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World-record walleye details. 📝

The largest walleye EVER caught 😳 yet when asked, no one seems to know anything about it. Guess it's time for a little refresher so you can win that next round of trivia....

Mabry Harper's 1960 world record walldawg was a 41" [!] behemoth that weighed 25 lbs!!!! Plucked outta Old Hickory Lake, TN (reservoir formed by the Old Hickory Lock and Dam, located on the Cumberland River) while fishing for catfish with 75-lb test:

Apparently it's controversial 'cuz many think the fish doesn't look 25 lbs in the original pic.... Gotta remember that back in the day they didn't have wide-angle lenses (Go-Pros, etc) and maybe didn't "long arm" as hard as today's average Joe/Joette.

Here's a couple other angles that maybe show just how big that freak o' nature was – held up like a boss by Mabry's wife:

Get this: They ate it for supper! Every bit of it except its head:

If you've got some time to kill, this is an interesting write-up talking about how the fish was removed from the record books 'cuz people thought there's no way the fish could be 41″ long (based on Mabry's hands in the pic). Was eventually reinstated when more evidence came forward backing the fish's size.

We're still a couple weeks early for what would be considered "prime time" for burbot (aka eelpout) around central MN, but that doesn't mean you can't catch 'em RIGHT NOW. 👀 Just gotta switch things up a bit....

Oh and spoiler alert: Things got messy last night. 😳💩

😴 Tired as heck today, but burbot are always worth it hahaha! Definitely pumped we put a couple topside, but still bummed about the giant I rolled on a #6 Rapala Rippin' Rap. Was crazy watching them turn on LiveScope – from 20-25' away – and come back to see what was making all that commotion down there. Can't wait to play around with it more...I'll be back with cameras blazing.... 👊

Gonna start this one off with a quote:

- That's Jackson Baumgart protecting the goods...an engagement ring! Talkin' about his surprise on-ice engagement at WI's Fox Lake.

> Using a Beaver Dam Original Tip-Up, Baumgart lowered a bottle of champagne into a hole before [his now-fiance] Lee arrived. He said the tip-up holds special meaning as it belonged to Doug Lee, Rachel's dad who died in 2016 as the result of a traffic accident.

And THAT is how you catch a fiancé!

Someone on Instagram had asked me what my "bucket-list walleye fishing destinations" were 🤔 and I realized that several of them are out west (Canyon Ferry/Holter Lake, Columbia River, Fort Peck, etc) and that I know almost nothing about 'em...other than they kick out some absolute giant walleyes!

I heard it's because those cowboys and cowgirls are still trying to learn how to dial-up their internets, kick start an interwebz browser and shift into the Facebooks 1st gear (lol).

Actually, I think this is the real reason:

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Anywho...if you come across some interesting stuff out west-ish that you think Target Walleye readers should see, shoot it my way! 'Cuz I feel like I'm looking in all the wrong places and coming up empty handed.

Called Avator:

> Angelo Cozzola will focus primarily on managing the highly sought-after walleye, as well as northern pike, muskellunge and other popular game fish on the Winnebago system. Prior to his new role, Cozzola was a DNR fisheries technician based in Oshkosh. Before joining the DNR`s fisheries management program, he completed graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he investigated the effects of herbicides on native WI fish species.

> Margaret Stadig will focus primarily on managing the iconic Lake Winnebago System lake sturgeon population. A native of MI, Stadig has extensive experience working with large, primitive fish species. Most recently, she worked for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept partnering on the reintroduction of the prehistoric paddlefish into the Big Cypress Bayou System. Prior to [that she] studied lake sturgeon with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the St. Clair River system.

Will have the ability to control all your devices, pumps, lights, livewell, and so on from your fish finder:

The 15th-annual Fishing For the Cure ice tourney is happening TOMORROW (Feb 19) on Smith Lake. All proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life to help find a cure for cancer. Last year's event got canceled due to gov restrictions, but they raised over $75K in donations at the 2020 event alone = #amazing!

Super kid-friendly event, too. Believe they had 208 youngins registered last time around, and every kiddo 12-and-under gets a gift for participating. Getting that next generation involved in this sport we love so much is what it's ALL about.

…at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Both indoors and outdoor from the Fish Addictions crew:

They also revealed plans for a new Marine Innovation Center in Kennesaw, GA and a big expansion of its testing facility in Bridgeport, AL.

Satellite view capability, track sharing, and weather overlay on the charts, which includes "pressure, precipitation, air temperature, wind and gust."

...of global sales, service and marketing = Kelley Woolsey, who has over 30 yrs of water sports and lifestyle brand experience.

Sometimes they're interesting...sometimes they make you wonder who is paying to have this done LOL. Here's a few more to ponder from the last couple days:

- Scientists demonstrate self-awareness in fish.

- Cod 'supergenes' reveal how they are evolving in response to overfishing.

- 'Freeze or flee' reactions run in fish families.

Learn something new every day? 🤷‍♂️

J-Mitch talks – and shows – how he calls 'em in, then switches up his jigging cadence to get 'em to commit. Always love the underwater stuff:

For some reason anytime I hear about "hooking mortality" it makes me think of that one Stumpy quote from the movie Out Cold:

What's more difficult: Getting burbot to hang straight for a pic, or convincing a toddler to sit still at church? Lol!

Have a great + safe weekend and thx much for reading!

National Professional Anglers Assoc.