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4608 Tower St.
Edina, MN 55424
(612) 440-7171
tcwalleyes@gmail.com
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Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited Monthly Newsletter
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March Club Annual Meeting
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Featuring Bill Sherck
Thursday March 7, 2019
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TCWU is thrilled to welcome Bill Sherck as our special guest speaker at our club's Annual Meeting.
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We all know Bill from the popular Minnesota Bound TV show we watch every Sunday. Did you know Bill also hosts several other shows; Due North Outdoors, Made For The Outdoors, and The Flush!
Bill is an award winning journalist, with 13 Emmy's to his credit. He is originally from Ontario and moved to Minnesota as child. He kicked off his career as a television news reporter before turning his focus to outdoor television in 2001.
Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to spend the evening with a gifted story teller, and the
"Man About the Woods"
Bill Sherck
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"Once you wear some of it you want to wear all of it"
Simms is featured this month in our Sponsor Spot Light. Simms prides themselves on making performance gear for Anglers, which are also great for anything outdoors. We have all seen their awesome rain gear at our club events, but did you know they also make the best waders in the world, right here in the USA. Simms specializes in cutting edge cold and warm weather clothing, layering, and specialized accessory gear.
To quote President Doc Wood, "
Once you wear some of it you want to wear all of it."
I would have to agree. I bought The Guide Insulated Shacket in November. and it'
s unbelievably warm. It features light weight
PrimaLoft
insulation, and high quality snaps, which makes it so easy to wear. It's literally the only thing I have worn all winter.
I have a hard time keeping it from my wife who loves it. Doc is featured above in the Challenger Insulated Ice Fishing suit, which is stuffed with
PrimaLoft to keep you toasty all day out on the ice.
Simms' summer gear features a strong line of lightweight innovative shirts, shorts, hats and gaiters.
The unique BugStopper Shirts are made with a polyester-nylon blend, that dries quick, wicks moisture, and have two zip-secure chest pockets perfect for small tackle boxes. They feature long sleeve shirts with 30 UPF sun block and fight swarms of bugs thanks to advanced InsectShield technology.
The SolarFlex series is extremely comfortable and features,
odor-fighting, sweat-wicking, and a UPF-50 protection rating against harmful rays.
The material is extremely lightweight, soft, quick drying and prevents board rash. Dare I say perfect for Surfing? Hang 10 Rusty!
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The club definitely recommend Simms' gear, check out what they have to offer at
SimmsFishing.com and like them on Facebook to keep up on the latest innovations and sales promotions.
Russell Nelson
TCWU Board Member
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What a February We Are Having!
Greeting to all of my TCWU friends old and new. As I write this message we are poised to get punched by another snow storm tonight and we are going to set a new snowfall record for Minnesota in February. It seems that the weather people on TV are all giddy and happy. I’m not in the least. Don’t get me wrong, I do like winter but man alive…
I fished last Saturday and Sunday on the Whitefish Chain north of Brainerd with son Kyle and daughter-in-law Emily. It seemed like we spent more time digging sleds and ATV out of the slush than fishing. The snow pack has really messed up lake travel in most of the state this deep into the season. We had fun and got A LOT of exercise, and only caught a couple of small ones, no keepers. I hope that you all had better luck than we did!
Times are exciting for Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited. We have had a great month so far. We unfortunately lost our February meeting to the Polar Vortex. My apologies to Robert Cardenas for the cancellation. I look forward to having you talk with us in the future. The snow is out to get us!!
On an upside note, we had a wonderful event February 10, on Big Marine Lake helping out with the Military Youth Fishing Clinic. I want to send a big Thank You to John Jordan for leading our involvement at this great event. We appreciate all you do, John! These events really fit our club nicely and it is really rewarding to be involved. I urge anyone in the club to join us in future events. Thanks to our members that were on the ice helping with the event.
We are looking forward to our seminar event this Saturday February 23, at the Filson Store in the Galleria Edina from 2-5 pm. Please see the information on the event included in this newsletter. Come on out and join in the fun on Saturday.
Be sure to come to our member meeting on March 7, we are very excited to welcome Mr. Bill Sherck as our speaker. Don’t miss this one as Bill has a wealth of outdoor information and stories to share with us all. Come a bit early (6:30 ish) as we are looking for input to plan our summer club outing.
