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What's Berkley got up their walleye-fishing sleeves now...? π§ |
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As usual = a bunch of stuff! Of course I can't talk about it all...yet...but here's one little sneaky preview for you...
This new (not out yet) bait called the Berkley PowerBait Switch is specifically designed for forward-facing sonar:
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I've seen a few quickie (blurred-out) teaser pics of this new gem sprinkled in Instagram stories...but there's finally a bunch of info that was just made public in this episode of The Next Bite TV where John Hoyer and Owen Wilcox were fishing a small MT reservoir.
It's a pre-rigged soft plastic (will come in 6 sizes from 1.75" up to 5") that John Hoyer says "has the stiffness to be able to have some of those glide bait characteristics." Here's a few of the different ways he's fishing it from about the 11:01 mark of the video:
> "When you rip it, it actually vibrates like a blade baitβ¦when you let it freefall, it meanders down to the bottom. ...can pop it on slack like...a lot like we work a lot of glide baits...allows the bait to dart back and forth...as much as 3' or 4'.
> "Another great action on this bait...I call it the 'scurrying goby...so on the Great Lakes, especially where there's forage on the bottom...just turn the reel handle, and then stop it...let it coast down to bottom. This bait has a cool little shimmy to it...a little tail wag...wobbles almost like a shallow-diving crankbait....
> "...on forward-facing sonar...pop it in place. When fish aren't super active...give that fish as many looks as you can at it. Especially with the 3" to 4.25" sizes...you can just pop that thing in place, you can really kind of teeter-totter it right above the fish's head and wait for it to react, then maybe let it coast down past 'em to the bottom."
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This is how they get it done in Tennessee! π |
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Meanwhile we've got folks fishing during a full-on blizzard during FishDonkey's "Swamp Donkey Open" that was Mar 25 on the Fox River, WI... they had 14" of snow and waaaay more inches of walleye! π³ It looks...enjoyable? LOL: |
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Bunch of interesting walleye-spawn factoids. |
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> Walleye will spawn in water temps above 40 and up to 50Β°F.
> As soon as the water temperature is nearing 40Β°F, which is usually just after the ice has disappeared in the northern regions of the North American continent, the fish will gather in big schools and start their migration toward their spawning grounds.
>Spawning activity will commence at a water temperature of about 44-46Β°F and peak at around 50Β°F.
> Walleye either spawn in smaller lake or river tributaries or shallow lake areas with depths of 1' to 10'.
> If they spawn directly in a lake, the shallows they tend to seek out are usually close to the shoreline and exposed to winds, as the moving water will cleanse the area from fine sediment that could harm the eggs.
> ...windswept shallows will hold more oxygen, which is needed for the eggs to survive.
> The preferred bottom features for spawning walleye include rock and gravel, as the eggs will have an easier time attaching themselves to such bottom structures.
> Furthermore, the shallow areas the walleye will use for spawning in lakes will almost always be closely located to considerably deeper water.
> The smaller males arrive at the spawning ground much earlier than the bigger females, who prefer to remain in the deeper water adjacent to the shallows.
> Walleye are broadcast spawners, which means that they will scatter their eggs across the bottom instead of building protective nests for them.
> That is why they choose bottom features such as gravel or rocks so that the eggs can attach themselves to the structure or fall into crevices, where they will remain protected until they hatch.
> On average, a female produces a staggering 27K eggs per pound. Egg production generally ranges from 12-55K eggs per pound. Amazingly, that means that a trophy-sized walleye of 10+ lbs has the capacity to produce and store over 500K eggs in her body.
> Most of them have reported an additional weight of about 10-25% in pre-spawn fish, compared to egg-free post-spawn ones. ...bigger females with more eggs will be closer to that 25% mark, while smaller fish will be closer to a 10% weight increase....
> This would imply that a 5-lb walleye could gain roughly 0.5 lbs before the spawn. A 10-lb fish could gain 1 to 1.5 lbs, and a 15-lber could gain close to 4 lbs before it spawns.
And more info yet here, unless you're ready to tap.
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Boat ramp tricks in freezing conditions. π₯Ά |
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Couple quick (but great!) tips from Korey Sprengel in this video posted on The Next Bite's FB page. He talks about launching your boat in freezing fall temperatures, but the same info is just as important early-spring. Couple tricks to save you, and another that will keep the next guy or gal in line at the boat ramp from throwing expletives π€¬ your way: |
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The wrong way to set up a hub house.... π |
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He said it was during a fishing derby, so "no I'm not helping the competition!" #savage |
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> America's 52.4 million anglers contribute $148 billion in economic output and support 945,500 jobs across the entire country, while also contributing $1.8 billion towards conservation.
