Sorry I missed you on Wednesday. Got hit with the flu out of nowhere and was out of commission for a couple of days.  Let’s get back after it…
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Complete rattlebait breakdown.
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Oh how quickly bites can change. Warm temps came, and we went from super fussy fish…to instead having them blow past live minnows to absolutely INHALE our #5 Rapala Rippin’ Raps. No doubt my favorite way to catch walleyes thru the ice.
In the newest Target Walleye Youtube video I do a complete rattlebait breakdown for targeting clear-water, pressured walleyes: Locations, jigging cadence, sizes, colors, rod/reel/component setup, my #1 modification, the list goes on. Everything I could possibly think of to hopefully help you gain confidence in adding ‘em to your walleye ice fishing arsenal. Because when the rattlebait bite is on, it’s on!
And don’t worry, there’s a pile of fish catches mixed in. I hope you dig it!
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Btw all the specific gear I used is linked in the video’s description. Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and leave a comment over on YouTube!
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Community hole problems aren’t just a walleye fishing thing!
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Wonder if boats moved in closer after the dude on the bottom right caught one? 
Btw the background looks a little different behind Scott Martin, who’s leading the 216-boat derby….
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Time to spew some random thoughts/rant of the day….
I used to fish quite a few bass derbies back in the day, but now I just hop in a random week-night bass league here and there. Since I’ve been fishing more walleye events, my absolute biggest gripe has been how it’s normal for boats to fish right on top of each other.
Growing up fishing bass tournaments that was super frowned upon. If someone was fishing a shoreline or break you wanted in on, you would only pull in behind them (never in front of them) and always give them a TON of room, or head to a different spot and come back later after they were gone.
Walleye folks seem to have no problem sliding right in just 20-30’ away (sometimes closer). The only thing my tiny little brain can think of is that walleye fishing used to primarily be a vertical fishing thing. Vertical jigging minnows, hovering on top of fish with Lindy Rigs, vertically ripping Jigging Raps, etc. Folks lines were mostly straight up and down.
I’ve never really fished that way. I’ve always been a “caster” which is probably thanks to growing up primarily being a bass fisherman.
Add in clearer water with zebra mussels, spooky fish from all of the pressure, and walleyes just flat-out (usually) being more difficult to catch than bass…and the last thing I want is to be right on top of them so they know I’m there.
All of this has been confirmed to me since spending thousands of hours behind FFS. Of course you can still catch fish right under the boat when everything is set up just right. But most of the bites I’ve been on – to catch the most fish possible and the biggest from the batch – I need to be far enough away that they don’t know I’m around.
I prefer that number to be 70’+ away from the fish. My panic meter goes off when they start getting between 40’ and 30’ away from the boat. I’ve just seen SO many fish shut down, or turn around and swim the other way once you’re barely a couple boat lengths away from ‘em.
But 70-100’ must still feel like a country mile for a lot of walleye folks because it seems like every time I’m sitting that far off of a school of fish or specific structure, a boat slides in and parks right on top of what I was actually casting at lol.
Usually I’ll just pack up and head to a different spot and let them have it (the spot, not my words hahaha). But there are plenty of tourney folks who also take advantage of that and will try to push boats out of spots on purpose, even if they weren’t there for the first 45 minutes of catching….
I don’t own the water. No one does! And I’m not trying to be a big crybaby about it lol. Just spewing some random thoughts and observations of some of the differences I’ve seen as someone who has fished both bass and walleye tourneys.
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One other big difference I have noticed between bass vs walleye tournaments – around here anyways – is that walleye tournaments are usually won on community spots, whereas bass tournaments not so much.  But man, nothing is more special than when you can find the right fish biting while doing something, somewhere, that no one else is…. And that’s what always keeps me coming back.
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When Jigging Raps bite back….
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I’ve been stung by a Rapala Jigging Rap before – things are sticky sharp! – but luckily there’s never been multiple assailants. 
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That pic is of Eric Kracke aka “Edward Jigging Rap Hands” getting himself in quite the predicament.
WARNING: If you get queasy easy, you might wanna skip this next pic…reminds me of a Saw movie.  Youch!
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This is one example of why you should always, ALWAYS carry a pair of side cutters with you (whether fishing on the boat or ice) to easily snip the hook off of the bait.
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If you’ve ever tried to do it with regular pliers, you know it’s a nightmare and will usually do more harm than good. Stay safe out there!
