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Today's Top 4
Can't believe I had NEVER seen this video until now!!!
A throwback clip from 2011 posted by John Gillespie that's the perfect combination of 🤯 + 🤣. They were catching mondo walleyes (up to 10+ lbs) fishing thru a giant crack in the ice on Lake Erie. It's straight-up chaos lol:
Looks like a great area to do some "ice trolling!" Little insight:

> "Our guide, charter captain Mike Patterson, spent many days with only a spud to find a safe trail for travel to the spot. Those many days have paid big dividends for our crew on this outing, where many of the anglers caught the largest walleye of their lives.

> "Happening upon an impassable crack on our way out to the spot ends up being a godsend, because the walleyes (cruising mud flats) are drawn to the light line that the crack produces. Lined up in a row along the crack, all of our anglers jig using mostly spoons and jigging Rapalas tipped with minnows."

They posted a private link to John Gillespie's Waters & Woods full episode here.
Decked-out ice fishing rigs galore!
No doubt ice fishermen/women are a different breed, but the ice tourney folks take that to a whole 'nother level! Outdoor photographer Tom Dobbins posted an album called "Machines of the Ultimate Panfish League" that's chock full o' 118 photos [!!!] of snowmobiles and ATVs that were specifically decked-out for ice fishing by the tourney crowd. 💯

Of course I can only fit a mini preview here, but I definitely recommend taking a scroll thru Tom's photos if this is something that tickles your fancy – might give you some rigging inspiration during the off-season. 🤔💡😮
Check 'em all right here!
"This is a sack of potatoes, bro!"
- That's what my bud Eric Labaupa said while wrassling in a huge 12.57-lb (31") Manitoba greenback – the biggest walleye caught over the 2 days of the Keystone Walleye Tour Championship on Lake Winnipeg last weekend:
Nope, it didn't come on a rattlebait.... 👀 She engulfed a 1/6-oz Acme Tackle Phoebe spoon in the "rainbow trout" colour (these are Canadian fish lol) tipped with a live minnow.

Here's a look at the Phoebe:
Did you know there's an international rod-building competition?

> "...to deliver to custom rod builders more opportunity to showcase their ingenuity, creativity, and craftsmanship."

> "...with over 80 entrants from all over the world including: Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. Competitors submitted completed rods to be initially judged...by a panel of 30 fishing industry and custom rod building experts to choose the top 10.

> Those top 10 were then returned to American Tackle HQ where an elite panel of judges with backgrounds in custom rod building, angling media, the fishing tackle industry, and as expert anglers graded each rod.

> With such a high caliber of builders it was amazing to see all the different styles and builds all based on the same blank with only 7 points separating the top 3 it was the tightest margin this competition has ever seen."

Would be a whole lotta drool flying around if I was able to be there in person – 😍 wow:
This year's winner was Danny Thomson of NC. His amazing custom rod build incorporated his love for duck hunting as well as fishing:
> Danny Thomson: "You may have heard of an eastern-NC tragedy that recently occurred, where 4 youth duck hunters and 4 adults went down in a plane crash. All 8 lives were lost. Even though this rod was inspired and built before this tragedy, it is my intent to dedicate this rod to the #DownEastStrong community and raise awareness to help fund this unfortunate event."

Just amazing. 👏👏👏

Here's a quick look at the 2nd (Hoove Brieuc, Belgium) and 3rd place (Gary Allner, UK) contestants from the show:
Congrats all! Incredible stuff. Bunch more behind-the-scenes pics and other entries in this "2022 International Rod Building Challenge" Facebook group.
News
Brainerd Lakes Area 🔨 John Janousek (with Rassat Outdoor Group) suffered a severe stroke while working down at the NW Sport Show. They had to remove a portion of his skull to relieve pressure. He had been on a breathing tube in an induced coma...but I saw an incredible update posted by his wife Christy last night:

> "When I walked in this morning I got 2 big bright blue eyes looking at me! He was very alert, moving his left hand in a grabbing motion, and bending his left leg at the knee like he was trying to get out of bed. He's breathing on his own today with a ventilator as back up. The medicine they're giving him is stimulating him to wake up. He coughed a little bit and he does not like that, but his facial expression was a grimace and both of his eyebrows moved exactly the same. Very good news.

