It’s still crazy to me how lakes/systems can fish so differently from one another when they’re only a couple of hours – or even just a few miles! – down the road.

Most of the water I fish around Brainerd, MN is ultra-clear and heavily pressured. Some days they’ll eat the “fake stuff” or even prefer it...but a lot of the time folks are forced to fish extra finesse-y with nightcrawlers, leeches or minnows just to get bit.

For a little change of pace...a couple buddies and I zipped up to Sunset Country Outfitters on Rainy Lake (MN/CAN border) to fish for a couple of days, and holy smokes was that a whole new world. Bigger, gawdier baits actually outfished the finesse options in Rainy Lake’s tannin-stained water. SO much fun!

My best bait ended up being the Rapala CrushCity Freeloader rigged on a 3/8- or 1/2-oz VMC Boxer Jig. Funny enough, the Freeloader wasn't even designed for walleye fishing (I believe it was originally made to be used as a trailer on the back of bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, Scrounger Jigheads, etc) but that didn’t stop plus-sized walleyes from absolutely inhaling it!

Of course the weather was freakin’ NASTY for about 75% of the time we had available to fish with rain, 25-30 mph gusts, and a massive cold front with a low of 46°F to kick off our first morning...but the fish were still chewing!

My aunt Lisa (Hi, Lisa!) had this strange, heavy thing float up to her dock in northern MN, and was puzzled by what it could be:

Ummmm...me too!

At first glance, it could either be a decade-old travel neck pillow...or maybe just leftover fruit cake that was discarded after a Christmas get-together LOL.

But I did some digging, and apparently it’s a big gelatinous ball that’s made up of "bryozoans." Here’s some more info from the MN DNR:

> During the late months of summer, gelatinous balls of various size are commonly seen in ponds and streams in MN. These balls are usually attached to objects such as dock pilings or rocks.

> What folks are likely seeing are colonies of bryozoans, says DNR aquatic invertebrate biologist Gary Montz. These microscopic animals, sometimes referred to as moss animals, make jellylike tubes and attach themselves to sticks, rocks, and other submerged objects. They connect their tubes together into colonies that can be as big as a volleyball. The animals themselves live in the tubes and extend their tentacles out to capture even smaller microscopic organisms for food.

> Each fall the bryozoans begin to die off, but create overwintering "eggs" that will form new colonies the next year. When the colony is dying, gas produced by decomposition may cause it to float loose, sending gelatinous globs floating down the river.

> Montz says bryozoans are quite common in many Minnesota waters, ranging from large rivers to lakes to small ponds. They are not toxic, venomous, or harmful. They don't really seem to cause problems for people, except for the "ick" factor and occasionally clogging underwater screens or pipes.

> "Just another of the really strange life forms that are in our waters that most people don't even know exist," Montz says.

And also:

> Some freshwater varieties are considered useful indicators of water quality. Scientists say they like water that is eutrophic (rich in nutrients which cause excessive growth of aquatic plants). Freshwater bryozoans live in colonies and can get as big as basketballs. Since they’re aquatic animals, they digest microscopic creatures like plankton by filtering water. They’ve been around 400-500 million years.

Wild! Now you (we ) know!

Gotta give props to northern-MN hammer TJ Erickson on kicking out some incredible YouTube content. He does a GREAT job of explaining the “how” and “why” in his videos, and not just the “what” like most other folks.... He always includes lots of map examples, shows his electronics so you can see what he’s seeing, and walks you thru his approach and the decision-making process.

His newest YT video does a great job of breaking down mid-lake structure for summertime walleyes:

Keep doing your thing, man!

1. OH: Cheating fisherman’s boat sold at auction.

The winning bid was $82K with a final price of $96,288.50, including fees and taxes.

> “With this money, the Division of Wildlife will purchase a new Lake Erie law enforcement patrol vessel for Ohio Wildlife Officers.”

2. WI: Chippewa tribes spear 38,832 walleyes during 2024 szn.

> Tribal spearers from WI’s 6 Chippewa tribes across the ceded territory reported a near-record 38,832 walleyes during an extended spring spearing season in 2024.

> The total this year raises the 5-yr average to 33,215 walleyes, which is the highest total over any period of that length since treaty-based privileges were reinstated through federal court rulings in 1983.

In case you’re curious, it sounds like state anglers typically harvest about 8x as many fish (a quarter million) in the same region...

