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Heads up: This will likely be the only Target Walleye email this week – I’m clicking send, then packing and hitting the road in search of some hardwater walleyes. I’ll have cameras rolling and will be bringing some fresh vids to the Target Walleye YouTube channel soon-ish.
👊 Hope YOU get the chance to set the hook this weekend, too! Thx so much for reading!! Now here we go....
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Midwinter walleye and crappie Q&A 📝
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During the open-water season it’s easier to notice how bites, locations and conditions change as the season progresses from spring to summer to fall. Ice fishing sort of just feels like one big season that’s all the same – cold! But if you want to consistently stay on fish in the winter, you need to switch up what/where/how you’re doing things as the ice season progresses, too.
Andrew and Gina Hittle are a couple of folks who have been steady tracking ‘em down all season long in central MN, so our friend Joel VandeKrol reached out to pick their brains in hopes of it helping YOU to get on a more consistent mid-winter bite on your own local waters.
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Q: What depth ranges and types of structure should anglers focus on during mid-season for crappies and walleyes?
> Walleyes - we tend to fish about 20-30’ in the deeper basins next to weedlines or deeper rocks. Walleyes will come in shallower at night to feed. Crappies we are looking for in deeper basins suspended in about 20-45’.
> If you're trying to catch walleyes during the day, the dirtier the water the better. It’s getting harder to find dirty water nowadays so most of your bites will be early or late. We find the fish tend to bite better with stable weather conditions.
Q: How do your techniques for locating and catching fish evolve during mid-season compared to early ice?
> Mid-season walleye and crappies tend to go back where you find them late fall. Deeper structure, rocks, saddles, and hard sand spots. We mark a lot of our spots during the boating season and go back to those same spots in the winter using the One-Boat Network app to mark those spots.
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Q: What signs or changes in the environment (e.g., baitfish movement, oxygen levels) should anglers pay attention to during mid-season?
> If there isn’t any snow on the ice the sun can shine through and the oxygen level in the weeds should remain high keeping the baitfish in the weeds. Find the bait, find the fish.
> When fish are aggressive don’t be afraid to run big baits. Big bait = big fish. When cold fronts move thru the fish always seem more finicky...so we downsize. We will size down to 1/32-oz crappie spoons and upsize the treble hooks.
> If you're fishing dirty water you want darker presentations (black-gold, golden perch) and if the water is clear you want more of a natural presentation (chromes and blues).
> When we are trying to call fish in we like to use bigger rattlebaits, knowing a lot of the time the fish will bite either the deadstick or a smaller spoon. Glow jigs are always a good option for night jigging.
Q: Which baits or lure presentations are most effective for mid-season, and do you have any tips for fine-tuning their use?
> Make sure you run a mixture of big and small baits. Anything from big sucker minnows to a crappie minnow on a deadstick. See how the fish react and adjust from there. We normally are jigging with #5 Jigging Raps and spoons to see what they’re hungry for.
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> A lot of the time we call them in by jigging and they will eat the deadstick with a plain hook. Don’t be afraid to use big hooks on the deadsticks. Most of the time people run too small of hooks on their deadsticks and they don’t get a good hook set.
Q: What are a few overlooked tactics or strategies that can help anglers stand out and find success during mid-season?
> Downsizing and upsizing is huge. Watching the fish react to your bait and seeing what’s working and what isn’t. Keep changing baits until you find what works.
> Also STAY AWAY FROM THE CROWD. Might be surprised what you can find on less pressured lakes that people don’t fish. Use the DNR surveys for references and the onX Fish app to help determine fish populations to be more successful. We don’t hardly ever fish next to anyone. There’s so much water that is untouched there’s no reason to fish in big groups of people. Those are the hardest fish to catch. Every fish caught is a memorable experience for us.
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Q: What water clarity conditions have been the most productive for you?
> We typically try to fish dirty water because it is easier to fish throughout the entire day. Clear water you will get your flash bites at sunrise and sunset.
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Q: Are you exploring new fishing spots or returning to proven locations?
> We fish a lot of the same spots every year. We almost have a routine of where and when we go to catch them every year. We do try new spots when we can, never know what you’re gonna find!
Q: Have you noticed specific times of day that are particularly productive this season?
> Most of the bites will be at sunrise or at sunset. BUT a lot of our bigger fish come between 8pm-4am on deadsticks.
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Slush melons of the week!
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1) Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson is back at it again...getting his new-school lumberjack on and icing Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba greenbacks. 💪
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2) Capt. Warren Fisher doesn’t leave ‘em alone just because Green Bay ices up! And when I asked him what he caught ‘er on, he said: “Do walleyes eat anything other than Jigging Raps??” Lol! 💯
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3) Andy Hauck iced this 16.75" slabradoodle, wheelhouse style!
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Slow down during the dog days of winter 🥶
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If it were summertime and temps dropped 40 degrees, you’re probably not going to rip crankbaits...you’re going to fish slow. Same type of deal in winter, but need to think vertically instead of horizontally.
Jon Thelen says cold weather can shut the bite off on the first day, but if you have 3 or 4 days of stable cold weather in a row, you can still catch ‘em. Fish are still gonna eat, but they’re gonna eat differently...just gotta adapt to the bite.
That’s when Jon likes to bust out baits like Lindy Quiver Spoon because it’s made out of tin!
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It has a slow, fluttery drop that looks natural to ‘em, like a minnow...gives the fish more time to look at it and to react to the easy meal. Also comes in a Rattl'n version if you do want to add a little noise.
> “One side is either metallic silver or metallic gold. So you’ve got the flash of a natural minnow, but also a little bit of color you’re adding on the other side.”
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Same spoon Jon likes using anytime he’s dealing with pressured fish or on lakes with clear water.
