If you're getting this Target Walleye email for the first time, a friend probably signed you up! 

Today's Top 4
Ever try tail-hooking your redtails or creek chubs???
It's finally getting to be that time of year where fish strap on the fall feedbag and plump up for winter. No doubt there's lots of different ways to catch 'em...but it's tough to beat live-bait rigging with giant 4-7" creek chubs or redtails when it comes to sticking a true trophy fall-eye.

Lots of variations to the technique -- you can make it as simple or difficult as you want. One of the tweaks is tail-hooking your chubs to get more action out of 'em -- seems to work especially well on calmer, sunshiny days:


Been around as long as folks have been soaking big minnows, but a lot of diehard tourney nuts are hesitant to talk about it.... Seems like the perfect reason to "out" it to the rest of us fish-heads. Full scoop from big-chubber Travis Sorokie in this TargetWalleye.com write-up, few fishy details below:

> I like tail-hooking chubs with a longer 5-7' leader when the fish are a little more aggressive and feeding. The minnows struggle so much more when you tail hook 'em -- can actually feel that redtail get nervous and try to get away when a fish is near.

> That's when I'll sometimes open my bail up and let the minnow go for 10 seconds...stop the line with my finger to feel if a walleye picked it up...lot of times they'll chase the minnow down and smoke it.

> I have a better hook-up ratio when tail-hooking big minnows. Fish are gonna hit the chubs head first...that hook is already in a good position to hook the fish in the top of the mouth...don't need to let them take it as long when setting the hook.

> Tends to work best when sitting right on top of fish or barely crawling along...otherwise the chubs will die more quickly from being pulled backwards.

Works! Though there's a few tails we don't recommend pulling (lol):


If you're new to riggin' big minnows, there's a lot more to it than we could possibly fit in this email...so we put together a complete guide on TargetWalleye.com loaded with everything you want to know about rigging BIG chubs for fall walleye:

 
Speaking of chub-pulling variations....
Rigging chubs is typically known as a deep-water thing...but tourney nuts Jason Bahr and Mike Peterson just won a Gull Lake, MN derby with a skinny-water variation of it. They sacked-up 18.99 lbs on 6 fish (2 could be over 20", the other 4 had to be under) to take home the dubyah:

 
Wasn't a national- or state-level tourney...so why should you care???

You should care 'cuz no matter how tough the bite is, someone always figures 'em out.... And there's lessons to be learned you might be able to take home to your local waters and turn an otherwise-tough-day of fishing into a good one.

Oh, and a lot of folks are paying attention to the results from that derby since the Fishing to End Hunger tourney is also on Gull this weekend where they're paying out $25K [!] to the top 6 spots, including a $15K payday to 1st.


I tracked down Jason to pick his brain on how they caught 'em because 1) I wanted to fill you all in, and 2) I had to know WTHeck they were doing since I was fishing right next to them and brought in a goose egg lol.

Waaaay too much info to fit in this email, so I dropped the full scoop on TargetWalleye.com, few excerpts below:

> Jason: Everybody gets stuck in their head that everything moves deep in the fall...but doesn't matter what time of year it is there's always walleye in the weeds. If you're not seeing 'em deep -- not graphing fish -- they're in the weeds.

> Water temps were 62-63°F. Found 'em [during pre-fishing] on Side Imaging. Was scanning a deeper breakline -- on the edge of a big main-lake flat -- and noticed fish off to the side...they were super shallow up on top of the break. I really like the scroll back feature on the Humminbird SOLIX...can scroll back and drop waypoints on the separate pods of fish and create a milk run -- start fishing on the 1st waypoint and connect the dots.
 
> Caught 'em anywhere from 9-13' just barely off the edge of the weeds. The really steep break started at about 9'. Some of the pods of fish were down that edge a bit...others were right on top of that base before the sharp break. Nice thing about the Side Imaging is you can zig-zag and know you're pulling through each pod.

> We were pulling Lindy rigs with an 8' leader at 0.9-1.0 mph with our Minn Kota Ultrex. Lighter 1/4-oz walking sinkers (chartreuse) from Lucky Joel Lures kept our baits where they needed to be...get moving fast enough that I could keep the bait off bottom and have to get away from the boat when fishing that shallow. 
 
> Used a mixture of medium creek chubs and big 6-8" redtails on a 2/0 VMC TechSet Live Bait Hook. I only hook the chub through the top lip...lets those minnows swim better...they last longer...also more exposed hook = better hookups.

> I run a 20' section of 8-lb Sufix Advance Mono tied onto my 10-lb Sufix 832 braid mainline. Obviously can feel a lot better with braid mainline...but that mono section floats and I think it helps keep it from running through zebra mussels.... Also whatever you feel, the fish feels. The mono is a little bit of a shock absorber so the fish don't feel you on the bite.
 