3. NY: July Lake Erie angler survey out.

> Walleye fishing is on fire on Lake Erie right now. In July, anglers caught over 9 walleye per boat trip, with 1 in 4 anglers getting their 6-walleye limit.

4. MI: EPA studies mining waste barrel cleanup in U.P.

> In Sept, federal contractors will begin a pilot cleanup project in Torch Lake near Houghton, where hundreds of scattered metal barrels with leftover copper mining waste have littered the Upper Peninsula lakebed for decades.

> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to figure out the best method for removing the drums, as well as other debris and contaminated sediment which are helping drive fish consumption advisories for species like bass, pike and walleye.

5. MN: Lake sturgeon are naturally spawning...

...in the Red River Basin for the first time in over 100 yrs. Super cool!

6. WI: Hook-and-line sturgeon szn opens Sept 7.

7. NY’s updating its threatened and endangered species list.

Hasn't been touched since 1999.

8. New study spotlights ways to retain anglers and boaters…

...before they quit.

9. Voting is open for the Anglers’ Choice Award.

ICAST (the annual fishing biz trade show) has a “New Product Showcase” each year where companies show-off their new fishing products, and industry folks vote for their favorite “Best of Category” (there’s 41) and overall “Best of Show” award. That has already happened – the 2024 winners are here.

Now there’s a dealio where non-industry folks can vote for their favorite new products (from the 41 category winners) for the ICAST 2024 Anglers’ Choice Best of Show Award. Voting will be online thru ICAST’s website thru midnight on Sat, Aug 24. Heads up you do need to create an account to cast your vote.

10. HUK partnered with with Montana Knife Company.

11. MT: Pending state-record Chinook salmon caught.

Out of Fort Peck Rez, which apparently has BIG everything:

> James Fauth...was just hoping the $29 Walmart rod-and-reel setup his Uncle Vern gifted him 15 yrs ago was up to the task. The original 20-lb line was still on the reel, and he’d only used it a few times before then.

> ...the chinook kept maxing out the market’s small scales. Finally, a staff member found a big enough scale for the fish, which weighed 32.62 lbs. It measured 38” long with an astonishing 28” girth.

> James has not been officially notified by the state that his record catch has been certified. But he’s certain the catch will top the previous state record of 32.05 lbs, caught by Greg Haug in 2020. That fish also came from Fort Peck, which is home to a population of landlocked chinook thanks to continued stocking efforts by MFWP.

12. WV: Record channel catfish caught on Barbie rod.

> John Tyler Rutherford reeled in a 43.51” long, 46.70-lb channel catfish...using his daughter's little $9.99 pink fishing rod and worms....

13. IN: Spotted gar record smashed...

...on Rivir Lake in Chain O’Lakes State Park:

> Kyle Hammond reeled in the 9-lb, 11-oz gar...using a spinning rod/reel with a white Zoom fluke...pulled the fish into his kayak.

14. WY: New state-record tiger trout.

> A soft-spoken 13-year-old Kemmerer boy set the new tiger trout state record in late July when he landed a 12.77-lb fish from Viva Naughton Reservoir.

> The WY Game and Fish wrote that Jaxon Krall shattered the previous record of 11.93 lbs, which was also caught at Viva Naughton by Owen Schaad of Cheyenne in 2023. 

> Krall’s fish was 31.25” long and had a 16.75” girth. He caught the fish from shore on a Thomas Buoyant lure.

15. MN: 18 new DNR conservation officers graduate from Academy.

Random factoid: I was interested in being a conservation officer when I was growing up. Then I took one of those career aptitude tests in high school...it said I would be a good fit, but at the end it basically said there were something like 10,000+ people applying for every 1 job opening, which of course scared me off!

Covering water for summertime walleyes.

> "This episode of AnglingBuzz is all about summertime trolling tactics. We’ll visit with several great anglers learning different strategies, tips, and tactics for trolling. To begin the show we’ll join Mike Hehner as he shares some of his walleye trolling knowledge to help you find and catch more fish. Afterwards we’ll join Minnesota guide Tony Roach as he shares his favorite lure to troll with for walleyes. Then we’ll join Captain Jarrid Houston as he shares some tips and strategies for pulling spinners and bottom-bouncers"

If you ever see walleyes scattered all over out deep – with no structure to hold ’em in one spot – you want this dude fighting on your side:

Congrats to Cassie Pelo on crushing her PB walleye with this 12.56-lb (33”) behemoth! Those Montana walleyes are just built differently!

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026