> "Last night he decided the tubes in his throat needed to go, so even though he was gently restrained he pulled up hard enough to get his body to scooch down, got a hold of the tube and pull it out himself. I wasn't there at the time but I can only imagine the sound of all of those alarms going off at once. The nurses station is only about two strides away from his room, they put him back under, replaced all the tubes, and it does not look like he injured himself at all in the process."

Guy is a fighter!!! I know John from his involvement in the local high school fishing teams, and also from fishing some local derbies against him...which he is always winning!

If you can spare a few bucks to help John Janousek and his family financially, hit up the GoFundMe account here. 🙏✝️ If you're the praying type, please send a few their way. Crazy how quickly life can change...but if anyone can fight thru this, it's John. 💪Let's help get him back on the water where he belongs.


As the new executive director.

> MN-FISH's prez Ron Schara: "Mark's experience in the MN legislature and DNR will help us bring a strong voice for anglers as we seek bonding money for improvements in our fish hatcheries and boat accesses."

Btw MN-FISH Sportfishing Foundation & Coalition is a nonprofit fishing organization that was launched to...

> ...bring a strong, unified voice to St. Paul to represent the interests of MN anglers and other stakeholders...increase state investment into fisheries and fishing-related programs...improve fishing opportunities in MN and shorten the time between bites.


And book those hotel rooms before the ones within walking distance are gonzo.

The 65th-annual fishing biz trade show is happening July 19-22 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL again and looks like it will be there at least these next 3 years. #TooHotForUsMidwesterners 🤣🥵

Little background on what ICAST is:

> "ICAST [International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades] is the annual gathering point for the entire sportfishing industry. We bring more manufacturers, buyers and media together than any other sportfishing industry event of the year. That means hundreds of new products, dozens of new connections and many new business opportunities for everyone who attends."


Coming off a 3-yr conference hiatus due to covid. Will be in Fort Myers, FL this time around...which sounds "more better" to visit in Jan than it does in July haha.

NPAA = National Professional Anglers Association. Great chance to network with pros who've had success on and off the water, and learn about the business side of the sport.


...called "Glass Fry" from J and S Custom Jigs. But before I do...

WARNING: They are currently completely sold-out.

Almost feel bad teasing you with something you can't get (right now) but they're just waaaay too cool not to share – 🤤 check 'em:
I'll try to keep you posted when I see him get stuff back in stock, otherwise you can keep hitting up his Facebook Page or website and maybe beat me to the punch. Noticed he did have some other tungsten jigs and whatnot available right now, but I'll let you do the digging....


Their 45th Anniversary Banquet and Presidents' Reception is happening Sat, Apr 2 in Fargo.

Btw - Brad Hawthorne will be talking early-season walleye strategies at their next monthly meeting (free to the public) on Thurs, Mar 24.


> "During each open house, Division of Wildlife staff will be available to give tours and answer questions about fish production and fisheries management. Guests will have the opportunity to learn about these hatcheries and may watch fish eggs and fry in production buildings as they hatch, and view older fish in ponds or raceways. In addition, family-friendly activities and displays will be available."

Here's the dates/locations:

  • 3/26: Saint Marys State Fish Hatchery – St. Marys.
  • 4/2: Hebron State Fish Hatchery – Hebron.
  • 4/9: Castalia State Fish Hatchery – Castalia.
  • 5/7: London State Fish Hatchery – London.


Caught by Steve Hagen – weighed 2.39 lbs and measured 15.9" long x 10.4" girth.

How'd you like to drag this thing around on a Lindy Rig late-fall?

