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Understand the fall turnover! |
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And I'm not talking about these kind of turn-overs: |
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We're talking what happens when water temps start to drop in the fall.
> "As water temps reach their summer high, a layering process occursβ¦an upper warmer layer and a lower cooler layer β separated by a quickly changing narrow band known as the thermocline.
> "This deeper, cooler, bottom layer can quickly become totally void of oxygen.... ...dead water can be a complete waste of time. ...concentrate your efforts at the thermocline and shallower.
> "Fish-finders display density of objects.... The upper warmer layer is less dense than the cooler bottom layer β it's this change in density that will show up on a graphβ¦looks like a constant narrow band.
> "Some lakes are so shallow and windswept that they may never thermocline, like Mille Lacs.... The big lake circulates every time you get a decent wind, and the temperature remains relatively consistent from top to bottom....
> "It's not just the fact that a lake will turn over that causes tough fishing conditions...more likely due to the rapidly-dropping water temps. The body temperature of a fish is subject to its environment β rapid changes in water temp can shut fish down...it may take some time for their body to adjust."
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> "The turnover usually coincides with the first hard frost of fall, but not always. Some years the change is so gradual that it becomes difficult to pin down. One of the indicators to look for is water temperature.
> "When surface temps drop into the lower 60s and upper 50s, you can figure you're in the turnover zone. Walleye activity can range from bad to good depending on how quickly water temps cool off. A gradual slide can make for better fishing....
> "Late summer and early fall can be one of the best times to work the shallow rocks with Rapala Shad Raps. ...the most effective crankbait for working shallow structure there is. ...perfect fish-attracting wiggle and some great fall colors like 'fire tiger' and 'crawdad.'
> "Another option, would be avoiding the negative effects of the turnover by trying to find a lake that hasn't turned yet, or one that already has and had a week or 2 to settle down. The first ones to go are the shallow lakes as they have less mass and cool quicker.... There may be as much as 2 weeks difference β or more β as to when it all begins and ends."
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"I just wonder how big of bait do walleyes really eat." |
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- That's guide Toby Kvalevog talking after catching a pair of MASSIVE walleyes while chucking a 10" Posseidon for muskie on Leech Lake, MN. One of which they bumped at 31.25" long! |
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Imagine if someone had the stones to commit to chucking muskie baits for walleyes during a catch-photo-release derby out there, and were willing to grind it out all day for just 5 bites. #RecordBreakingStuff #ButI'mSoreJustThinkingAboutIt #PassMeTheNightcrawlers
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Tom Boley runs leadcore for pressured, fall-transition walleyes. |
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Here's Tom Boley breaking down his "Presentation of the Month" so you can catch more walleyes on your home waters. This time around, he's running leadcore during this late-summer to fall transition.
Leadcore is exactly what it sounds like: fishing line with a lead core. The line sinks (duh!) which helps crankbaits dive deeper...so you can run smaller baits down where pressured fish likely haven't seen 'em before. And it's a great way to cover water at 2+ mph to put your bait in front of those transitioning fish:
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Tom kicks out this kind of content NON-STOP on his new phone app called "Walleye Now" which you can find on the Apple App Store ( Apple phones) or Google Play Store ( Android phones). Dude has a cool thing going on. |
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Would you try this with your boat? |
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You probably shouldn't, but this guy did: |
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> Wallace Michelin: "My crazy brother never stops, at least he's got the right tools to keep pushing forward!!"
That "tool" is a Lund 1875 Impact β those things are straight-up tough! Guess if they can support the weight of Al Lindner's fish, they oughta be able to handle a wheeler? π
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You see the newest "Top 5" yet?! |
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Just kicked it out Friday night, so if you missed it on our social medias...here she be. πΏ |
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...for most fish caught in 24 hours by catching 3,774 [!!!] at Giant Goose Ranch. Jeff (aka Marathon Man) beat his OWN previous record of 3,186 set last year.
He did it to raise funds for the Fishing For Life "Next Gen Program", a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on serving children of military families β especially those families that have lost a loved one during active military service β and single-parent households.
Big congrats man, and thank YOU! πππ
For a marketing director and a social media manager.
That's the million-dollar question! And one guy who knows a whole lot more about the biology of walleye than I ever will is Scott Mackenthun from the MN DNR Fisheries Department. Always love listening to and/or reading what he has to say on the science-y side of things, so when he talks...I'm all ears: |
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I got to snoop on one while down at ICAST and they feel really great in the hand. I'm a big fan of both the original Ceymar and their Baitfeeder model for ice fishing β not sure there's a better budget-friendly reel for ice β so I'm looking forward to trying these ones.
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While snap jigging plastics for Green Bay walleyes. Bunch of great info if you missed it:
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> ...released a study Friday that found the same kinds of chemicals used in Teflon pans in every single fish sampled in lakes and streams across the state. ...including large and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, bluegill and sunfish.
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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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Snap-jigging has taken off in the walleye world over the last 5-6 years. It's a fun way to catch 'em and really good at pulling bigger bites, especially in the fall. We tracked down walleye-nut Will Pappenfus to get the down-low on this bite 'cuz it's a big part of his fall rotation (when he's not soaking chubs!) so here we go: |
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Location
> "It's definitely more of a shallow-water dealβ¦usually less than 10β². A lot of guys go deep in the fall, but if you can find green weeds (cabbage or coontail) in 4-7β² there's going to be fish and bait hanging around.
> "Aside from weeds, I like to look for wind-blown points, stuff with rocks or gravel in 4-10β². Don't necessarily need deep water nearby.... Fish roam around more in the fall than people think, so finding the bait is key."
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Gear
> "One of my go-tos is a 1/4-oz Northland Deep-Vee Jig. The longer shank and bait-keeper seem to keep the plastic pinned better than most jigs.
> "Dress the jig with your favorite paddletail β the Impulse Paddle Minnow is a great option. I usually stick with natural colors (shiner, smelt) unless the water is really stirred up, then I'll switch to something brighter (chartreuse and pinks).
> "Plastics 'cuz they stay on the jig a lot better than live bait...allows me to fish faster and be more aggressive until I find a pod of fish. But don't overlook pitching a BIG minnow too if you know fish are there...."
> "I love the 6β² 10β³ ML XF-action from 2B Fishing...that quicker action allows you to get more snap out of the jig. 10-lb braid to a 10-lb fluorocarbon leader β the leader doesn't have to be long, 2-3β² max...fluoro because it has less stretch and visibility than mono."
Retrieve
> "Long casts...I want that jig as far away from the boat as possible. Once it hits the water, I'm letting it sink to the bottom before I do anything β bottom contact is key.
> "Make a quick snap, then let it sit on the bottom for few seconds...a lot of times fish will be following the bait, so that 1- or 2-second pause is when they eat it.
> "If they don't eat it on the bottom, usually that quick snap will get a reaction bite out of fish and they'll eat it on the fall.
> "Position the boat so you can fish the edge of the structure. A lot of times fish won't be up in the weeds or rocks, but hanging right outside of 'em waiting to ambush."
Thx Will!
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"I'm having a ball and I can't see what I'm doing!"
- That's Keith Kavajecz's buddy finding out just how seriously he takes his prototype testing lol: |
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Tho it'd probably be worth it to hop in the boat with KK! Sounds like they were testing some future Berkley fish-catchers on Green Bay...trolling in 31' mud.... |
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The color of this walleye tho! And that non-populated backdrop.... Yo @frankaudet, you have room for another? π€£πββοΈ |
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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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