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If you’re getting Target Walleye for the first time, a friend probably signed you up!
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…out on the water. Sure they let you see into the water better, but more importantly they can save you from getting a hook in the eye 😖:
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Oh, and they also protect your eyeballs from UV damage = so you don’t wind up like this pike posted by Bryan Paulson in the Fishing MN Facebook group:
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Plus, it’s been scientifically proven that you’ll catch more and bigger walleyes when fishing glassy-eyed. Okay, not really…but this guy says it’s true:
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Worked for these folks…
Erik Lennartz busted out the stunna shades 😎 and Pit Viper’d himself an 11-lber!
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Reese Mack ( @reese_mack03) was making the Lake Sakakawea gravel lizards see red last fall! Said he was “getting on the deep side of big schools of smelt with a Rapala Flat Jig.” And that he likes the Elliott Rods ES71M-XF for rip jigging because it has loads of power for those heavier baits, yet a lighter tip to keep fish pinned:
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Not sure what’s more purtty…? @gappy420’s aqua frames, his ‘stache, or that fatty golden walleye that scarfed a jig + leech:
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Unicorn walleyes are a thing?
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This one was pulled out of MB’s Dogskin Lake. Mikey Smith said in his post, “No scars…wasn’t ripped off…it was born this way.”
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Sorry Mikey, but don’t think that fish likes you very much…judging by the “thumbs up” (*cough*cough*) he’s giving you:
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Another unique dorsal fin on this one. Robert Ressen caught the 26″ Brainerd Lakes Area Alfalfa trolling a Rapala DT-10 at 1.8 mph:
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Hey bass-heads: The dorsal fin usually looks a bit more like this @lagrosseprise shot:
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“It used to be where somebody would spend their whole life learning a lake and getting really good at fishing…now I see people REALLY good at fishing in just 3, 4, 5 years.”
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That’s Jason Mitchell talking on Another Fishing Podcast about the biggest trends in fishing.
> “Used to be people were pretty tight lipped…if you wanted to know something you had to put in the time. Now you can YouTube anything and get pretty good information.”
Also thought it was interesting when he was chatting about how “the learning curve is accelerating” (thx to Side Imaging, LakeMaster chips, etc) but says that there’s still lots of stones left un-turned. Particularly when it comes to fishing shallow water (less than 10′) and that it’s still the most unknown stuff on the lake ‘cuz it doesn’t pop out at you on a map. Plus those fish are hard to graph ‘cuz they spook.
This is all from a short 6-min clip (below) they pulled outta their full 1-hour podcast with Jason Mitchell:
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Ross Robertson’s favorite spring walleye locations.
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From this MeatEater write-up:
> Walleyes’ exact location preferences seem to vary slightly from one body of water to another, but most of their preferred hiding places are strikingly similar. Walleyes tend to be in the current or places where food will predictably flow right to them. In the springtime, these areas also need to be in close proximity to spawning grounds.
Rivers
> Walleyes like current both for spawning and feeding, which makes rivers and sunken channels in reservoirs golden highways in the spring. Look for areas with a transition from hard to soft bottom, such as rock to sand. Spots with a current break or some type of slack water or eddy also play huge roles. Structure such as rock piles, wing dams, or hard bends in a river all fit this mold.
Structure
> Regardless of the lake’s size, rock piles and reefs play a crucial role in spawning. Think of a reef as both a cafeteria and playground. Spawning walleyes are often found near the crown or top of the structure. Staging or pre-spawn fish are typically found on the edges, whereas post-spawn fish are usually well outside the edges. It’s important to remember that the fish’s location relative to the reef is very much related to their activity level and desire to feed.
Flats
> Rivers and reefs are common knowledge to hardcore walleye chasers but flats often get overlooked. For this reason, these are my favorite type of location to target. Instead of playing bumper boats with a hundred other anglers or getting good at tying knots from jigs lost in the rocks, flats are a great place to fish comfortably. Look for hard bottoms formed by compacted sand with either a mix of gravel, cobble, or zebra mussels. The most productive flats can often be found outside of a river bend or near shore adjacent to a major point. Don’t be afraid to fish shallow. Sometimes shallow means 3 feet, other times it can mean 15.
Ross goes on to chat his favorite baits and techniques for catching spring ‘eyes here.
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Guess how many eggs a female walleye lays?
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Short answer: A bunch.
Longer answer:
> “Female walleye will lay 50K to 60K eggs for every 2.2 lbs of their body weight. This means that a 5-lb fish could lay up to 300K eggs. A 10-lber will produce over 500K!
> “Walleye are broadcast spawners, which means that the females drop their eggs out on the bottom and the males come along later…. The parents abandon their offspring and provide no protection for the little ones.
> “Only about 5-20% of the eggs actually hatch, and approximately 1 of every 10K survive to adulthood…why it’s important it is to release pre-spawn female walleye.”
Matt Foley approves of this message:
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Will forever and always love that ^ meme and use it any chance I get.
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1. Prayers to Chris Houston and fam.
Jimmy Houston posted a video saying his wife Chris had a brain aneurysm and stroke, and has not regained consciousness. 😔🙏 If you’re the praying type, please send a few their way.
Case you didn’t know, Chris actually helped form the first-ever all women’s bass club, The Tulsa Bass Belles, and won Miss Bass Belle multiple times. In 1987 she was inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, which made her the first woman to do it.
2. New federal kill switch law was effective Apr 1.
And it’s NOT just a Great Lakes thing like I’ve been seeing some write-ups saying…it applies to all USCG “Navigable Waters of the US”.
