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There were 30 pros that brought 30+ lbs (5 fish) to the scale on day 1 of the Lake Erie NWT out of Dunkirk, NY. And this is a no-cull tourney. Believe they’re allowed to put up to 8 total fish in the box before they have to call it quits, and weigh their heaviest 5 out of that batch.

After day 1, it was David Hoisington leading with 5 for 37 lbs!

> David: “I live an hour and a half from here, got a bunch of home court advantage, but then the lake flipped.... I love fishing in Barcelona and our spots were just gone. With all the calm water I knew the guys would be running all over the lake. I found a spot one of the first practice days that ended up being great without a ton of people around me. I am just hoping to be able to hit them again tomorrow. I made some great decisions today and I’m really thankful and ready to get back out there tomorrow.”

FFS expert Tom Huynh started the day in 2nd place with 5 for 34-02.

> Tom: “I came into this knowing I had to win. I’m out of the AOY race and only needed one fish to make the Championship, so I laid it all on the line. My first cast landed a fish just shy of 8 lbs, followed by a 7-lber. The first 5 fish I caught were the ones I weighed. I wasn’t around many boats and was seeing hundreds of fish. If finesse didn’t work, I’d switch to a reaction bait. Tomorrow’s wind will make boat control critical – it’ll take another 30 lbs to stay in the hunt.”

He was livestreaming this morning over on his YouTube channel, which made it difficult to stay focused on writing this TW email ‘cuz he was catching lol.

And it was MT’s Cody Pixley rounding out the top 3 with 33-04.

Here’s a look at the top-30 standings after day 1:

Of course we’ll follow up next week with the ‘Full Scoop’ talking exactly how the top-3 pros caught ‘em better than the rest.

In the meantime, the livestream for the day 2 weigh-in started here at 2:15 CST. Or you can hit the live leaderboard to see who’s on top

In the last Target Walleye I shared a pic from Jeremy and Joshua Messerschmidt of a fisherman's favorite kind of 2-for-1s 🍻that came courtesy of an "OG blue" color Berkley Finisher.

DYK: Scheels has some exclusive Finisher colors that look 💯!

Anywho...

I asked folks if they had ever experienced a walleye fishing 2-for-1 like that before and had a few folks send in some goods...

1) This one’s coming from Darren Ziprick who pulled off a BIG double-header while throwing a Rapala X-Rap SubWalk (a 6" walk-the-dog lure that swims just below the surface) for pike on Lake of the Prairies in Manitoba.

> Darren “I saw a mark on the ‘Scope and thought it looked big. Casted at 60’ away and twitched twice. Felt the tick so set the hook. No fight, just dead weight. Brought it in to realize 2 walleye had been hooked. One was a 23.5” and the other a 25.25”. If I didn’t have my kids and dad with me I doubt anyone would believe it.”

> “Also...if anyone needs to buy cabins/houses or lake lots at Lake of the Prairies to contact me as I may have a fishing tip for them as well.”

Wish property was a buy 1 get 1 too HA!

2) This next one’s coming from Walker Busse, who said:

> “My dad and I were pulling #7 Berkley Flicker Shads on shallow sand flats under an October full moon in Ottertail County [MN]. Knew we had a nice walleye hooked up but didn’t realize it was two gravel lizards until after we netted them and the bigger one rolled over. Pretty cool and the only 2-for-1 I’ve had since.”

3) They can't all be giants...Gabe Traen found a couple o' hungry little buggers with a Berkley Jointed Flicker Shad. ✌️

Big or small, they're all impressive! If you've got proof of one, send 'em in by replying to this email!

If you follow the bass tourney scene at all, you know that Berkley PowerBait MaxScent baits have been absolutely killing it the last few seasons. To the point where even pros that aren’t sponsored by Berkley are publicly admitting to using the stuff on tourney day and/or even placing other soft plastics into the MaxScent bags to steal some juice.

Funny enough, nearly every single time I throw a Ned rig or dropshot paired with a MaxScent bait – while specifically targeting bass – I catch an incidental walleye or 3. Rarely skin-hook ’em, they inhale the stuff:

Yes, I know I’m holding that first walleye stupidly...but I ate it, so it doesn’t really matter lol.

Anywho....

Really got me thinking that I NEED to start throwing MaxScent schtuff for walleyes more on purpose, ‘cuz if any fish is gonna be picky about what they eat – or don’t eat – it’s them. And when legit science is mixed with fishing, the only one not winning is the fish lol:

I was doing some digging and came across this interesting Q&A in a past BassBlaster email. Jay got Berkley scentmaster Mark Sexton on the ringer and picked his brain about what makes MaxScent work. Full write-up here, few excerpts from their exchange below:

Q: What exactly is MaxScent, and how is it different from regular PowerBait and Gulp?

