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Hey y'all,
Brett's out on the water filming some juicy vids this week and if I had to guess he's drivin' around looking for a few bigger marks with his Humminbird MEGA Side Imaging, and castin' at 'em up front with the new VMC Snitch Jig and a juicey crawler.
He popped an extra-dirty 30" a few days ago and man - that thang had a huge mouth but it was sooo skinny.
Had me wonderin' if it was a male or just an old fish that wasn't eating all that well? You can find that vid here:
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Anyway, ya got me (JVK) kickin' out today's TW so time to buckle up. 😛
Real quick – wanted to remind you that Aug 1 kicks off the last leg of the Target Walleye Summer Shootout thru the FishDonkey app where you can fish and have a shot at winning a whole bunch of cool stuff from our friends at Abu Garcia. You don't have to catch the biggest fish to take home a prize, either. #RandomDraws
This is the 1st tournament we've run and it's definitely a learning process but we're getting it figured out. We're told by the wonderful folks at Abu Garcia that everything should be mailed out this week. For those that won, please give it a few days to show up at your door and reach out to one of us if you have any Q's.
Thanks for followin' along – let's get down to business. 👊
Joel Vandekrol (JVK)
Find me on FB!
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Edit: check out this text I just got from McComas...unreal! 🤣
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"The biggest dude in the smallest boat!"
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Spent a half day on the water last week with 2nd-year NWT pro Josh "Trapper" Jones hunting walleyes in central IA rez. We hit up some fishy spots – think points, weed beds, and rocky ledges that screamed "1 more cast..."
LiveScope was teasing us with some the right kind of marks, but those bigger fish were playing hard to get. We still managed boat flip a few scrappy ones and literally the only bait we could get them to eat was a #7 Berkley Finisher.
Bigger fish weren't ready to play quite yet, and kinda like my 3-year-old daughter – the younger ones are always up earlier than the rest! 🤣
Let's get to business. Here's Josh's take on why he fishes the National Walleye Tour, loves Tom Huynh University, and more:
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JVK: What sparked your interest in fishing the NWT?
> "I've dreamed of fishing tournaments since I was 8...I used to watch every walleye tournament on TV and but in 2022 I decided it was time to give the tournament side a real shot.
> "...was working up in Chamberlain, SD while the NWT was in town, and that's where it all started...I remember taking pictures of their trucks and boats...they probably thought I was nuts...
> "...watched a YouTube video where [Gary Parsons] basically said the NWT co-angler program is one of the best ways to learn how to catch more walleyes...so I signed up for all 4 events.
> "Being a co-angler was awesome...met so many people that first year...ended up fishing with Gary on day 2 in Spring Valley [IL] – what are the odds of that? I told him, 'You're the reason I'm here'...
JVK: Walk me through your first season of the NWT as a Pro
> "...my 1st pro tournament was Lake Erie and I fished in my 17.5' Alumacraft Trophy 175...I was the biggest dude in the smallest boat [laughs]...weighed in a limit of walleyes on day 1 – that was amazing.
> "Next event was on Pool 4 and we got into some good fish...hooked into a giant and ended up losing it at the net...I won't mention any names but that one still stings...(TYLER! 🤣)
> "After that, Green Bay in June – that was brutal...[we'd] cast at 300 fish and catch 1...was rough so couldn't go far but did weigh a few fish to gain some points...
> "Last tourney was on Lake Sakakawea [ND] – same deal...water was rough so I found a great spot near the launch, caught a few fish...and cashed a check."
JVK: What's 1 thing that surprised you the most on tour?
> "It's gotta be the culture...the NWT is full of great guys...they're approachable...they love to talk fishing...and even though they're the best in the world, most of 'em are willing to help any time.
> "...I'll never forget when an angler had a few boat issues...there were 4-5 pros gathered around to help him get back on the water for day 2...that was pretty cool."
JVK: Best thing about fishing the NWT so far?
> "The opportunity to learn...it never really stops and that's what I'm here for...
> "...part of that is learning on the water...and that's usually the hard way...but also the chance to learn how they are catching fish...baits, locations, presentation, the decision making process....
> "...and that has definitely made me a better angler...I get to take that knowledge back home and help others catch fish too...that's what I really love to do..."
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JVK: How has being a THU member helped you on the tournament trail?
> "Tom Huynh actually introduced me to LiveScope.... I was mesmerized...he convinced me to buy one and I'm glad he did! [laughs]
> "...seriously, THU has been a huge help. I signed up in the very beginning and was one of the first to join...learning LiveScope from Tom Huynh is incredible – I'm his biggest fan. Not sure anyone knows FFS better than him.
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> "...it's really helped me understand and build confidence in what I'm looking at...for example...how to identify a bass from a walleye by their behavior and reactions to baits...I catch more and bigger fish now because I make better casts at the right ones.