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As if folks aren’t already glued to their screens enough…
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…thanks to forward-facing sonar, check out this awesome distraction:
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That’s the crew from HITEC Outdoors getting their big screen on using the HDMI input on their Humminbird APEX 19. They were staying caught up on the game   while down at the Louisville Boat, RV & Sportshow…and believe it or not that bad boy is actually rigged on a Hobie Pro Angler 14 kayak. #aggressive
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Are subwoofers the new HydroWave? 
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Brainerd Jaycee’s Ice Extravaganza going virtual.
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It’s the largest charity ice fishing tourney in the world. Typically has 10,000+ people fishing [!] and held on Gull Lake near Brainerd, MN. But due to the ice conditions they’ve had to switch things up:
> “We decided to pivot into something that we think is going to be fun, and still bring people into the Brainerd lakes area,” said Katherine Thoennes, chairwoman for Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza.
> In a news release Thurs, Jan. 25, the Jaycee’s said the Extravaganza will transition to a hybrid model for the Feb 3 contest using the FishDonkey app at any Brainerd area lake.
> “OFFICIAL MAP: The Lakes within the blue lines are the lakes approved for the 2024 Brainerd Jaycees Hybrid Ice Fishing Extravaganza!”
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> Contestants will be able to fish from 8 am to 2 pm Feb 3 with prizes to be handed out afterwards at Baxter’s Fleet Farm to the top 150 spots.
> “We are keeping those 150 prizes in the top 150 spots,” Thoennes said. “We are randomizing them a bit just to try and keep the integrity of our tournament. So this year is 2024 and that pickup truck is falling into 24th place.”
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> Fish caught will need to be photographed using the Fish Donkey app and not through photos in a phone’s library.
> “Once they get that beauty on the line, they’re going to need a trophy shot of their fish,” Thoennes said. “They will need a measurement shot with their fish up against that bump board. And we would still really prefer a live release video because we are a live release tournament.”
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We mentioned this last week, but there’s way more details and info to help you out on their site, the FAQ page, tournament reminders, and lots of updates on their FB page.
Remember: This is a charity event. They have raised and donated over $4.3 mil to more than 75 different charities since the event has started! Props to all involved for doing their best to still make this event happen despite all the hoops to jump.
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1. NE: Ice fisherman saved after breaking thru.
> “As soon as the man fell in, Travis McIntosh ran over to where his belongings were lying and grabbed his ice fishing tent. Roughly 7’ long and already collapsed, McIntosh held one end of the tent in his hand and reached the tent out toward the man in the water.”
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Quick thinking! 
2. MN: New barotrauma studies happening.
If you’ve been following along with all of the “barotrauma drama”    you’ll probably like to know that the DNR has been back out conducting new barotrauma studies on crappies caught out of deep water, and using some additional techniques: descending devices to get fish back down to depth, following released fish with multiple forward-facing sonar units, and even deploying an underwater drone. 
None of this stuff is final – it sounds like we can expect the compiled data and a video next season – but there’s some interesting initial observations and comments in this video from the Sporting Journal Radio crew:
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3. ND: 4000+ compete in annual Devils Lake tournament.
Proceeds from the tourney are used to buy equipment for the Devils Lake Volunteer Fire Dept = awesome.
4. WI: Ice fishing portion of ‘Battle on Bago’ called off…
…due to poor ice conditions.
5. MT: 39th-annual Walleyes Unlimited Banquet, Feb 3.
At Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls.
6. NY: $140 mil generated because of fishing tournaments?
> Meissner said state officials indicated that the tournaments have generated $140 mil of revenue for communities along the St Lawrence River due to the river “becoming so famous” as a result of the tournaments.
7. MN: DNR wants your input on fisheries mgmt plans…
…for 112 MN lakes across 34 counties.
> “These plans establish fisheries management goals and objectives for each lake and define the work fisheries biologists do each year. Plans aren’t complete without observations and input from a lake’s stakeholders.”
> People who want to discuss any of the individual fisheries listed below must call or email the area fisheries office listed for each lake during February.
> The DNR wants input from anyone interested in these fisheries. Comments about preferred experiences, observations or general concerns about the fishery – rather than suggestions on how DNR might accomplish a specific goal or objective – are the most helpful kinds of input.
Some questions to consider include:
- “What kind of fishing experience are you looking for?”