> “PowerBait is PVC plastic [like I believe all soft-plastics]. We learned how to flavor PVC plastic in the ’80s and it turned out to be really good. Gulp is a water-based material…literally dissolves in the water. If you leave it in long enough…it’s gone.

> “MaxScent is a type of PVC very similar to PowerBait, but it can accept some liquid [scent] and doesn’t dry out like Gulp. …[scent] put into MaxScent isn’t that different than PowerBait [but how MaxScent baits are made] puts it into the water so much faster…draws fish.

> “Remember those pieces of gum where you bite it and you get quick shot of liquid in your mouth? It’s like that…a way better tool.”

Q: Okay sounds like MaxScent is similar to PowerBait and similar to Gulp. So why is it so good – or better?

> “MaxScent allows attractants to come out of the bait way faster. We figured out a way to make the construction [of the MaxScent baits] different to make the flavorants come out of the bait faster.”

Q: What are the flavorants designed to do?

> “We’ve gone through 50,000 different chemicals and mixtures of all of them, and we’ve figured out what [fish are] actually attracted to.

> “Can they sense it – do they notice flavor in the water, if so do they find it positive, neutral, or negative. The first thing is smell. It has to attract them, and when they taste it that has to be positive. If it’s negative, you’re done – they spit it out and you don’t catch them.

> “Over the years we’ve plodded our way through…we’ve figured out what they like. It’s like grandma making the best cornbread on Earth – over the years she perfects it. That’s what we’ve done.”

Q: How does the scent disperse and what is the pattern?

> “It depends on water temperature, depth and salinity…how far the smell will go. If you have any current or moving water, that scent will travel a long way. …fish can smell better than any bird dog: If 2 molecules hit their nose 100 yards away, they go seeking. All they do is swim and eat.

> “We study all 5 senses, and smell is the first thing they rely on. Bass chasing a school of shad…they can smell them before they can feel or see them.

> “…fish secrete all sorts of stuff. Bass get used to associating that [scent] with food. Smells get the bass close to the bait – then it uses other senses to finish the deal. And we understand all of that.”

Yup, I will be playing around with MaxScent a lot more for those stubborn ‘eyes!

My “bonus” catches while bassin’ have been on Ned rigs with MaxScent Lil Generals (left) and then numerous times while dropshotting a MaxScent Flat Worm (right)..but they also have a more walleye-esque profile called the Flatnose Minnow (bottom) that I feel stupid for not snap-jigging in the weeds or dancing on a dropshot yet:

That stuff catches!

In this quick but great vid from the folks at Wired2Fish:

> Side Imaging remains one of the most effective tools for targeting walleye – especially when fishing shallow flats in summer. In this video, walleye stick Tom Boley shares a proven method for using side imaging to locate and catch more walleye without relying on forward-facing sonar. This strategy is straightforward, fast-paced, and ideal for anglers who want to cover water efficiently while making precise presentations.

- Same, Kristi.... 😳 Same. Relatable comment under this FB post of another wild towing setup spotted in Duluth, MN:

Apparently there’s a lift inside the bed of the truck that’s specifically made for this application. Would be pretty dang wild to see it in action!

1. UT: Missing fisherman’s remains found 28 yrs later

David White, who went missing during a trout fishing trip on Fish Lake near Koosharem.

> His boat was found operating at trolling speed without him in it. Searchers located his hat and a shoe, but after 5 days of looking for him nothing else was found and searching was halted. It was presumed he fell out of the boat, drowned and disappeared into the 175’, cold-water lake.

Fast forward to May 2025:

> ...a hiker and his dog were walking the shores of Fish Lake. The canine found a shoe with the skeletal remains of a human foot. The hiker notified local authorities with the Utah Medical Examiner. They had DNA testing done on the foot, comparing it to one of White’s daughters’ DNA. The match was nearly perfect for the daughter and the recovered foot – thus closing a tragic and fatal chapter on David White’s ill-fated trout fishing trip 28 years ago.

Hope it provides some sense of closure to the family and friends. 🙏 RIP 

2. MN: More deets on the Mille Lacs reg change

> ...the MN DNR will increase the limit of walleyes...from 2 fish to 3 thanks to state anglers harvesting only about 22% of its allowed take.

> ...DNR officials don't expect the state's kill to increase significantly with the slot remaining the same – now allowing 3 walleyes 17" or larger but only 1 over 20".