> "...helps dial in settings LiveScope too, which vary by location...might sound crazy but it's true. I've learned the most about target separation...and again – the importance of boat control...both are super important.
> "It's hours of learning and it does take time – the learning never really stops. Tom uploads his recordings to THU...I can pull it up on my phone and that lets me compare my screen on the water to Tom's screen [in the classroom]...it's so cool...definitely shortened the learning curve for FFS.
> "It's been huge help for me...identifying fish...breaking down the lakes back home in IA...actually had a shot to win the Clear Lake [IA] Spring Walleye Classic back in May.
> "Found the right fish and was leading after day 1...could have won but I didn't make the right adjustments on day 2 so ended up in 2nd place...I'm still learning! [laughs]
> "...it has definitely put more fish in my boat."
Not sure if THU gives out any curriculum awards but Josh had this little deal on his Ultrex, so...maybe? 👀 He said it helps sniff 'em out reeeal good! 😆
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Had to ask him about his favorite way to catch walleyes. Said he's a sucker for 'Scopin with Northland Tungsten and a full crawler...and then he sent me this pic – 'nuff said!
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...becuse Tony Roach says so in this post from AnglingBuzz – recommend ya listen to him too!
> [Walleyes] are predators...one of the best ways to take advantage of their instincts is burning a swimbait across their face and waiting for a savage strike...[that leaves] you questioning the conventional wisdom...
> Look a walleye in the mouth...you'll see a mug full of razor sharp teeth...[they] didn't earn these chompers by lethargically feeding on slow moving baits.
Ditch the live bait
> Do yourself a favor and...[throw] swimbait's for walleyes this year...you can catch walleyes on them all year long...they can be killer for producing impressive mixed bags as well.
>The beauty [is]...there's really no wrong way to fish the bait...you can dial in your presentation...depending on the mood of the fish...experiment every time you hit the water...retrieve style can make a big difference...
> You can pitch and rip them or simply swim them back to the boat.... [Some days they] prefer a fast ripping action...other days they may prefer the bait slow-rolled on the bottom...[or] burned on a straight line back to the boat.
> One mistake many anglers make is [lure selection]...[you gotta] pair the right jighead with your swimbait.
> Use a long-shank hook with...larger, longer profile swimbaits...[use a] shorter-shanked swimbait hook on your smaller baits...[to increase] your hooking percentage...
Here's a few pieces of swimbait candy to take a look at if yer interested:
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4. Scheels Tru X Walleye Jighead ('shore minnow')
Really diggin' this head too - 3/16-oz is a great all-around size and the double hook keeper locks the baits on tight.
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5. Z-Man Rattle Snaker
Here's a real cool deal to add rattles to your plastics, if you're into that sorta thing!
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All the colors are good, as long as they're...blue??
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> Our eyes all perceive screens differently. What may appear clear and vibrant to one angler could be difficult to interpret for another...
>...variables such as cloud cover, sun glare, and overall brightness can dramatically impact how effectively you interpret your sonar screen.
> These are the driving reasons manufacturers offer multiple color palette choices – because there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
The blue color palette stands out for...
> ...anglers who want to fine-tune their sonar for maximum detail. Blue palettes offer lower contrast and dimmer tones, allowing anglers to...increase their sensitivity without compromising near-boat clarity.
> ...blue allows users to crank up the gain or sensitivity on their unit to detect [more detail]...without washing out important structure or bottom detail close to the transducer.
> ...[and] it's functional...[striking] the right balance between enhancing the brightness of faint returns [distant fish]... and preserving the finer points of the sonar image.
> "...all the colors are good – as long as they're blue."
If you're not using MEGA Side Imaging...
> ...you're missing out on what could arguably be considered a PhD-level tool for fish finding...[it's] more than just a fancy upgrade...[it] allows anglers to scan [water]...quickly and efficiently.
> ...[it's] the single most important tool for finding fish...[and] offers the ability to identify structure, bait, and gamefish...without disturbing them...[enabling] more strategic decision-making on the water.
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DANG that image is crisp! 🤯
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The secret to making better casts??
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Not anymore cuz we're spilling the beans, thanks to Berkley Soft Bait Designer Kyle Peterson who shared a deets about dialing in his live sonar using a laser level. He posted the vid on his IG but we wanted more, so he was kind enough to give us a few more sneaky tips on why it matters and how to do it. And we're passin' that along to you:
1st thing:
> "...I put my boat in the water...grab my 6' level, lay it on the front deck, shim it with quarters until it's perfectly level [from front to back and beam to beam]...and then I count quarters under one side...might sound strange but you'll understand it in the next step..."