- “Are there fish habitat concerns you’d like to share?”
- “What kinds of fish do you like to catch?”
- “Do you like catching big fish or a lot of fish?”
- “Do you have social concerns about the fishery?”
The contact info (email and phone number) is listed next to each lake here on the DNR website.
8. ND: 54th-annual Bismarck Tribune Sport Show, Feb 8-10.
Several walleye pros will be doing seminars, including: Tom Huynh, Jason Przekurat, Zach Axtman, Kurt Schirado and Jason Wright. Here’s the seminar schedule.
9. PA: Susquehanna fish kill under investigation.
> Downstream from the warm-water discharge from the Brunner Island Steam Electric Plant, a hybrid coal-natural gas generating station, when he noticed something strange.
> At about 2:30 pm….the water temperature dropped from 48 degrees to 40 degrees in a very short amount of time. It was unusual, he said, and could be fatal to fish. From his experience, it could have only been caused by Brunner Island, perhaps a shutdown that closed the spigot on the warm water discharge. He also noticed a shiny oil slick spreading on the surface.
> He reported his observations to the state Fish & Boat Commission and to Ted Evgeniadis, the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, and further investigation showed that whatever happened resulted in killing hundreds – perhaps thousands – of fish, including channel catfish, large- and smallmouth bass and suckers, floating, belly-up on the river’s frigid surface.
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This isn’t a “paid spot” or commercial or anything, the stuff is just that good. I couldn’t find any in town when I ran out last time, so I grabbed a few bags from some other brands. They’re fine, I mean I’ll eat them. I’ve tried adding my own seasonings, crackers, etc to the other stuff to get by and it just doesn’t cut it. Nothing has been the same ever since getting spoiled by the tastiness of Catch + Cook coated fish.
Used to only be available in Canada but they’ve since made a solid push into the US. Do yourself a favor and try a bag, BUT I already warned you that it will ruin your current go-to options….
Almost feel bad for the next 15-17” walleye I catch ‘cuz I know RIGHT where they’re going:
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Yup, this is real life…. Have a shot at winning this Garmin LiveScope Plus Ice Fishing Bundle LI! The term “game changer” gets thrown around a lot in the fishing industry, but LiveScope Plus is SERIOUSLY mind-blowing stuff!
Allows you to see fish swimming in real time  I have learned soooo much from watching the fish’s moods in how they’re reacting (or not reacting lol) to the presentation. Drill a single hole and scan for fish/structure in ANY direction, see which way the fish are moving, and know exactly where to drill your next hole to stay on ’em = yes please! 
And the new LiveScope Plus (LVS34 transducer) kicks things up another notch with…
> “…35% more target separation over the existing system [which is already insane] with sharper resolution, reduced noise and Garmin’s clearest images.
> “…capable of identifying and separating targets as small as 14” at distances 100′ from the boat [or ice hole] so anglers can see exactly what they need to with improved stitching, reduced noise and fewer on-screen artifacts….”
Bonus points for “LI,” meaning lithium battery = lighter and longer runtime.
Takes 10 seconds to enter by clicking the pic below, and can share the link you get for bonus entries. Good luck!
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Fishing the shady vs sunny side of mud flats. 
The @iceteamfishing crew was posting a bunch of Instagram stories yesterday while chasing walleye on Mille Lacs Lake in MN. Btw Instagram “stories” disappear after 24 hours, so I quickly screen recorded this little nugget so that I could share it with y’all…because it’s an interesting something I’ve only heard talked about maybe one other time in 10-ish years….
> Guide Kyle Lynn: “We’re fishing the shadows of the flats. With the morning sun just coming up, it’s casting a big shadow. On these mudflats you can have some 4’, 5’, 6’ rises and we’re finding these walleyes are cruising the inside of the mudflats in the shadow – they’re not wanting to relate to the sunny side of it. Watch the sun, pay attention to the ledges, and fish the shadows….”
Super interesting! And something I think 99.9% of folks probably pay zero attention to.
Clearly it’s been working for Kyle:
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It’s Groundhog Day, so in case you haven’t heard the rodent’s forecast…just check out this gem posted by XTR Fishing Charters on FB:
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No doubt this shot from @2b.fishing is bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘golden hour.’ 
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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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Who is Target Walleye
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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422 Laurel Street
P.O. BOX 541
Brainerd, MN 56401
(218) 824 5026
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