Parks staff who host educational fishing events.

> The workshop will take place from 3-6 p.m. at the Nebraska Outdoor Education Center, 4703 N. 44th St.

> Workshop participants will receive training and tools to conduct youth fishing clinics. These volunteers will have access to Game and Parks' loaner fishing equipment and educational materials for events. They also will receive program incentives. Instructors are encouraged to volunteer for such Game and Parks programs as Community Fishing Nights and the Outdoor Expos.

11. Man reunited with rod/reel 50 yrs after losing it in the ocean.

Are "tattle flags" even more important in the fall?

It's easy to tell when you've got a big walleye on since they usually rip the planer board back, but a 'tattle flag' helps you know when you've got a small fish on so you don't accidentally drag the little bugger around.

Lot of times you'll be trolling slower in the fall (0.7-1.5 mph) than you might in warm-water months (2.0+ mph). The slower you go, the easier it can be for those pesky, smaller fish to nip at your bait.

There's also usually way more floating debris that can be snagged on the bait or line this time of year, and needs to be tattled on....

Fishing 411 TV's Jake Romanack says he also uses tattle flags to tell him if a fish takes a nip at his bait but doesn't get hooked – the flag pops right back up. Allows him to coax those fish into biting 'cuz a lot of times they'll continue following the bait.

Better look at the tattle flag system from Jake in this Fishing 411 TV video:

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

To send us walleye pics, ice shots or whatever, just respond to this email or click here to email us. Or post it on the Target Walleye Facebook page.

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

(218) 824 5026

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