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2nd thing:
> "Then I back the boat in the garage and replicate exactly how it sits in the water...fortunately my boat sits pretty level on the water and on the trailer so I didn't have to make a ton of adjustments, but I had to make some...
> "...some boats have a bow that turns down...if that's your boat, you'll have to use a wedge under the trolling motor mounting plate to level the shaft.... I can't stress how important it is to get the transducer shaft straight up and down to maximize your signal....
> "If you watch my vid you'll see that my [trolling motor] shaft is perfectly straight up and down...and stays plumb as I turn. Can't just use your eyes to do this...that's why the laser level is key.
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> "Then you shoot [the laser level] on the transducer to make sure there's no transducer tilt...I mounted my Active Target 2 transducer on the Fish Obsessed mount...in my opinion, it's the best mount for FFS. Already covered that in the video so won't go into that again...."
FYI you can watch that vid here.
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> "I use a laser to make sure the transducer is perfect too.... The Ultrex Quest has a flat spot on the shaft which helps it line up great...it's a little more difficult to do on the round shafts (gotta use a framing square).
Why it matters
> "...the stock [Lowrance] mounts come with an 8 degree kick out so it tips your transducer...so your signal doesn't get blocked by the trolling motor ahead...8 degrees isn't much at the source but it's a lot at 30-50' away from the boat...
> "...for example, if you're looking at a bottom-hugging walleye 30', what's being shown on your screen [below] compared to where you're casting up could be 3' off or more...that's because the cone angle is tilted...
> "...the zero-degree [Fish Obsessed] mount...helps me track my bait from the moment it hits the water, all the way down to 30' or more. No need to move the trolling motor to find my bait as it falls out of the cone...
> "...this whole alignment deal probably makes the most difference in dirty water...if you're a few feet off, they may never see the bait and you lose your shot at catching that fish...
> "...it's all about the details...it really seems to make a difference on the water...my image is really, really good...I make better casts and that generally means catching more fish."
If this is somethin' ya wanna try, here's Kyle's setup:
Minnkota Ultrex Quest
Lowrance HDS 16 PRO
Lowrance Active Target 2
Fish Obsessed Mounts
And if you don't want the larger screen, looks like SCHEELS has a few Lowrance HDS PRO 10's for $1100 off!
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Gotta shine some light on the top 5 walleyes caught in July – also wanted to mention real quick that TWO of these were caught on the Berkley Finisher. 🤯
Big walleyes love 'em if you haven't figured that out already lol!
1. Tyler French - 15.33 lbs (West division)
(Berkley Finisher - 'french pearl'
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2. Tyler French - 15.33 lbs (West division)
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3. Tyler French - 13.58 lbs (West division)
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4. Dom Droberg - 12.92 lbs (Midwest division)
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Gotta include one more caught in Canada by Xavier Doane that went for 11.66 lbs. Great fish man! 👊
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And Hecla Island should be at the top of your list for trophy fish:
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> Geographically, Hecla is uniquely positioned where water flows from the south basin of Lake Winnipeg into the north basin, eventually draining into the Nelson River and onward to Hudson Bay.
> This transition zone creates a consistent northward current, which plays a significant role in...[the] walleye migration...
> The current near Hecla...funnels nutrient-rich water and food sources into the area [and big walleyes too].... Combine that with the island's natural structure – reefs, points, and shoreline drop-off...[and now] you've got a perfect storm for attracting a huge numbers of greenbacks...
Why:
> ...[the] combination of geography, water flow, and habitat that makes Hecla one of the most consistent...[and productive] walleye spots on Lake Winnipeg...[with] serious trophy potential.
> And the best part? It's accessible for everyone...[and] the opportunity to hook into a Master Angler greenback is right at your fingertips.
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2. ND: Tom "Huynhs" another one...🏆
He fished the Dakota Walleye Classic on Lake Sakakawea and got the win for the 2nd time in as many years.
Here's what Tom had to say on stage:
> "I appreciate all of you...you guys inspired me to want to come back...there's a lot of you who are in the top 10, top 20...[it's] awesome to see that you guys are learning your forward-facing sonar, you're using it responsibly, and you're part of my university. ...makes me feel really, really good...thank you for that.
> "...this is the best-run tournament that I have been part of – 100%. Not even close. The NWT...it's a good circuit...but this 1 is very, very well organized...this year, I'm going to donate [another] $2,000 to Wheelchairs for Warriors."
Then he handed the mic to Dewey Hjelm (3rd place):
> "This morning on the way over, I decided...to watch Tom's video from last year, and we got a lot of fish today, actually, Tom. So thank you."
🤣🤣🤣
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- Cody Martinez and Zeik Gordon – 114.74 lbs
- Owen Wilcox and Cade McAllister – 105.21 lbs
- Stuart Law and Macy Rose – 104.68 lbs
- Gage Gordon and Wayne Wilcox – 100.23 lbs
Cody Martinez posted this on FB:
> ...[we] fished the Hell Creek tourney this weekend and all I can say is wow. Today was a day I'll never forget...we boated 20 walleye over 27"...