We are also going to have our board and officer elections for the next year. I know it is boring, but we have to do it. We will keep it as painless as we can. Bill will make up for all the boring stuff anyway.
Thanks to all my TCWU mates!!
Jim "Doc" Wood
President of Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited
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Minnesota legislators consider new investment in DNR fish restocking
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Minnesota’s fish hatcheries would get a major checkup if a bill in the state Senate introduced by Bill Ingebrigtsen wins support for an advisory group to look over the shoulder of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to improve walleye fishing.
The proposed Reinvest in Fish Hatcheries Citizen-Legislative Advisory Group would consider facility upgrades and look to expand the DNR’s reliance on private hatcheries. It would mix eight citizens with four legislators to study hatcheries, walleye stocking and natural fish reproduction.
Our Club friend Steve Pennaz was featured in the article and is aligned with the Advisory Group.
Steve called out that sport fishing has a $3.7 billion impact on Minnesota’s annual economy. "We have amazing multi-species fisheries, and new policies could improve the resource," he said. Funding and improving the hatcheries could play a big part in the improvement.
Steve also commented that "stocking is not a cure for all lakes and rivers, but it makes a ton of sense where science dictates."
Nice work Steve!
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Club member Ron Tabar and the 3M Club Invite TCWU to Eagle Lake.
Fish beautiful and famous Eagle Lake, Ontario, Canada, 120 miles north of International Falls.
This is a premium trip, including charter bus service from St. Paul (3M Center). Temple Bay Lodge is a full-service, American plan facility with excellent boats and comfortable cabins and lodge.
Fish species include: Walleye, Northern, Smallmouth & Musky.
Details:
August 6 – 11, 2019
5 night, 4+ day trip.
Price (per person):
- $1150 (3 in boat)
- $1320 (2 in boat),
Limited spots available, for more information
Contact: Ron Tabar
Phone: 952-818-7630
Email: rjtabar@comcast.net
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Special Thanks TROPHY Level Sponsors
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Minnesota Military Youth Ice Fishing Clinic
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Fun pictures from the event
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Thank you John Jordan for leading and coordinating this event for the club!
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Friends, family fishing, smiles, it doesn't get any better!
Awesome Northern Pike!
Those Chili Dogs look amazing!
A great time had by all on a snowy afternoon.
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In spite of the weather the Military Youth Ice Fishing Clinic was another success. There were 75 attendees with around 30 – 35 volunteers, of which about 8 – 10 were from Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited. The weather provided a true Minnesota outdoor experience and fun was had by all, but did limit some from attending. The following is a statement provided to the Minnesota National Guard Youth and Child Program from a retired Navy Vet:
"I wanted to take a moment to express how much myself and my son, Charlie (5 yrs old), enjoyed the opportunity you and your team gave us to ice fish. It was Charlie's first time and mine in over 25 years. I'm recently retired from the Navy and we haven't been stationed anywhere cold enough to ice fish. I was very impressed with the entire event. It was very well organized and everyone involved was friendly and always ready to answer questions. The lunch was perfect for the weather and activity. Kudos to you and your team for an outstanding job and what appeared to be a very successful event. Thank you!" -Brandon Montanye, LCDR, USN (RET)
This is a great event that our club hosts and is a great opportunity for us, as a club, to promote the sport of fishing to the next generation. Please plan on attending next year on Feb. 9
th, 2020. This even will continue to get bigger every year.
I want to personally thank the Minnesota National Guard Youth and Child Program in allowing me and the TC Walleyes Unlimited to help host another great event. Thanks to my fellow TC Walleyes members for providing their support in our effort to promote the sport of fishing to the next generations. Additionally, I also want to thank the Clam Outdoors and the Ice Team for their generous support and participation, Morries Automotive and their Fleet Department in Brooklyn Park, Urban Ice Anglers, Dive Guys Big Fish & Fry, and the Wounded Warrior Project. Also a deep gratitude goes to Vados Bait & Tackle for donating bait. HyVee, Fresh Thyme, Cub Foods for providing Food and Beverages, and of course our favorite baker who wishes to remain anonymous for providing the buns. And lastly I want to thank the Vets Campground on Lake Big Marine for allowing us hold the event out of the their site and in constantly keeping the plow truck moving so that we didn’t have too many vehicles getting stuck on the ice. Without all of the above support we could not successfully hold this event.