> Each year's winners are compiled into a calendar featuring a unique collection of photos and creative writings. The calendars highlight the beauty of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and the Mississippi River and their importance as part of our state's natural resources. The deadline for submissions for the 2023 calendar is Apr 1, 2022.


For upcoming Take Me Fishing! events this spring, which will take place throughout the southwest region. "Pay is $15/hr, and applicants can expect to work 15-20 hrs/week. The first event is scheduled for Mar 24...."


This Blaze Media post says that half of each barrel of oil is turned into gasoline, the rest is used in many other everyday items including fishing lures.


> The Sportsmen's Alliance sounded the alarm concerning the Biden Administration's settlement talks with radical environmentalists over hunting and fishing on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs), and it now appears those concerns were indeed warranted as government officials recently revealed that settlement talks have included the banning of lead ammunition and fishing tackle throughout the system.

> "The administration is needlessly negotiating away millions of acres of land and opportunities for hunters and anglers to participate in the activities that finance a great majority of the already underfunded refuge system," said Evan Heusinkveld, president and CEO of the Sportsmen's Alliance. "America's sportsmen deserve better. They deserve a seat at the table and a say in how the lands they financially support are used."
Tip of the Day
How John Hoyer fishes the Berkley Snap Jig.

Gonna start sprinkling more and more open-water tips in here going forward = it's coming! Well, it's already here depending on how lucky you are 😜 and where you're at.

I'm challenging myself (and you all!) to pick up a new technique or 3 this season. It's too easy to get "stuck" fishing the same ol' techniques in the same ol' spots. Nothing wrong with that, but how are you ever going to learn if you remain fish-stagnant?

One of those new, cool techniques I plan to do a lot more often this season involves the Berkley Snap Jig. It's a winged jighead – with a gliding/darting action – that lets you swap out the body with your favorite plastics to change up the color/action/profile:
Bringing back a few nuggets on how NWT pro John Hoyer fishes 'em in the bigger 1/2- and 3/4-oz sizes. He says there's really no wrong way to fish 'em, but that being said…I'm definitely gonna work 'em EXACTLY how Johnny "hot sticks" Hoyer does lol:

> I make a long cast (works best in 10-20′) and let it hit bottom. Then I do a light pop-slack...pop-slack...pop-slack.... This gives the bait a 3-4′ side-to-side walk.

> Then I hold my rod on tight line and let the bait coast back to bottom...this is when they stroke it. So basically a triggering sequence followed by an easy coast down to the bottom, giving them a chance to track it and eat it.

> Vertically: I pop it up 2′ and let it fall on semi-slack line, catching it just before bottom to let it plane out. I'll hold it steady as it wanders back to center for 2 or 3 secs...then pop it again.

He's played with zillions of trailers on the business end of the Snap Jig, and says a couple of his overall favorites are a 4″ Berkley Gulp! Minnow when using the 6/0 hook and a 3.4″ Berkley PowerBait The Champ Minnow for the 4/0.

If you haven't seen that Champ Minnow before (they sell-out FAST and can be hard to find!) it comes in some sick high-def patterns – this one's the "HD round goby" color:
Likes running 'em on a 7′ M fast-action rod paired with an Abu Garcia Revo MGX (size 30) spinning reel. Spooled with 10-lb FireLine braid and a 12-lb Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon leader.

Hoping to get you a video version of all this one day in the boat....
Quote of the Day
"7 tow straps, 100' winch cable, 2 trucks, a snowblower, 2 broken shovels and a plow truck."

- That's Tyler Stadnyk talking about a relaxing weekend of ice fishing recovery mission in Kenora, ON after a side road on the ice blew completely shut overnight = a 1/4 mile of knee deep snow:
Absolutely brutal! There's no worse feeling. Honestly can't remember a more challenging ice season as far as travel conditions go.
Today's 'Eye Candy
What's more impressive: This beautifully camo'd-out sauger, or Steven's mustache? Posted by Pike Pole Fishing Guide Service on FB:
Sorta matches his pants. 🎯
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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

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