> ...we had over 54 lbs day 1...over 60 lbs for day 2...[and] ended with a 2-day total of over 114 lbs on 10 walleye.... Huge congrats to the other teams and thank you for everyone that puts in all the work to make this tourney happen.
Here's a certified swamp donkey from the tourney caught by Owen Wilcox.
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Believe there were 60-ish fish weighed in over 10 lbs. Unreal!! 🤯🤯🤯
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4. MN: Time to sign up for the 15th-ann Chili Bowl walleye tourney
Don't sleep on the entry 'cuz only 75 boats get in and it fills up real quick. Tourney kicks off Oct 11.
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> "...with over $20k awarded in cash and prizes...[and] the presentation of the Chili Bowl Cup!
> "As a catch-photo-release format, the Chili Bowl is a conservation-focused tournament that requires anglers to take photos and release their fish then convert the length of the fish into lbs.
> "This format also enables anglers to record bigger fish that are outside the slot limit, which makes for an increased 'bag' while still conserving the fishery.
> "...[there's a] free chili dinner after a day on the water for the anglers, as well as the public.
> "The Chili Bowl has boundaries that are confined to the Rainy River so anglers don't have to worry about high winds creating rough conditions like on big water, making this a great contest for anglers with smaller boats.
Heard a whisper that Target Walleye's Chris Philen will be the emcee this year.
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5. MN: Last call for 'Fishing to End Hunger' early birds
Just a couple days left to save some dough on the entry fee...on 8/4 it'll go up from $500/boat to $600.
Tourney is on Oct 4, and the payout is:
- $16k for 1st
- $6k for 2nd
- $3k for 3rd
...and it provides a whole lotta meals to folks that need 'em!
> 80-90% of meals distributed in MN and 10-20% for disaster relief or international aid.
Team Target Walleye will be out there chasin' some gold ones – hope to see ya there!
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6. "[If ] you're fishing for big ones you throw #9 Jigging Raps..."
That's SD walleye hammer Beau Schilling talkin' about the 61.51 lbs he and his partner weighed in for 1st place at the 51st SD Governor's Cup on Lake Oahe.
Sounds like they had (2) walleyes that went 11+ lbs, and the top 7 teams all weighed over 41 lbs. Insane!
> "Our game plan...get our big ones before our slots....we knew we were on the right fish...sooner than later they were gonna go...
> "...went through the same group of fish 4 times, they didn't bite, the 5th time one did, and the 6th time the other did."
Good work fellas!
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8. NY: Lake Erie NWT starts next week
Aug 7-8. Tournament boundaries include:
> ...all NY waters of Lake Erie...connected rivers, creeks, and canals.
John Hoyer won it last time they were there, so you know he's looking forward to going back:
> "Dunkirk, NY, is my favorite Walleye memory of all time.... I will not be able to fish where I won the championship in 2022 [NY waters only], but...I look forward to the sheer numbers of fish that will be suspended near the shorelines and also in open water.
> "The angler that wins this event will crack the code of where the 7 to 8-lbers are living this summer! Dunkirk is an amazing host city, I look forward to some of that hospitality!"
Dewey Hjelm is currently leading the AOY race - can't want to see how it all shakes out!
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Hoot-owl fishing restrictions to take effect Saturday on Blackfoot River
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Guess it's just a MT thing?
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Go big or go home?? 🤔
It's hot out – big fish are grumpy but they still gotta eat. Skip the live bait deal and pick up the big plastics – talkin' about the 5-6" paddletails here with larger profiles.
You can use smaller ones but this is all about getting their attention and makin' 'em mad when they say a healthy meal swimming away. It's warm, they're hungry, and they're not afraid to chase.
- Burn that bait fast
- Let it fall
- Repeat
You can also work in a few aggressive snap sand let the bait fall on a tight line. Seems like most of the bites will come just before the bait hits the bottom. Seriously, they'll smash it, especially on the drop.
Recommend starting near the 10-15' flats – sand, gravel, or weed edges – and hold on tight. Use a longer rod, 17- to 20-lb braid, and a 17- to 20-lb fluorocarbon leader.
Can't go wrong with white or perch-colored baits. 🔥 #downthehatch
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Here's a few more big bite-gettin' combos:
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Catch up with you guys next week – appreciate y'all!
JVK
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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.)
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FRIENDS OF TARGET WALLEYE
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Target Walleye – walleye during open water and all species during hardwater – is brought to you by Al Lindner, Jay Kumar, Chris Philen, Brett McComas and other diehard fish-heads like you!
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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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