Rippin’ Rap walleyes on LiveScope, Stubbiest fish ever, Rattle reel hookset tip

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If you’re getting Target Walleye for the first time, a friend probably signed you up!

Today’s Top 5

Rapala Rippin’ Rap walleyes on early-ice (LiveScope first-timer).

Sometimes bigger is better, especially during early-ice when oxygen levels are high and fish are hot-to-trot. Can be a great time of year to bust out the rattlebaits (😏 not just a Lake Winnipeg thing). Don’t be afraid to try ’em on your local watering holes.

These Midwesterners were chowing a #6 Rapala Rippin’ Rap in the “helsinki shad” color. Noticed lots of tiny shiners on the electronics and even being spat up in the hole, so I added a #6 VMC Bladed Hybrid Treble to the front belly hook because it had that same profile/flash — 🎯 they were lovin’ it!

Btw for most “regular” lakes around me, I’d probably drop down to a #5 Rapala Rippin’ Rap. And if I lived in some place like Manitoba, I wouldn’t be afraid to kick it up to the BIG #7 when things are hot. Always let the fish tell you what they want, or don’t want.

SK walleyes are built…differently….

Unbelievable how big they can grow in SK’s Last Mountain Lake — lot of folks waaaay up derr hardly consider a 10-lber a really big one! Makes sense when it’s kicking out little butterballs of this stature:

Imagine that one when it’s 30″ long! 🤯

That stubby little feller was caught by Last Mountain Lake guide Layne Maier. Dude sticks some absolute giants all year-round.

Layne said there’s been a big bait shortage up there this year — having a tough time getting minnows or even mealworms — so he’s been playing around with lots of artificials.

I came across a vid of him from a week-ish back trying something a little off-the-wall through the ice: A 1/4-oz Berkley Snap Jig paired with a 3″ Gulp! Minnow. #Worked

Bonus points for getting footage of ’em eating underwater on his MarCum Pursuit HD:

Know what I’ll be doing this weekend…

…after coming across this post from Scott Mackenthun:

> Scott: “A couple trim screws, a jigsaw, tin snips, and a hammer and you are good to go. Interesting medium differences in old versus new license plates. I love all fish, but figured I better stick to the MN state fish. Another addition to the man cave.”

LOVE it! Scott said he got the inspiration from @codyrichardsonscreations on Insta — guy posts and sells some incredible pieces of outdoorsy license-plate art.

Diehard Lund owner spotting.

Came across this pic posted in the Lund Boat Owner’s FB group — dude had a mailbox done-up to match his rig, and his last name (which is actually Lund!). How cool is that?

Flash-bite walleyes are frustrating.

Where I’m at in central MN you’ve got about a 30- to 40-minute window at sunrise and sunset where you can consistently catch walleyes…outside of that = good luck! 🤬

Of course there’s exceptions to that, which is something I’m gonna try to tackle at some dang point this ice season.

Fishy disclaimer: Sorry for the hot-garbage audio and lack of catching in this video. Can’t always be a “fish hero” so this vid is a bit of a reality check (for me). Most folks only show the highs of fishing on camera, but there’s way more “downer” days and tough bites than there are good ones. #TheStruggleIsReal

News

1. Remember: It’s still early.

Despite what the calendar says, gotta thoroughly check those ice conditions. Especially now that there’s likely some snow on top and can no longer eyeball “problem spots.”

I’ve been seeing all sorts of horror stories with people, ATVs, vehicles, you name it…breaking through the ice, and not everyone has made it out alive. 🙏 Prayers to the families that have lost loved ones this season.

2. Bass Pro Shops is buying Sportsman’s Warehouse.

The merger has already been unanimously approved by the Sportsman’s Warehouse board of directors and is expected to close in the back half of 2021.

The deal is valued at around $800 mil (cash, no financing). Btw “mil.” is short for MILLION…. Chump change for these heavy hitters:

Comes 3-ish years after Bass Pro acquired their top rival, Cabela’s, for a cool $5.5 BILLION.

3. Hoyer’s “Shivering” in December?!

Not from the cold…talkin’ the Moonshine Shiver Minnow:

> John Hoyer: “The only thing I was doing a little different [from working the bait in the summertime] was holding the bait on a tight line to coast to the bottom a lot more often.

> One of the most important things I’ve learned recently about these cold-blooded fish is the actual # on your water-temp gauge is not nearly as important as the temperature trend. These fish — like a lot of fish — were in a good mood and plenty acclimated to the low water temps…making a pretty aggressive presentation exactly what needed to be done to trigger them into biting.”

Awesome. I would’ve never even thought to try one. Always learning!

4. ND to stock record # of walleyes in 2021.

Looking to keep the momentum going after another banner year:

> 180 lakes were stocked in 2020 with more than 12 mil walleye fingerlings across ND, both numbers being records for the agency. In total, 30 lakes received a first-time stocking of walleyes….

5. Heads up!

Those Okuma Baitfeeder spinning reels (both the Ceymar and Avenger) have been a hot commodity again this ice season, and selling out everywhere. Just saw that FishUSA got another round of each in stock in the smaller ice-fishing sizes.

If you’ve never seen a “baitfeeder” spinning reel, they are THE DEAL for set-lines or deadsticks. Lets you disengage the spool so the fish can run — then just flip the switch and your normal drag is engaged again = never miss a beat on the hookset:

If I had to pick one size for my walleye setups, it’d be the CBF-1000 or ABF-1000 size.

6. WA: Electric outboard maker gets big investment.

> Pure Watercraft…closed a total Series A financing of $37.5 mil, including a previously-announced $23.4 mil. The oversubscribed funding round was led by L37, a hybrid venture capital and private equity firm. L37 Managing Partner Randall Ussery will join Pure Watercraft’s board of directors.

Looks like this is L37’s first outdoor investment. Pure Watercraft site is here.

7. IA has a couple free online ice-fishing courses.

If you’re new to the sport or know someone looking to get into it.

8. Birthday cakes are cool and all…

…but I’m seriously digging these cookies Geoff Barnes’s (@barners204) wife had done-up for his birthday…since they don’t make cakes that can fit THAT many candles 😉:

9. Last chance to get in on…

…our $350 Acme Tackle + Beaver Dam giveaway! Including ice-fishing rods, a bulletproof Beaver Dam Tip-Up, and of course more baits ’cuz you can never have enough…am I right? 👊

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

Tip of the Day

How long to let ’em eat on rattle reels…

…before setting the hook. Age-old question — here’s Brad Hawthorne’s take:

Quote of the Day

“When the bait shows you some love.”

– That’s @kevinwhitmorefishing’s caption under this Instagram pic:

Dude better head back there on Feb 14 ❤️ and maybe the fish’ll show him some love.

Today’s ‘Eye Candy

Nope, this isn’t an open-water rod…it’s Will Pappenfus putting a big ol’ panfishy bend in his Elliott “Evolution Series” 44UL-XF — a killer “on the move” crappie rod:

Sweet shot! And not staged…resulted in a(nother) mega ‘pie plate — dude always seems to be on ’em:

Parting Shot

This sick Joshua Schave snap of a “Minnesota Lambo” is giving me all sorts of ice-rig envy. #Dialed

Hope you get the chance to get out and chase some fishes this weekend!

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