Please remember and support the children of our Military Families who often pay a huge sacrifice as their Dads and Moms are away making their sacrifice for our country. Finally, please take a kid fishing.
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2019
Cabela's National Walleye Tour
Hosted by Club Friend Chip Leer
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Congratulations Chip and the NWT on receiving such rave reviews!
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"The coverage is awesome and the announcer is fantastic. Chip makes it what it is. Informative, great attitude, sense of humor and keeps us up to date on a daily basis during the tournaments. Way to go N.W.T. and Chip!! Thank you for being you."
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Thank You LUNKER Sponsors!
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Guest Speaker Re-cap Robert Cardenas
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Special thanks to tour professional, and club member Robert Cardenas for scheduling time to speak to the Club in February. Unfortunately a Snownami of Polar Vortex magnitude forced cancellation of our event.
We look forward to rescheduling Robert next season.
Make sure to keep current on his upcoming season out on the Cabelas National Walleye Tour and check him out on his Facebook site F.IN Outdoors.
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A number of questions came up at the last meeting about how Tommy Skarlis ties his single and tandem snells.
Club President Doc Wood demonstrated this in last months Newsletter and on Facebook. To no ones surprise he had over 700 views, (okay maybe some surprise there).
Regardless we all found it very helpful.
Click on Doc Knot's picture to view his latest video demonstration, the Cold Weather Knot.
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Bait school is in session. Our goal is to learn little about the live baits used to catch Walleyes. Each month we will feature a specific bait and learn about their patterns, locations, forage, and spawning.
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This Month's Lesson: Shiner Minnow's
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Bio:
- Size commonly = 3 to 5 inches but can reach 12 inches.
- Life span 4 - 6 years.
- Diet is both plant and animal matter. Consisting of aquatic insects algae, and other higher plant matter. Larger Shiners will eat small worms and fish.
- Spottail Shiners are the most desired early season Walleye forage.
Spawning
- Occurs in late May in the southern half of Minnesota and extends into June as you head north.
- Predominantly spawn in rivers, but will spawn on gravel or sandy points, islands and bars.
- Can last for a 4 to 6 week period in any one area.
- During and before spawning the males change color and develop tubercles (breeding bumps) on their heads.
- Males build the nests by piling up small pebbles and gravel.
- When a female enters the nest the male moves to her side and they spawn shortly afterward. As soon as they are finished they both move out and leaves the nest and eggs to fend for themselves.
- The average number of eggs a female spawns is about 3,000-4,000.
Seasonal Locations/Patterns
Seasonal timing can be key to catching Walleyes in places we would never think to fish. Walleyes, Bait fish, you and I all operate around a seasonal calendar but there is one difference. Fish relate to temperature more than any other factor, which we can relate to a calendar period.
We can take advantage of of situational fishing that most fishermen are overlooking, if we pay attention to temperature not only for Walleyes but bait fish as well.
I have searched every where and even called on the all knowing Brad Laabs to track down the seasonal movements of Shiner minnows. There is not much out there. Brad did call out one special opportunity when Shiner's are in
pre-spawn and spawning.
Shiners spawn when water temps are in the 53-55 degree range. They predominately spawn in shallow riffles of rivers but also spawn in areas such as downed bulrush stands and spotty grassy sand flats. Do you know where these areas are on your lake? The Walleyes do and you can bet they will be there with a big appetite, since they just finished spawning a short time earlier.
Shiners will travel and spawn up into shallow bays with river inlets and outlets.
- Key on flats just off of these areas.
Bulrush stands provide cover, protection, are warmer and provide excellent for bug hatches that draw in forage fish.
- Target specific bulrush stands, transition areas and be mindful that every lake is different.
- Look for smaller islands of bulrushes rather than the large expanses. Find a big flat that extends off the shoreline surrounded by deeper water and you’re in the zone. Choppy days are extra credit—the movement of warm water off the shore into these smaller bulrush stands can mean game on.
- Key on flats on lake areas that are wind swept consistently.
- You will typically find this action taking place in 3 - 5 feet of water and sometimes even shallower in 1- 3 feet.
- During pre-spawn you will find the Shiners staging in the deeper holes adjacent to these areas.
Understand your lake and its Shiner spawning areas to unlock new and fun ways to catch marble eyes.