Knowing how long to wait before setting the hook with big chubs can be a frustrating art form. Some folks wait 20-30 seconds...others somehow wait 7 freakin' minutes (seriously!)...but these fellas don't watch the clock:

> Jason: Normally [after the bite] walleye will take a run and then stop to either eat the minnow or adjust the minnow in their mouth. We wait to take them [set the hook] right after they stop making that initial run.

> When they stop running...we put a little pressure on 'em right before we set the hook...it seems like if you put just a little bit of pressure on 'em they'll chomp down and finish eating that minnow.

> I do a reeling hookset into them to make sure they didn't start swimming a different direction. With those bigger hooks you gotta make sure you have a good hook into them and you're not just swinging your weight. ...keep the drag fairly loose so you're not breaking your line on the swing, but can still drive those bigger hooks through.

Also found this super interesting:

> Jason: When the wind is pulling you sideways you kind of work down the break a little bit kitty-corner. I leave my front graph on 2D sonar so when I go over the fish with the bow of the boat...I know they're coming...can swing the back end of the boat (and our rigs) through the fish that we just marked. Otherwise baits might be 10-15' off to the side, and with that steep of a break they might not even see it. The hull on my Lund Pro-V tracks reeeeally nice...the back end isn't swaying in and out like a lot of other boats...helps to stick on 'em and go right over those pods.
 
Big congrats, fellas! And thx much for the inside scoop!! 
 
Strangest bait I've seen in a while!
Not saying "strange" in a bad way, but for sure different than anything else out there. Called the ACME Google Eye Hyper R.I.P. and is new for the 2020/2021 hardwater season -- have you a look:


> "...highly unique in both appearance and fishability. Engineered with 3 interconnected body water tunnels, water travels through the bait and gives it an incredibly erratic action that is irresistible to any gamefish. Also equipped with a glass rattle eye for added noise."

And here's an "inside look" at those water tunnels:


Few other deets from ACME:

> Strong vibrating action when you rip it up.

> Unique rocking action when you pound your rod tip...rocks back and forth like no other bait.

> Vertical hole runs through entire bait allowing water to flow through...gives it a very unique wiggle on the fall.

> Glow/UV custom paint jobs.

> Japanese black-nickel hooks.

There's a video down in the bottom-right corner of ACME's site with Tom Boley putting the bait to use. Couple quick things he said in the video:

> Tom Boley: Basically a rattling blade bait but rolls side-to-side...lot of action and calling power. Has a hole in the top and bottom...displaces water a lot different than your normal rattle bait. Shimmies back side-to-side on a slow fall. Incorporated that 'Google Eye' = glass rattle chamber inside the eye...perfect, subtle rattle to call fish in.
Dave Genz "holey boat" spotting. 
That's right, only the "Godfather of Ice Fishing" would have a boat with an intentional hole in it. Crazy cool how someone would even think of that:

 
Few details on the rig:

> ...Holey Boat, a flat-bottomed craft into which a pair of holes have been cut and then topped with something like a stovepipe. Ice-fishing-style Vexilar [FLX-28] fish sounders are mounted, and anglers fish through the hole at the top of the pipe, just as if it were a hole in the ice.

> The angler, closer to the line and rod tip, can better watch what's going on there. More importantly, that angler sees what the fishfinder screen shows -- the presence or arrival of fish, and how they react to the bait and presentation.

> By all accounts, the results are astounding. "Every time, people fishing in the holes in the (boat) outfish people fishing over the side."

Of course Dave snatches walleye through it too lol!

 
News

1. WI: Guy caught the same blue pike [!] 3 times...

...in just 3 weeks. Wild:


Also sounds to me like he's getting out fishing way too much (lol).

2. MN: Covid found in Lake Superior???

> "Since the 4th of Jul, [Dr. Richard Melvin]'s been taking samples every weekend from 8 beaches along Lake Superior and testing them with his team for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Nothing. Then, after sampling the weekend of Sept 11, he found trace amounts of the virus in water along 4 Duluth beaches."

Um why are scientists spending time looking for virus fragments in a lake?

3. Suzuki developed a micro-plastic collecting system...

...for some of their outboards that installs under the cowling:


> ...works by filtering water after it has passed through the engine's cooling system and before it is returned to the [water].

> ...does not impact the driving performance or cooling efficiency of the engine.

4. Nex-gen Humminbird units are here.

The HELIX G4N and SOLIX G3N.

5. Boat manufacturing is 92% of where it was last year.

I really expected it to be over 100%.... Sounds like more folks are wanting to buy or have been buying (around here anyways) but maybe manufacturers were limited in supplies and couldn't keep up?

6. Chesapeake Bay: New system for monitoring O2 levels.

> ...parts of the Chesapeake Bay often experience hypoxia, a situation where oxygen levels in the water get dangerously low. Hypoxia can result when excess nutrients run off the land into the water and fuel the growth of algal blooms. When these algae die, they sink to the bottom of the water and decompose -- a process that uses up a significant amount of the water's oxygen. These low- or no-oxygen areas are often referred to as "dead zones"....

> A new monitoring system -- that would help scientists better estimate when and where hypoxia (or "dead zones") may occur -- is being tested in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

> ...developed a small (solar-powered) buoy with sensors that measures dissolved oxygen, temperature and salinity at multiple depths. ...computer collects the data and sends it back to a server on shore every 10 min... Data's collected at 1, 7, 11, 16 and 20 meters below the surface, giving scientists a more comprehensive view of conditions throughout the Bay's water column....


7. Brunswick CEO David Foulkes named...

..."mover and shaker of the year" by Boating Industry.

8. FL proves fishermen can't tell fish weight from photos.

Obviously LOL! It's talking about bass, but the same's gotta go for online "fish police" judging walleye pics from a distance. Here's what the study found:

> ...on average anglers were off by plus or minus 2.22 lbs per bass...even the top 5% of all guessers...were only able to shave their error down to plus or minus 1.35 lbs....

#WatchYourOwnBobber

9. Tungsten 'Ratsos' are now a thing! Sorta.

If you've ever fished panfish through the ice, you've probably seen the Custom Jigs & Spins Ratso -- I'd be willing to bet it's accounted for putting a million fish topside over the last 30-ish years. Seriously.

CJ&S just dropped a new tungsten jig -- molded after the Ratso -- called the Tütso (pronounced "toot-sew").

It's designed to get down quicker, keep your line tighter, and reach greater depths than the Ratso.

Has a "horizontal precision ball-head tungsten design (nearly twice the weight of lead), an ultra-sharp Mustad gold hook, a superior paint scheme and a paint-free eye. Comes pre-rigged with a super soft, slim Finesse Plastic body."

#PanfishCandy

10. Plano EDGE recognized for best product design of '20.

Plano's new line of tackle boxes were a finalist for Fast Company's Best Product Design of 2020, which included items/products from heavy-hitters like Nike, Yeti, Google, etc.

More info on the EDGE boxes here, FishUSA has some of them in stock.

11. MN winning battles (but not the war) against invasives.

12. VA wants to prohibit catching grass carp...

...from lakes and reservoirs, but rivers and streams are okay.

13. Northland/Bagley Bait expands rep territory.

14. New pro-staff director for American Tackle.

Captain Ancelmo 'Mo' Fernandez.

15. Diggin' this shot...

...of a Someday Isle Tackle Bladed Puppet:


Believe that's the "mellon spinner" color -- bunch of other solid colors here too.

16. Few FishUSA sales happenin' now.

- 20% off ALL Yo-Zuri lures.

- 15% off Rapala Slab Raps.

- 25% off Phantom Lures Abyss.

17. OK: Blake Shelton joins wildlife board.

OK Wildlife Conservation Foundation.

> Blake: "When I was 10, my dad took me out in the woods deer hunting with him, and it changed my life forever. Healthy fish and wildlife, and the opportunities to get outdoors, make OK a special place to live. I'm honored to be selected to serve on the Foundation and can't wait to help further conservation efforts here in our great state."

Pretty cool.
TargetWalleye.com Highlights
Tip of the Day

River fish just hit differently. I need to do a better job of plugging river info into these TW emails...just not something we do much where I'm at. Pls hit me up if you do and want to contribute some knowledge to help other river rats get bit!

If you're into fishing YouTuber Tom Boley's style of videos, then you've probably been waiting for him to drop some fall river goodness on ya. He just posted a video hitting the St. Croix river on the MN/WI border where they got into 'em jigging big neckdown areas, and running leadcore with #7 Berkley Flicker Shads and Rapala Shad Raps on large flats or points near those neckdowns:
Meme of the Day

Saw a hilarious truck meme on Sea Foam's Instagram page and had to snipe it. Anyone else have a Lund that'll always be their first born? Lol:


Always a sad day when they need to be tucked in for their loooong winter nap...but I'll still be keeping mine up past its bedtime here in central MN....
Today's 'Eye Candy
 
Fish-head Tanner Cherney cracked his new PB -- a 31" Lake Oahe, SD giant! -- running a 2-oz bottom-bouncer and gold/orange spinner tipped with a 'crawler in 30'. Congrats bud!
 
Parting Shot
 
Can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be RIGHT NOW than this Scott Mason shot. #ShoreLunch #Dibs
 
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.) 
Check this stuff out!
Friends of Target Walleye
 
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

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.