I can’t find a link for a complete list of all navigable waters (some here) so you’ll have to get on the Google machinez and search for your state/region. But will say you might be surprised what lakes are on those lists…even some smaller few-hundred-acre lakes which I wouldn’t have expected….
Basically if your boat is less than 26′ long and has a kill switch installed, you’ve gotta rock it anytime the boat is “on plane or above displacement speed.”
I’m actually surprised most states don’t require one be worn, like some do seat-belts. 🤷♂️ Never want to wear either, until you need ’em….
3. Head2Head Fishing still making moves.
They’ve now added Berkley, Fenwick, Abu Garcia, Ego, Walleye Nation Creations and more to their list of partners for the 2021 season. 🔥
Their new “Pro Walleye Series” kicks off Apr 9-16 on the Detroit River, MI.
4. AR/MO biologists collaborating on walleye study…
…to track the movements of 60 walleyes (implanted with transmitters) on Bull Shoals Lake.
5. OH: How they “socially distance” on the Maumee River.
Imo 6′ isn’t enough space when it comes to fishing:
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Also found it hilarious that this news reporter said it was “one of the only places…in the world to find walleye.” 😂😂😂 Okaaaayyyy.
6. IN folks want more walleyes stocked.
The DNR says walleyes are ALWAYS at the top of the list in surveys when asking folks about stocking. They stock walleyes in alternate years in northern lakes – were able to buy some private hatchery fish last year to get some fish stocked despite COVID shutting most things down – and sounds like they do dump fish into the Kokomo Reservoir yearly.
7. Did you know Berkley Fusion19 Bucktail jigs…
…have a double line tie? One off the nose for casting, and another on top for more-vertical presentations:
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8. Berkley + BoatUS offering $ for line and soft-plastic recycling ideas.
9. Fishbrian app gets $31 mil 🤯 more in funding.
> “The investment will be used to continue to scale up its user base and solidify its market-leading position as the top platform for sportfishing. The focus will be on expanding growth and outreach in Sweden and Norway. It will also use the financing to strengthen its engineering, product, marketing and sales teams at its HQ and product hub in Stockholm as well as hiring in the US and throughout Europe.
> A key focus of Fishbrain’s 2021 and 2022 development will be the growth of its one-of-a-kind marketplace, the fast-growing Fishbrain Shop, which has more than 80K products from over 300 of the world’s top brands, including Abu Garcia, PENN, O. Mustad & Son and Favorite Fishing.
10. Lund makes a muskie-specific boat.
Called the Lund Pro-V Musky. Can hold rods up to 10′ long, has dedicated muskie tackle bins, and there’s also a padded bow carpet option for your feets and back when making 10,000 casts:
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11. IL: Brunswick invests more in electronical schtuff.
Btw Brunswick owns MotorGuide:
> …announced a major expansion of its iJet Innovation Lab at the U of IL to support an acceleration of the Company’s ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity and Electrification) strategy….
> …the iJet lab was created to provide an opportunity for engineering, design and business students…to work closely with leaders at Brunswick to help shape the boating experience by leveraging the latest advancements in areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced electrical systems and UX/UI, including virtual/augmented reality.
12. Rapala breathes life into balsa.
Some interesting info in this blog post talking Rapala’s 85-yr history of making fish-catchers, and what makes their balsa baits “the deal.”
13. DC: Biden administration wants 30% of oceans off-limits to fishing…
…by 2030. This again comes from the UN’s 30×30/2030 plan. Reminder that a CA bill was floated about it last year that involved putting 30% of the state’s land and waters off-limits to everyone. Bass Pro Shops and others were against it.
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Some spring-time boat maintenance tips.
From the looks of things spring is (finally) here to stay in walleye country. As tempting as it is to just jump in the boat and hit the closest open water, running through your rig beforehand can save you money and headaches.
This oldie-but-goodie Wired2Fish write-up has a pile of helpful info if you’re wondering where to start. Few excerpts below:
Batteries
> It is very important to make sure that properly charged batteries have terminals covered and corrosion free – a drop or two of 3-in-1 oil can keep most deposits from forming. A small wire brush can be used to clean terminals and connections.
> …keep batteries filled but not overfilled…you can use battery acid that you can get at most automotive stores or as second option distilled water. NEVER use tap water in your batteries. It can shorten the battery life and may not provide a quality charge.
Trolling motor
> Remove the prop now and again to check for line on the shaft of the motor.
> We also lubricate and protect the foot, spring and head of the trolling motor after each trip. We use Cover-All Protectant for the non-moving parts and WD-40 for those that move and are outside the unit.
Livewells and sump
> Spring is a great time to wipe and vacuum out livewells and the sump area of the boat. Get all the loose particles from screens and from under bilge/livewell pumps.
> Rinse sump area with a light soap and flush. Never use soap in the livewell for obvious reasons – several companies have tank cleaners that don’t harm fish but will remove grime and residue.
Outboard
> It’s always good to start with a ‘fresh’ tank of gas each year but using Stabil or Sea Foam in old gas will make sure moisture is eliminated.
> …inspect your prop for dings or dents – most of the time these can be fixed by local prop repair guys for a fraction of the price of a new prop.
Full write-up here.
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Hope your weekend includes some non-cliche fishing pics. 😉
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This big ol’ broom-tail is exactly why Lake Erie should be on every walleye-nut’s hit list. Hope Thor Skoe ( @ofishal_thor) and the Fish Addictions crew let me know next time they’re heading that way 😜:
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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, Jim Kalkofen, Jay Kumar, 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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