Merry Christmas everyone! Only 1 Target Walleye email this week -- not sure if we'll get 1 out next week...but I can't stay away from this stuff for that long so fingers Xd.
Just wanna say a big THANK YOU to everyone reading these emails. None of this craziness would be possible without you and the companies that support TW.
We hope you and yours have a blessed Christmas and start to 2021. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Happy Holidays to you and your fam. Nothing better than spending time with loved ones, but...
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If you're getting Target Walleye for the first time, a friend probably signed you up! |
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Some of our favorite ice behemoths from last season. |
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These folks better keep their honey-badger holes a secret…. And if all else fails: |
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"Yeah…you're gonna want to clear these people out asap…." 🤣
Okay, here goes nothing everything!
1) Absolutely one of the biggest slabs I've ever seen/heard of being plucked through the ice! Stacy Ferrell Hedberg caught the 19 1/8" [!!] freakazoid in southern MN -- had it weighed at a local bait shop to the tune of 3-lb 15-oz! Fasten your seatbelts:
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Can't even imagine. That fish could go on the Keto diet...lose 2 lbs...and still be considered obese: |
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Stacy sees your beer can, and raises you a wine bottle. 🤯 |
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Huge congrats (again) on the fish of a lifetime, Stacy!
Btw the current MN state-record crappie is one that'll likely never (ever!!) be broken.... A 5-lber (21") caught from the Vermillion River back in 1940.
I've never been able to find a picture of it and some think "it's possible the fish was poorly identified and actually was a hybrid between a black and white crappie." 🤷♂️ Guess we'll never know....
2) Bull 'gill junkie Zac Mickle really outdid himself this time, to the tune of 11.5" [!] with this WI hubcap -- wowza:
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> Zac: "I've spent many years looking for a 'gill of this caliber. Words can't describe how I felt at that moment...trembling hands and tears of joy in my eyes...knew I finally caught the WI giant I've been looking for!"
Know you're on a truly special caliber of fish when the thing starts lookin' like Sloth from The Goonies. #HeyYouGuys
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Believe that's a Northland Hexi Fly (discontinued?) pinned in its snoot. Always liked those jigs 'cuz they read so well on the flasher thx to their flat tops.
Props on the 'gill of a lifetime, dude!!
3) Ice (en)Force(r) Tony Boshold took a trip to Lake Cascade, ID and said, "this place is the Erie of perch fishing!" Broke his PB jumbo multiple times in one day, including this 2-03 slab of spicy soppressata that scarfed a "pink chartreuse glow" VMC Tungsten Nymph Jig:
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4) Jessica Duffy ( @jessicadduffy) thwacked her new PB greenback last season with this 32" [!!] Lake Winnipeg hawgbelly. Said she was using a pink-and-white flasher jig tipped with a minnow. HUGE props, Jessica!
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Another near-record burbot (aka eelpout) caught! |
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On...you guessed it: Lake of the Woods in northern MN. Thing measured 37.5" and weighed over 17 lbs! |
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Brent was fishing north of Pine Island in about 26′ when the fish hit his deadstick:
> "I knew something big hit it...was hoping it was a walleye -- a big walleye. I've never gotten a big one to put on the wall. I was actually kind of upset when he came through the hole."
The DNR assistant fisheries manager "happened to stop by" the grocery store at the same time Brent was having the fish weighed on a certified scale. He also "happened to stop by" the grocery store back in Feb 2012 when the last record burbot was weighed. 👀 Quite the coinky-dink:
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It's been on my fishing bucket list to specifically target burbs up there one of these days -- gotta just plop it in the calendar and finally make it happen. |
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Cell phones: The only precious metal that drops quicker than tungsten. |
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Jason Revermann ( @ jrevoutdoors) and his wife Sarah got to experience THAT first-hand the other day, and no doubt got their MacGyver on:
> Jason: "...2 wind poles from the Otter shelter, a Rapala ice scoop, some electrical tape, a MarCum Pursuit camera, a 24v StrikeMaster Ice Auger, and some patience to fish Sarah Revermann's iPhone off the bottom of Lake Mille Lacs."
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Hilarious Lindner ice-fishing quote. |
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I didn't get the opportunity to meet Chance Lindner (Al's son and Ron's nephew) at Ron's Celebration of Life, but it was special listening to him talk memories.
Chance is one of the few Lindners you won't see on camera holding a fish, which is a shame 'cuz he is HILARIOUS. Here's a little of what he had to say on that topic (at the 1:14:38 mark) during Ron's Celebration of Life:
> Chance: "It's not that I didn't like fishing...I got burnt out and I didn't grow that appreciation for it. Maybe if they would've taken me ocean fishing in FL -- instead of up here in the Arctic Circle it would've been better...but it is what it is.
> "And ice fishing...I just don't understand it. I love you guys for that, but I just don't get it.
> "You've got a fish at the bottom of a frozen lake -- with 2' of ice over it -- he doesn't want you to get to him."
LOL!!! Thank you for sharing with the rest of us, Chance! I've got an open (and heated) seat for ya if you ever want to fish in the "Arctic Circle" again. And if not, I understand:
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Last-minute gifts ideas for walleye/ice fisherpeople. |
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Back with the regular "News" section after the Holidays. |
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Few quality vids posted on the YouTubez in the last couple o' days:
...from IDO's James Holst.
...with Brad Hawthorne.
...with Tony Roach, Joel Nelson and Steve Hanson.
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TargetWalleye.com Highlights
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When targeting heavily-pressured 'eyes in the big city, you gotta think differently. Many of these fish have seen it all and can't be fooled with "typical" tactics....
We tracked down Twin Cities (MN) native Andrew Osowski for his approach to big metro gravel lizards...little outside the box, but clearly workin' for him!
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Got any fishing buddies that like to "round up?" 🤥 Or maybe a bump-board for you Canadian Master Anglers.... |
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Interesting dorsal fin on this gravel lizard unicorn Jake Billings ( @jthooker.outdoors) LiveScope'd in SD: |
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👊 Sweet fish and pic!
Yo bass guys/gals: The dorsal fin usually looks a bit more like this:
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Thx much for reading! Have a great + safe weekend!!
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Sign up another fish-head!
If you're forwarding Target Walleye to a friend who loves to walleye-fish or want your fishing buddies to get these emails, just send us their email addresses and we'll take care of it! (We won't sell the addresses, use them for spam, etc.) |
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Friends of Target Walleye |
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Who is Target Walleye
Target Walleye -- walleye during open water and all species during hardwater -- is brought to you by Al and Ron Lindner, Jim Kalkofen, Brett McComas and other diehard fish-nuts like you! #fishheads
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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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