Unicorn walleye caught, Shimmery perch a thing, Bro’s spinner tricks

Never know what I’m going to find in the Target Walleye email inbox, but usually a whole lot of fishy madness! This next one is definitely on the “out there” side of interesting….

Mike Cherniy caught this perch outta MN’s Cass Lake – you ever seen anything like it?!

Swear every time I open my inbox, I have a couple new photos of giant WA walleye waiting for me…which is an awesome problem to have HA! Here’s a couple of the most recent ones:

Paul Frenzel caught this 33.25″ [!!!] Columbia River GIANT snap-jigging a Phantom Tilly in 22′ near the Tri Cities. Said it was his “PB for length” which means he’s caught heavier. 🤯

Like I said before, anyone can catch a grown one, but it takes some real finesse to pull these off…. 😜

One of my favorite Berkley Flicker Series colors is the “firetail hot perch” color, and I see TW reader Nathan Reiner and I have similar taste:

Welllll, I got a message from Daryl Bauer, the fisheries outreach program manager with NE Game & Parks Commission, who knows a whoooole lot more ’bout that kind of stuff than I ever will. Love when he reaches out on these things!

> Daryl: Those odd-colorations can be caused by some sort of injury, or deformity that might have resulted from an injury.

> In the second pike photo…you will also notice that pike had a bit of a crooked back. Likely, that fish has experienced some sort of spinal injury and that in turn has resulted in the odd-coloration. The injury probably also affected nerves and likely the spinal cord.

> Fish coloration is “plastic” and can change quite easily, but some type of injury to the nervous system can impact how that all works.

> Anyway, it is amazing how resilient those wild creatures are – in spite of a rough life they still find a way to survive. It also points out how careful we need to be when handling fish that are going to be released! My $0.02-worth. Love Target Walleye!

Thanks much, Daryl!!! 👊

1. MN: Mille Lacs fall walleye harvest slot relaxed.

Of course that’s “relaxed” by Mille Lacs standards:

Here’s why:

> “With actual state angler catch rates and harvest significantly lower than expected, we’re adjusting the regulation to provide more opportunity without significant risk to the long-term sustainability of Mille Lacs’ walleye population.”

Here’s what:

> Beginning Thurs, Sept 1…anglers will be able to harvest ONE walleye from 20-23″, or 1 longer than 26″, with fishing allowed from 6am to midnight.

> “Given the current size structure of Mille Lacs’ walleye population, this regulation change will meaningfully increase the amount of walleye available for anglers to harvest [there’s zillions of 20” walleyes in there]. Catch rates may not improve this season, but there will be a better chance to keep a fish.

> “The recent lower catch rate of walleye in Mille Lacs Lake is less a reflection of the number of walleye in the lake than it is how hungry those fish are. The number of walleye longer than 14” has been similar each year from 2020 to 2022. But an abundance of yellow perch from a strong 2020 yr class has created more natural food for walleye, which consequently are not as willing to bite on anglers’ baits.

> Walleye regs for the winter season (begins Dec. 1) will be announced in Nov.

2. MN: It took nearly a 10-lb average to win…

…the 7th-annual Warrior Boats David A. Andersen Memorial Walleye Shootout on Lake of the Woods.

Nate Gilkey and Dan Pfeifer got the ‘dubyah’ in this catch-measure-release derby with 5 waldos for 49.37 lbs. 😳 That’s 5 fish of a lifetime, in a single day, during a tournament!

Amazing. 👏👏👏

3. The 2023 MWC schedule is out.

• Mar 17-18: Illinois River – Spring Valley, IL
• Apr 21-22: Lake Erie/Detroit River – Monroe, MI
• May 5-6: Mississippi River – Redwing, MN
• Jun 16-17: Lake Erie – Cleveland, OH
• Jul 21-22: Bay of Green Bay – Oconto, WI
• Aug 25-26: Lake Francis Case – Wagner, SD
• Sep 15-16: Cass Lake – Cass Lake, MN

Qualifying teams from the 2023 MWC tournament season will get to fish the 2024 World Walleye Championship on Lake Huron out of Alpena, MI.

4. WI: Dylan Peotter and Anthony Englebert = AIM TOY.

After winning 3 events in 2022, including the WI state championship on Lake Winnebago last weekend. Congrats fellas!

