Brett McComas

New walleye fishing stuff from ICAST

Still recovering from ICAST (the fishing biz trade show in Orlando) where we got a look at all the new fishing gear for 2019. It’s a bass-heavy event, but we’re seeing more walleye and ice-fishing stuff every year. #strong

Here’s a bunch of cool new gear that caught our eye. Some of it’s available right now, others will be released in the coming months. Enjoy, fish-heads!

Today’s Top 3

New stuff from Rapala and friends!

1. Storm 360GT Searchbait Jigs

How ’bout some depth control with a jighead?! The Storm 360GT Swimmer Jig Head adds a crankbait action to the 360GT Searchbait — the 1/4-oz one pictured runs 6-9′, hanger on the bottom for adding stinger hooks or blades, and the extended line tie for more action. Looking forward to playing around with it:

Gotta weedless version of the 360GT Searchbait Jig coming too:

Has 50% LESS stretch [!] than standard monos! Something in there has HMPE molecules, the same material braided lines is made of. Extremely low memory and is crazy soft/supple — been fishing it for a few weeks now and LOVE it:

Made sure I ordered a bunch more before saying this…but it’s available right now…while supplies last lol.

3. VMC Bucktail Jig

Not ashamed to say Al Lindner whooped my backside throwing the new VMC Bucktail Jig a couple months back. Can finally give you a closer look at ’em now:

How he was fishing ’em: Snapping them like a Jigging Rap…basically the opposite of how everyone else fishes the “fuzz.” Fish were all the right size that day too:

You asked for it! Welcome the bigger, badder #12 Rapala RipStop to the walleye world. Dives 4-5′ and weighs 1/2-oz, twice as heavy as the original. The hard-plastic boot tail is like putting a brake pedal on a jerkbait…stops like it hit a wall and is super-easy to fish:

Don’t be afraid to fish it straight in like a swimbait either. James Lindner said the tail seems to soften up the back-end movement — looks great coming back to the boat.

There’s 4 new colors comin’ to the Rapala Slab Rap: clown, glow, redfire craw and the always-tasty purple tiger UV:

6. Rapala 60″ Retractable Ruler

Diggin’ this 60″ Retractable Ruler — hope I need to scroll out half of it on my next trip lol. #CatchPhotoRelease

Rapala also added a smaller #4 Shad Dancer to the mix and a pile of new clothing.

Bunch more new stuff!!

Favorite Fishing Rods

1. Shay Bird

Hey ladies — here’s a first look at the super-secret “Shay Bird.” Was designed by Favorite CEO Winston Tucker’s daughter and looks REAL good, feels great and is budget-friendly:

Not sure when it’ll be available, but will keep you posted.

If you’re a baseball fan, check out Favorite’s MLB Casting Rods. All 30 teams, though we heard the Baltimore Orioles rod loses a lot…of fish…(lol kiddin’!):

If you didn’t know, Favorite is a Christian, American-owned company, and the guys were nice enough to give me a sneak peak inside their new fish-mobile called “Big Sexy.” Tried to convince ’em to shave holes in the floor so we can ice fish outta it this winter, but they weren’t feelin’ it lol:

Yo-Zuri

1. Crystal Minnow Series “Real” Colors

Clear water = realistic, natural baits…and Yo-Zuri killed it with these 5 new “Real” colors in the Crystal Minnow series:

Northland Fishing Tackle

1. Long-shank Fire-Ball Jigs

Northland’s comin’ out with long-shank Fire-Ball and Stand-Up Fire-Ball Jigs for you shiner (or plastic) pitchers. Awesome wire keepers you can bend out how you want, and those new UV colors are [fire emoji]:

Those UV colors will be available in the original Fire-Ball too ^^^.

2. Glo-Shot Jig

It’s completely normal to daydream about ice fishing while it’s 90 degrees out…right? Here’s the new Glo-Shot Jig from Northland Fishing Tackle — comes with replaceable light sticks (red, green or chartreuse) that keep that puppy glowing for 8-ish hours:

Throw a fathead minnow on there and you’ve got low-light walter candy — maybe a great deadstick option too? Don’t think they were specifically designed for burbot, but I’m willing to bet they’ll crush it….

Do-It Molds

Listen up hands-on fisherpeople! Lots o’ new goodness going on at Do-It Molds if you wanna MAKE YOUR OWN BAITS.

The new Freestyle Jig and 3″ ES Ripper combo is filthy. Diner Shiner, Swimbait Heads and 3/8- to 1-oz No Roll Sinkers also new on the menu. Can see this becoming an addiction…maybe obsession?