And so:
> The fisheries experts making up the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission who were meeting in Hamilton, ON this week announced there would be no changes in 2023 of the total allowable catch (TAC) for the Lake Erie partners in OH, ON, MI, PA and NY."
> "Allen has more than 30 yrs of relevant leadership experience, including over a decade in the outdoor recreation space. He was most recently President and CEO of IGLOO, where he successfully led the re-imagination of the brand. Prior to that, Allen was the Group President at Vista Outdoor with responsibility for more than 35 brands and President of Coleman.
> Dave Allen: "Pure Fishing has some of the most iconic brands in the space, and a talented team comprised of some of the industry's brightest experts and innovators. There is so much opportunity ahead for the company and our people, and I'm excited to get started."
> βLakeMaster with VX technology packs more information into each card than ever before. With features like multiple color palettes, 4 depth highlights, built-in SmartStrike, aerial imagery, and shaded relief β LakeMaster with VX technology will help you find prized fishing spots.β
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> ...the first-ever auction is a fund-raising effort by non-profit MN-FISH to continue its mission to improve state fish hatcheries, public boat accesses, shoreline fishing sites and other fishing-related goals.
> ...the 3-day online auction opens at 7am on Tues, Apr 18 and ends at 8pm on Thurs, Apr 20th. Auction items may be reviewed and bidders may register at MN-FISH.COM by clicking on the blue ''Go To Auction' prompt on the home page.
> Ron Schara: "Top outdoors industry notables have really stepped up to the plate. Thus far, more than 30 fishing celebrities and guides have donated personal fishing trips for winning auction bidders. From Al Lindner to Babe Winkelman, Ted Takasaki and Dave Genz β and countless others, far too many to name. This is a chance for everyone to spend time with the very best on-the-water."
> "Refined to provide a thinner profile and offer a finesse handling experience, the Elliott Rods Performance Handle features all the benefits that come from our premium Syncork material like being lighter in weight, extremely sensitive and durable enough to last a lifetime."
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Here's Aaron Templin diving into 'em: |
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Because when was the last time you did? Ever??
...an ice hole around toothy critters lol. Glorious looking 6" bluegill carved by Goodin Decoys from pine with aluminum fins: |
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Each Friday for the next 3 weeks. More info here or by clicking the pic below: |
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> ...3-ft long, dark brown and pure muscle, with a mouth like a vacuum that sucks up nearly everything it can find....
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Few TargetWalleye.com Highlights
ο»Ώ
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What's π₯ on Target Walleye's YouTube π₯
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Tips for vertical jigging early-season river walleyes.
> The most typical approach this time of year is to target walleyes in river systems...they're usually first to thaw...provide warmer water and great conditions for spawning walleye.
> Warm-water discharges generated by power plants will hold lots of walleye very early in the year. The fish have moved upriver to spawn and once they reach the dam are confined to that area. Most of these tailrace areas provide great riprap habitat for spawning....
> Use a shorter rod than your normal jigging rod...minimizes the distance between the bite and ability to feel it...making for a quicker hookset and ability to feel everything the jig touches.
> Many times early in the season the walleye bite can be very subtle.... Superline will let you to feel the slightest tick on your bait....
> Go slow! With water temps just above freezing the fish's metabolism isn't in high-speed.... Work your jigging motion very slow and even drag it.... Pay attention to what you were doing when you got a bite....
> Plastics work great in cold water, especially Berkley Gulp! or heavily-scented products. I feel that with the thicker water viscosity, the scent creates a plume around the bait holding that scent in the strike zone. Have you ever really smelled a live minnow? But I'm sure you can smell the bag of plastics when you open it up....
> If you're a beginner at vertical jigging, go with a heavier jig until you get a good feel for the bottom.... Will also displace more water β creating more noise β which can be very effective in murky water.
> Boat control will be your biggest factor...make sure you're communicating with each other in the boat. If one of you have your line dragging 50β² behind the boat and the other vertical, you're going to have some problems...using the same size jig will keep you both vertical and out of each other's lines.
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"I like big walleyes and I cannot lie!"
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Been awhile since I heard that song π
I think the lyrics went something like this:
I like big walleyes and I cannot lie!
You other brothers can't deny
That when a walleye swims by with a big ol' waist
It gets stung, and it pulls up tough
'Cuz you noticed that belly was stuffed
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This walleye engulfed Dylan Nussbaum's Z-Man ChatterBait WillowVibe and stayed cheesin' for the pic β it obviously hasn't missed a cleaning at the dentist its whole life! π |
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Always feels good to scuff-up a new bait! |
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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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422 Laurel Street
P.O. BOX 541
Brainerd, MN 56401
(218) 824 5026
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