5. MN: Dylan Maki and Joe Bricko won the Lake Vermillion AIM.

These dudes are up there in every event they fish. 🔨s

6. MN: Starry stonewort found in a couple new lakes.

Bowen Lake in Cass County and Turtle River Lake in Beltrami County.

Friendly reminder that despite how it sounds, “starry stonewort” is an invasive algae…not a Harry Potter character:

It was first confirmed in 2015 and has now spread to at least 21 MN lakes.

> …looks similar to native aquatic plants and can form dense mats, which can interfere with lake use and compete with native plants. It is most likely spread when fragments have not been properly cleaned from trailered boats, personal watercraft, docks, boat lifts, anchors or other water-related equipment.

> In late summer and early fall, starry stonewort’s small white star-shaped bulbils become more visible, making it easier to distinguish from other aquatic plants.

And ‘cuz I’m a visual learner too:

7. MN: Karl’s is hiring at their new Mall of America location.

For an Assistant Store Manager and Store Associates.

8. T-H Marine bought Ocean Bio-Chem.

This is T-H Marine’s third acquisition of 2022 and its 17th add-on acquisition overall.

> “Ocean Bio-Chem…a leading supplier and distributor of appearance, cleaning, and maintenance products for the marine industry and the automotive, powersports, recreational vehicles, and outdoor power equipment markets.”

> …OBCI manufactures, markets, and distributes a broad portfolio of products under the Star brite, Star Tron, Odor Star and other brand names.

> …OBCI will function as a standalone division of T-H Marine that will continue to operate at its current facilities in Fort Lauderdale, Montgomery, and Netherlands.

9. 21,000 fish died at CA univ. research center.

Green and white sturgeon, as well as the endangered Chinook salmon. The northern CA university’s aquatic research center believes the loss was due to “chlorine exposure, to which fish are especially sensitive….”

10. UT: How fish hatcheries adapt to drought.

11. MN: DNR + USFWS using eDNA to learn about invasive carp.

> …using environmental DNA (or eDNA) technology to detect invasive carp in the St. Croix, Mississippi and Minnesota rivers.

> …eDNA is DNA released from an organism into the environment that is detectable at very low concentrations.

> While eDNA results are not conclusive evidence that invasive carp were present, eDNA is another helpful tool the DNR and partner agencies are using to learn more about invasive carp movements…

> …cannot determine whether the DNA came from a living fish or another source such as bird feces or a fish carcass. It also does not determine when the DNA was deposited in that area….

I still don’t really get it lol. 🥴

12. Did you enter our Acme + Kalin’s Giveaway yet?!

Have a shot at winning this $350 spread of fishy goodness from Acme Tackle and Kalin’s!

Including the deadly Acme Hyper-Rattle 🥵, NEW Rattlin’ Spinner Rigs, and of course more baits ‘cuz you can never have enough…am I right? 👊

Takes just 10 sec to enter and can share the link you get for bonus entries. Good luck!

12-yr-old makes her mark in tournament walleye fishing.

Love to see it.

Brian “Bro” Brosdahl’s late-summer walleye tips.

From MidWest Outdoors:

The Bromeister loves pulling spinner rigs for late-summer walleyes ‘cuz A) they’re a great way to cover water, B) there’s lots of ways to fish ’em and C) he can switch up components to dial in the bite:

> There’s a time during Aug in many lakes where fish are on top of structures on both the outside edge and inside edge of the cabbage weeds.

> Fish like flats in the summer and will concentrate near the patches of chara, gravel and rocks on the flats. These areas will hold a mixture of forage – including minnows and crayfish, which are a large part of their summer diets.

> Spinners give the bait some lift…helps keep the baits off the bottom and out of the weeds. Also send out vibrations fish can feel along their lateral lines and help them target the baits in lakes with limited visibility.

> Pick up the speed on the flats to cover more water and put baits in front of more fish…gives fish [less time] to decide whether to strike at the bait or let it pass by.

> Larger leeches can be hard to find late in the season…[try using] 2 small- to medium-size leeches on spinner rigs instead….

> I often use Northland’s 1.5- to 2-oz bottom-bouncer with either a 2-hook spinner rig with a nightcrawler, or a single Slow Death hook for either nightcrawlers or leeches.

> Stained-water lakes give anglers a better chance to catch walleyes during the day…even when faced with less than favorable conditions.

“Fishing for some pike and we had a little oops. Nothing like a 26″ walleye slamming a Medusa to wake you up!”

– That’s central-MN guide Nate Berg talking about this awesome bycatch:

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH