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We had our local walleye league on North Long Lake last night. Hadn't been out there since getting skunked on that dang lake last August πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ. Ended up popping a big one and little one in back-to-back trolling passes with a Rapala Original Floater in just 6-7'.
Really thought we were on to something for a second there...but then it was nothing but little pike the rest of the night for us.

I definitely need to get better at making on-the-water adjustments. I do whenever we are fun fishing or pre-fishing...but on game day I always get stuck grinding out where I caught 'em before. Which is probably why I'm also really good at winning pre-fishing πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ lol.

So long story short, I NEED to start "pre-fishing" all the time...meaning run and gun with my electronics if the bite I think should be going isn't.

Props to local sticks Mark Hightower and Garth Askegaard on winning last night! Those fellas have been lighting it up all season in this area. πŸ”₯πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

Alright time to dive into today's fishy shenanigans – hope you dig it!
Today's Top 5
Tom Boley's slip-bobber tricks for walleyes (πŸ”₯ RAPID FIRE!)
Fishing YouTuber Tom Boley packs a pile of info into his vids, so for sure worth watching 'em for yourself over on his channel...but here's a few quickie specifics I pulled from one of his slip-bobbering videos last season that I feel are important to dissect. Dude's a quick talker so did my best to keep up lol:

> Runs his Humminbird Side Imaging chart speed at 3...whether he's sitting still or looking for fish.

> Not casting unless he sees fish...Spot-Locks the second they show up on the graph, and fires the bait out right on their face.

> Uses his rod length to help set/change the bobber-stop's depth quickly. Ex: If a 7β€² rod...then about 2 rod lengths of line = set at 14β€².

> Will sometimes run the bigger sizes in the Thill Pro Series Slip Float (right) in shallower water early in the season, but says his overall favorite float is the big 3/8-oz Thill Wobble Bobber (that 3/8 isn't the weight of the bobber, it's the amount of weight it'll support without sinking). Has a grommet on both ends so the line flies through it, and says it tangles up less on the cast.
> Use nylon bobber stops – don't want the ones that feel like twine.

> He single-hooks the leech right through its sucker.

> Sometimes runs a plain hook when fishing super shallow, but says they're harder to cast (than a jig) and tend to tangle more often.

> Uses a 1/16-oz jig the most in 8-15β€². Has to be a super-wide-gap jig for hooking and holding fish – problem with most other lighter jigs is they have a crappie-sized gap. Will bump up to 1/8-oz jig when deeper in 15-25β€².

> Likes running 10-lb Sufix braid for a main line 'cuz you're much more likely to hook a fish even with a little slack in your line. In clear water he runs a 3' leader of 10-lb fluorocarbon...shorter if the water's dirty.

Also bobber stops tend to burn mono if you're frequently making depth adjustments.

> Swivel at the top of the leader with an 1/8-oz egg sinker so he can cast farther and get his bait down quicker. Will bump up to a 1/4-oz egg sinker (with the 1/8-oz jig) as the summer goes on and he's fishing that 15-25β€² stuff.
https://fishusa.rv5k.net/KQ4xy

> Says having a long rod is crucial for slip-bobbering – "this is not a thing you do with a 6β€² rod." Needs the extra length for picking up all the loose slack on the hookset.

> Loves the Elliott Rods 7β€² 6β€³ ML fast-action – same rod he uses for super finesse-y situations like hair jigs and rigging....
> Says a "very soft tip and lot of load. When that fish takes the slip-bobber, you wanna get tight on that fish before you set...otherwise what happens is you end up setting the hook on a slack line...you don't know how far away that fish is from ya...."

> Basically pulls the angle out of the bobber (between you and the fish) before setting the hook...otherwise you're sorta just pulling your bobber down and not getting a good hook in the fish.

Phew, okay...I'm out of breath and I wasn't even the one talking lol.

Now make sure you show Tom-Bo slice some love over on his YouTube channel so he keeps kicking out the goods!

He just posted a new video this morning absolutely CRUSHING big walleyes on a northern-WI lake he had never fished before 😳 but I'm sure they'll be back lol:
Fish story of the day month!
Spend enough time on the water and you're bound so see some wild stuff, and no doubt Jake Billings is one of those dudes that puts in the hours. Can you imagine this scenario unfolding...from the kayak?!

> Jake: "It followed my giant musky topwater plopper in but wouldn't hit it. I grabbed my only other rod and I caught it on a bass chatterbait while doing a figure-8, I had nothing else on my kayak besides musky gear. Hands down the most aggressive walleye I've ever encountered."
Absolute madness! But madness in a reeeeally good way.
What's the strangest double you've ever seen?
Not just a 'normal double' but catching 2 fish on the same bait. 😳

I just came across a couple recent ones that are pretty out there....

First, Paul Schiller was walleye fishing on Lake Minnetonka, MN when he caught a 52" muskie and a 21" walleye at the same time, on the same crawler harness!!! Full details and pics from this Joe Genzel Outdoor Life write-up:
This next one isn't quite as heavy (lol) but has that strange factor going on.... This gal doubled-up on a walleye + baby sturgeon while fishing out of Border View Lodge on Lake of the Woods. You just never know!
Reminded of how last spring, a mustache-less Nick Lindner and beard-less me doubled-up on a burbot and sturgeon while fishing on the Rainy River. Not on the same bait/line, but still probably the most unique double (species wise) I've ever been a part of:
If you REALLY want to feel old...
...then check this out πŸ€£πŸ™ˆ:
Just in case there's any young bucks or home-schooled folks reading this...that thing is actually a pencil sharpener that would be bolted onto the wall at the front of the class. Of course it was used to sharpen pencils, but also for kids to flex their new clothes or shoes.
Some folks have boat dogs...
...but walleye tourney pro Max Wilson isn't some folks LOL. Might be the first "boat cat" I've ever seen:
Max actually just scooped up his new friend (named Mille) yesterday when he found it trapped under a stack of pallets, in 90+ degree heat, at a hardware store. They haven't even been in each other's lives for 24 hours and they're already sticking walleyes together hahaha. Meant to be!
News

On Lake Winnebago. Their 2-day total of 29 lbs 4 oz = a $55K+ pay day! The prize package included a new Lund 1875 Impact XS Powered with a Mercury 150Pro XS, a Mercury 9.9 Pro Series Kicker – plus $5K cash, and those priceless champions plaques:

This time from the Snake River near Swan Falls Dam. That's the third body of water this spring in southwestern ID (happened at Lake Cascade and Lake Lowell, too) where walleye have been caught, but they weren't supposed to be there.

> Art Butts, regional fisheries manager: "It appears very likely that at least some of the walleye caught this spring were illegally introduced by irresponsible, self-serving individuals. While we can't say that with 100% certainty just yet, we are actively working to confirm it."

> Walleye...are not native to ID. It is illegal for people without proper permits to transport and transplant any fish. IDFG law enforcement staff are asking for any information about who may have done that. Rewards are available for information that leads to a citation....

> ID fish biologists are concerned about walleye because of the threat to existing fisheries that are "critically important to many other anglers. Illegally introduced walleye have the potential to dramatically and negatively affect the fishery you love, and it's not something anglers should take lightly."


Courtesy of Mason County Walleye Association's rearing pond.

And if any of 'em have a shot at becoming the next state record, I'm putting my money on this quick-growing bugger! πŸ’ͺ

On Lake Bemidji. Charlie and Jace Peterson are self-proclaimed "bass guys" πŸ‘€ but switched it up and won one of the biggest walleye tournaments in the area:
Charlie posted a recap on his FB page and said they caught the majority of their fish on a new (coming soon-ish) Weedless Stand-Up Fire-Ball from Northland Tackle. It has a titanium weed guard that he said "pulled through the cabbage even better than the original and kept our shiners hooked up on long casts."
Big congrats, fellas! πŸ‘Š

5. MN: Couple Mille Lacs tourney updates.

- John Hoyer and and Kyle Minke won the Hunters Point Walleye Shootout with 32.15 lbs. Sounds like (from Hoyer's IG post) they were using a 1-2 punch of Berkley PowerBait The Champ Swimmers and slip-bobbers.

- AIM was out there the very next day and Erik Walker and Brent Knutson won it with 35.92 lbs. Said they were fighting a weed/rock area on the lake's south half with slip-bobebrs and leeches.


> ...Wood will oversee the management of selected Rapala and Storm hardbaits and Williamson lures. Wood is also responsible for growing the company's relationships with bass anglers based on his 11 yrs of experience with the FLW and MLF bass fishing tours [as the senior manager of digital production], for which he developed written, audio and video content.

Congrats to both 🀝 GREAT dude! Who btw isn't only a bass fisherman – sometimes he even chases gravel lizards...
...when he's not busy with "10 hrs of chainsawing, chiseling, shoveling, snowblowing and some colorful language to open the boat ramp up" and slay sturgeon on the Rainy River:

Out of Oscoda, just north of Saginaw Bay – according to a 2019 population study, there are an estimated 5.5 mil walleyes in Saginaw Bay alone
> Karl's Fishing & Outdoors...announced today the opening of its first brick-and-mortar store located at 1621 River Run, Fort Worth, TX.

> Located in WestBend, a 278,000 sq ft retail, office and dining destination in Fort Worth's University District with trails leading to the Trinity River, Karl's Fishing & Outdoors...combines retail with engaging hands-on experiences.

> ...the store will host fishing lessons and meetups, including philanthropic events and entertainment. ...features interactive, tech-enabled experiences that demonstrate how products are used to catch fish, such as interactive displays that let you touch and feel baits and see how they act underwater.

> "When we started Catch Co. 10 years ago, our goal was to help people discover quality products that would help them get outside and enjoy nature," said [CEO and founder] Ross Gordon.... "Opening our first Karl's Fishing & Outdoors store takes our mission to the next level...."

> Karl's plans to roll out stores in other locations throughout the U.S., with its 2nd location at Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN slated for later this year.


> "To get your mind around a decision this strange it helps to know the decision was not made by elected leaders in Colombia but by the Constitutional Court in that country, which is a rough equivalent of our Supreme Court.

> "The court took the step because catch and release fishing, like bull fighting, involves what it calls unnecessary cruelty to animals. The pain of hooking a fish is not justified, the judges opined, unless you are going to eat the critter."

> Lawyers have already been quietly engaged to fight the decision, but insiders say nothing of consequence will be decided until after the upcoming presidential election...."


Presented by Sea Foam. πŸ‘Š
Here's your chance to win a free entry into any one of the four Walleye Wars tournaments in 2022 = a catch-photo-release style derby thru Angler's Atlas where folks register their longest walleye caught for a shot at some SERIOUS dough and prizes. πŸ€‘

The 4 events for 2022:

   β€’ Walleye Wars 11 (Ontario), June 24 to July 3
   β€’ Walleye Wars 12 (Manitoba), July 15 to July 24
   β€’ Walleye Wars 13 (Saskatchewan), Aug 12 to Aug 21
   β€’ Walleye Wars 14 (Alberta), Sept 16 to Sept 25

Takes just 10 seconds to enter by clicking the pic below and can share the link you get for bonus entries. πŸ‘Š Good luck!
What's πŸ”₯ on Target Walleye's YouTube πŸŽ₯




Drop a comment on our YouTube channel to let us know what you wanna see next!
Tip of the Day

Another slick trick for less tangles on the water. This time it's one that'll help manage those big ol' inline weights and long spinner-rig leaders:
Quote of the Day
"I think all fishermen should be goose hunters just as a matter of public health and safety."

- That's Lake Erie guide Ross Robertson bringing up a valid point(s), including not to "walk in these piles before getting in [his] boat please" hahaha:
Today's 'Eye Candy
Sun's down, fins up! πŸ”₯ Amazing shot posted on Berkley's Insta – believe that's the "black gold" color Berkley Hit Stick getting it done in a rather portly way. πŸ₯΅
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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 Lindner, Jim Kalkofen, Jay Kumar, Brett McComas and other diehard fish-heads like you!
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

ο»ΏTo 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.
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