Phantom Lures

1. Boogey

The banana-shaped Boogey can hit up to 24′ on a flat-line troll! That wide horizontal profile creates a beefy target and moves a pile of water — while its skinny vertical profile produces wicked slashing tail movement. Rattles to call ’em = jackpot:

Can now get the Tilly in a big 1-oz (3.5″) size if you wanna go donkey huntin’! Love the colors, internal rattle, no-hook front (for snaggy areas and so it doesn’t get hung up on the bottom of the ice) and has a reeeeally nice gliding action that covers a ton of real estate:

Okuma introduced 3 new series of walleye-specific rods: The Dead Eye Classic, Pro and Custom. Gotcha covered at any price range from $40 up to $130:

I’ve been using a pair of the 8′ 6″ M E-glass Classic Trolling Rods (just $40!!!) this summer and love ’em for bottom-bouncers, cranks, Off Shore Tackle planer boards, you name it. Lots more info on all 3 series in this video.

Bagley

Deep-diving crank made outta super-light balsa wood — magical stuff they’ve been using for 60+ years of making lures — to dive quicker and run truer. Has a special kinda dancing action you can’t duplicate with plastic:

BaitCloud

1. Inserts

Bass guys are shoving ’em inside their tubes, but some walleye-nuts like Mike Borovic are figuring out ways to attach ’em to their jigs using small rubber bands. Here’s the first public pic of ’em thanks to Mike:

2. InLine

Also have new scents for the BaitCloud InLine…lets you feed line straight through the fish-attracting ball, so you can get creative by: suspending it, pegging it down in current/waves, cast it around on a separate rod, rig it on your line above your bait and [insert creative idea here]:

Sounds like this makes BaitCloud technically legal to use in a few more states that require the attractant be “inline with your offering.” Check your local regs!

Bill Lewis

1. Rat-L-Trap

Several new series of colors coming: matte, glass and big bone. Too many to list ’em all here so how ’bout a sneak peak to hold you off (more info coming later):

2. MR-6

Compact 2.25″ body with an internal weight transfer for long-bomb casts. Flattened sides and tapered tail for extreme vibration on a tight wiggle. Buoyancy is perfectly balanced with a slow rise on the pause:

Even more new stuff!!!

Simms

1. Challenger Insulated Jacket + Bibs

Simms just dropped an insulated version of their Challenger Jacket + Bib that should be available in the next month or so. Big deal to me was that it didn’t limit movement — still have a full range of motion — ‘cuz we don’t all troll in the fall [casters rejoice]. Thing is toasty warm, crazy light [!] and of course waterproof. Funny lookin’ mannequin, eh?

Bonus look at the G3 Guide Pull-On Boot ^^^ rated to -40 and weighs just 2.69 lbs.

Berkley

1. Jointed Flicker Shads

Word is out…Berkley’s got Jointed Flicker Shads on the way. The new firetail patterns look tasty — “hot perch” and “black cougar” for sure caught my eye:

Package says the #7 size dives 7-9′, but the dive curve shows you can get ’em down to 17-19′ when 200′ back with 10-lb line.

Frabill

These (13- or 19-qt) Frabill Magnum Bait Stations looked solid: injection-molded base, 1″ of commercial-grade insulation and integrated 2-stage aerator. Water-tight so guess you can tip ’em on their side without leaking. I’ll take 2 please:

Played around with the “Power Extend” model for way longer than I’d like to admit lol. Has LED lights with a reflective hoop for night fishing, lift handle for hoisting in toads, and lots of other fishin’-friendly details…but my fav was the handle that extends out with the push of a button [shocked emoji]:

Lindy

1. Glow Spoons

Made from the same type of ABS material used in crankbaits. Pop a glow stick inside the bait and the entire thing glows — not just the glow stick — since light radiates in the color of the lure. Has tungsten rattles to weight ’em down and cause a ruckus:

More deets on sizes and how it works from Jon Thelen here:

T-H Marine

Lovin’ this gadget from T-H Marine called the Battery Terminal Multiplier. #DeClutter

If you’re like me and messy, unorganized anything gives you anxiety…you’ll love the Troll Jacket. No more electrical tape or zip ties? Yes please:

Of course can’t fit every cool new thing in a single email…so we’ll keep sprinkling ’em in upcoming Target Walleye/Ice emails. Thanks much for reading!

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Check this stuff out!

Who is Target Walleye/Ice

Target Walleye/Ice — walleye during open water and all species during hardwater — is brought to you by Al and Ron Lindner, Jim Kalkofen, Brett McComas and other diehard fish-nuts like you! #fishheads
Brett McComas is the main man for Target Walleye/Ice. 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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