Also the same spoon that Dustin Monson of Hawg Hunterz Guide Service has been using to fool those stubborn Mille Lacs fish that are already chock full and have no reason to eat:
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Awesome ice-fishing mount!
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If you just can’t get enough of the ice scene, this masterpiece from Advanced Taxidermy (based out of Caledon, ON) is for you. They built it for a client to showcase his hardwater trophies, complete with replicas of his biggest catches:
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And if walleye + jumbo perch are more your cup of tea coffee, they've got you covered:
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Settle down, southerners.... They get ajun with it too. 😂
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Super fun IG page the scroll! Looks like there’s nothing they can’t do:
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Keep doing your thing, Shawn and James! 🙌
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The latest “Top 5” of the week! 🍿
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In case you missed it on YouTube, here’s episode 80. 👊Might just be my favorite so far – hope you enjoy it!
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Also a big thx to our friends at Sea Foam for keeping us running smooth and making this fun video series possible!!
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Humminbird’s brand spankin’ new MEGA Live 2 looks like the real deal! More on that later.... But in the meantime, there’s tons of incredible lake trout eats in Doug’s full 17:02 YouTube video. It blows my mind how dang fast they can move on a bait. 🤯
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3. MI: Proposed reg changes for Lake Gogebic walleye
> ...currently falls under the existing statewide regs for walleye: There is a 15” minimum size requirement and a daily possession limit of 5 fish.
> The regulation change to be considered for public input adds a protected slot limit. This means that anglers would not be able to possess any walleye measuring between 18” and 23” in the daily possession limit of 5 fish and could possess only 1 walleye 23” or greater.
4. OH: Bill naming walleye the state fish = flops
Ixnayed...AGAIN...at the Statehouse.
5. OH: Port Clinton had a “Walleye Drop” on NYE
Forget the “ball” drop in Times Square...Port Clinton, OH had their 27th annual “walleye drop” with a custom-built 20-ft, 600-lb fiberglass walldawg.
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6. MN: Free ‘Take a Kid Ice Fishing Weekend’ is Jan 18-20
> During this 3-day weekend, any MN resident can go fishing for free if fishing with a child 15 yrs old or younger. Minnesotans 15 yrs old or younger don’t need fishing licenses any time of the year.
7. MN: Yo Alexandria peeps!
Another AWESOME kids event coming up:
> We have stocked rainbow trout into our Viking Sportsmen Bemo Pond here in Alexandria. This is a FREE event that we've done for the past 3 years. We invite any kids, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc to come out and catch trout and learn about ice fishing. No experience or fishing gear needed, we provide rods, reals, bait, and heated portable ice houses to use as needed.
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13. MN: DNR wants input on Lake of the Woods...
...fisheries management plan, which was last updated in 2018.
> The updated master plan will be used to guide management of Lake of the Woods fish populations. It will include management goals, objectives and strategies for the lake for the next 10 years.
> Minnesota DNR staff will host a joint in-person and virtual public meeting to provide an overview of the plan and its purpose, answer questions, and collect public input. Registration is not required.
> The meeting will be held 6:30-8:30 pm Wed, Feb 5, at the Baudette Ambulance Garage Conference Room, 113 1st Ave. SW, Baudette, MN 56623. For people who would like to join virtually, a link to join the webinar is available on the Lake of the Woods page of the Minnesota DNR website.
14. MN: In-Fisherman podcast chats w/ Ice Extravaganza crew
> Held locally in Brainerd, MN, this year is the 35th annual Brainerd Jaycee’s Ice Fishing Extravaganza on famed Gull Lake. Thousands of anglers from all over the state, country and world gather to compete for an impressive purse that pays out to 150 competitors.
> Curious how it works? Sheena Ziegler, Mike Kuck and Andrew Jay swing by the Storyline Studios to give the full inner workings to the largest ice fishing derby on the planet. You should come and give it a try, you’ll love it!
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We’ll be there mingling. 👍
15. DYK there’s a Fitbit for fish? Sorta....
> The sensor is surgically inserted under skin near a fish’s rear dorsal fins. As the fish swims, a wireless receiver picks up the sensor’s telltale beeps. Scientists can retrieve the data from a wireless receiver or the device itself.
> ...weighs 2.4 grams, is about the size of a pen cap, and will collect and transmit data for up to 8 months. This will let researchers study fish (even small ones) for a longer time than previously possible.
> ...collects data about a fish, including its location, heartbeat, tail movement and burned calories, as well as the temperature, pressure and magnetic field of its surrounding environment.
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Betcha if one of those buggers were implanted in me, they’d think I was a burbot lol.
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Yup, this is real life! 💯 We’ve teamed-up with Tuned Up Custom Rods to giveaway their Target Walleye Signature Edition Commander!
I absolutely love the sensitivity and power of the Commander when fishing medium rattlebaits, glide baits, and bigger spoons for walleyes!
The Gold REC Recoil Ice Guides are a super classy + sharp touch. The 7” Carbon-Fiber Handle doesn’t get dirty like cork, has a flat bottom for mounting/keeping reels straight, is light, sensitive and looks awesome. Black main wraps with a gold trim – TUCR nailed it!
Takes just 10 seconds to enter below and can share the link you get for bonus entries. 👊 Good luck!
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Where to find crappies day vs night
Lots of great info in this new YT vid from TJ Erickson 🎯 talking how he follows crappies as they transition from the day to the night bite:
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“The last thing hundreds of perch will ever see....”
- That’s @radzoutdoors’ captions under this killer pic of a toothy critter he plucked out of ON’s White Lake:
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Ever seen a walleye with yellow teeth? 🤨 Us either.
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Thanks SO much for reading, Target Walleye fam! 👊
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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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