> "There's no denying that we're not going to approach our quota this year. We're going to increase the limit slightly and if people can catch three, we hope they take them all," said Brad Parsons, DNR Fisheries Section manager.

> [The MN DNR] expects the walleye take to increase by about 10,000 lbs with this change in the regulations.

> "...we're going to see somewhere around 50% of the state's potential take...."

> Committee members said they believed that lowering the slot from 15" and above while keeping the limit at 2 could lead to more poundage in anglers' boats.

> Since 2020, the MN DNR has come in under its allowed walleye quota on Mille Lacs, which has continually been an issue for the committee.

> "The spawning habitat is excellent, and it's performing very well right now. But what I believe this is showing is the importance of protecting those areas from degradation such as sedimentation...

> "One day, if the walleye stock ever declines...we could talk about protected walleye zones or aquatic refuges – something like that," said Carl Klimah, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe fisheries manager, who presented the findings of the niche temperatures study.

> ...improving shoreline habitat could also be a step in supporting fish populations, too.

3. MN: How Hawthorne's been catching 'em on Mille Lacs

Never seen so many walleyes all over the place than on Mille Lacs right now. But the problem is there’s an explosion of forage, so they’ve got no reason to eat your bait. Here’s exactlyhow guide Brad Hawthorne has been fooling ‘em into his boat:

4. ID still waging war on walleyes

Folks are asked to catch, kill and keep any walleye they pull out of Lake Lowell.

> "You no longer have to report it, they just want you to take it out of the water and kill it.... Walleye are an invasive species that attack our local state fish."

5. WI: Flying bass falls from sky, hits family truck

Dropped by an eagle near Okauchee Lake.

6. MN: New SCHEELS store opening in Blaine

Their 6th location in MN will be coming in 2028. Sounds like it will be off 105th Ave near the National Sports Center.

And check this out:

> ...will be over 250,000 sq ft and will include a Ferris wheel, 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, wildlife mountain, our signature Ginna's cafe, a candy shop, and 84 specialty shops with premium services for golf, archery, bikes, and more.

7. Merc has a couple new engines 

Sounds like the 425 hp V10 is 254 lbs lighter, 3 seconds faster from 0-30 mph, and 22% quieter than the 450 hp competition. They have a new 350 hp V10 Verado, too

8. Wired2Fish 🤝 Vexilar

Coming to hardwater near you in 25/26.

9. Minn Kota intros new Kayak Terrova

> Minn Kota’s Kayak Terrova is built for anglers seeking an improved on-water experience. The electric motor features Minn Kota’s trusted GPS trolling system, which includes Spot-Lock (a digital anchor), as well as Autopilot and Drift Mode. These functions help make boat positioning – even against a current – a simple task. The system also includes One-Boat Network integration, which allows it to connect with Humminbird fish finders for real-time control.

10. Berkley running up to 50% off...

...for their end of summer sale.

11. Field & Stream launched a new lifestyle apparel brand

Backed by country stars Eric Church and Morgan Wallen.

12. GA: 61-lb grass carp caught on crankbait

Potential line class (6-lb) world record.

> Paden Reese: “I made a cast with a tiny Strike King crankbait, and a fish crushed the lure as soon as it landed. I thought it was a crappie or a bass until it started taking line and I couldn’t stop it.

> Reese says he thinks the carp mistakenly hit his floating, motionless plug – taking it for a piece of bread. People visiting the college lake feed carp bread, according to Reese. Though grass carp mainly feed on weeds, they will eat bread, too.

> “That big carp nailed my lure, taking the plug well into its mouth,” said Reese, who works for a landscape company. “No way it was foul hooked. It ate my crankbait. Both of the lure’s hooks were inside its mouth.”

Advanced sonar made easy with Jason Halfen 

Aka Technological Angler, who jumped on the Angling Edge Buzz podcast and dropped a TON of information during their back and forth. Worth a listen as I think anyone could pick up a pile of useful sonar tips in this one:

***But worth it... 😂

That’s also why you’ve got companies like Beatdown Outdoors making graph mounts for the bow that extend up in your face! Depending on the model, they’ll also rotate and fold down for transport. Super sick! More on that later....

Absolutely love this shot from Easton Brodzinski on IG. Working the weedlines for mid-summer wallies with his best fishin' buddy, Luna, backing him up lol.

Can tell that pupdawg has a huge personality! Can also tell that it prefers catching walleye. 🤣🤣🤣

Have a great + safe weekend! 👊 Back atcha next week..

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026