Look, Scout and be Stealthy
- Be quiet and plan for a stealthy entrance into these areas. Make too much noise and you will spook the walleyes out quickly.
- Bring a good pair or polarized sun glasses for sighting Bait fish, Walleyes and good looking spawning areas. Calm sunny days will allow you to spot Shiners from a way off.
- Scouting out these areas will help you dial into the best spawning areas. When you learn these spots, you can really dial in to the techniques on catching them. Try getting out of the boat and tip toe around in waders for a little extra fun and stealth.
- You want to make the longest casts you can into these areas. Remember to position the wind at your back for long casting ease.
- Utilize Spot Lock on your trolling motor to move efficiently and quietly from spot to spot.
- 8-foot Minn Kota Talon anchors are nice to have, you can move in with the electric, anchor with the Talon and then fan cast from there, without running the electric.
- Jigs, floating stick baits and plastics are perfect for this type of fishing. Oh and don't forget a weighted bobber fishing rig. Weighted bobbers will definitely increase your cast distance.
- Live Bait is best but you will need two things.
- Light line for longer casting, be prepared to use 4 lb test or 4 lb diameter braid.
- Lots of bait as you will cast a bunch off. Its well worth it to catch knee deep Eye-balls.
Brad Laabs, Donor & Sponsor TCWU
Russell Nelson, Board Member TCWU
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TCWU invited to promote the club
at the Filson store in the Galleria Edina
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Special offer from Filson
20% off store wide to all club members during the event!
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Newsletters are now available on the website
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Hey great news members, We have made a few changes to the www.tcwalleyes.com website, which include PDF's of our past newsletters posted to the News and Newsletters tab. If you are looking for those missing Guest speaker fishing tips, well now you got them any time you need.
Click on the link below to check it out.
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Thank You KEEPER Sponsors!
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Chef Ben's Wildlife Kitchen
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Welcome to Chef Ben's Wildlife Kitchen. This month we are serving up
one Doc Wood's favorites, Pickled Pike. It is delicious and a great way fix one of our favorite toothy critters.
Bon Appétit!
Chef Ben
Pickled Pike
Ingredients:
1 average-size Northern Pike (2-3 lbs)
1 cup pickling salt (this is different from traditional table salt).
1 quart white vinegar
2 cups granulated sugar
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp. whole allspice
2 tsp. whole mustard seed
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
1 / 2 lemon, sliced
White onion, sliced
Cold water
Directions:
To get started, simply fillet an average-sized pike to remove skin and scales. You can leave the rib and Y-bones in the fillet; they will dissolve naturally in this process.
Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces. To kill parasites, you must freeze the fish for 48 hours. As this recipe does not cook the fish, the pickling process alone will not kill the small parasitic broad fish tapeworm that can be found in the pike meat. After being frozen for 48 hours, thaw in the refrigerator and your pike is ready for pickling.
In a glass or plastic bowl, dissolve the pickling salt in a quart of water and add the chunks of fish. Soak in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Next, drain the water without rinsing the fish. Add a quart of white vinegar to the fish and soak in the refrigerator another 24 hours. Drain this next day and retain 2 cups of the vinegar.
In a nonreactive saucepan, add the reserved vinegar, ½ cup of water, and the sugar. Boil this mixture to dissolve the sugar. then add the spices, remove from the heat and allow this mixture to completely cool.
Layer the fish, lemon, and onion slices in two, one-quart mason jars with tight fitting lids. Completely cover the contents of each jar with the cooled sugar/spice solution. Refrigerate for 72 hours to allow the flavors to blend, then serve with crackers.
STORE IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
Helpful Hints: Try using orange slices in stead of the lemon. You can also use pre-blended “pickling spices”- replace the peppercorns, allspice, cloves, mustard seed, and bay leaves with approx. 3 tbsp. of the premix.
ENJOY…. THIS IS DELICIOUS!!
Ben Roach
Board Member of Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited
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Check out Target Walleye
and sign up to receive weekly emails loaded with Fishing Tips, The Latest News and Cool Pics with an added touch of Fun.
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Click on their logo or go to www.targetwalleye.com to check out
their website and see what its all about
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Thank you VALUED Club Donors
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Click on their logo or go to www.targetwalleye.com to check out
their website and see what its all about
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TC Walleyes Unlimited, Inc.
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