Biggest perch in 46 yrs sets Maryland record!
|
|
|
Details from this Wired2Fish write-up:
> Thomas Dembeck Jr. caught a 2.3-lb, 16” yellow perch while fishing in the tidal reaches of the lower Susquehanna River on Feb 7, 2025. The big perch beats a record set way back in 1979.
Love those bars!
|
|
|
> Dembeck was fishing a double-jig rig in about 50’ of water using a light spinning rod spooled with 10-lb braided line. His rig consisted of two 1” plastic paddletails on 1/8-oz leadheads on dropper loops, with a 1-oz sinker to cut through the current and get the rig down to the bottom.
Anyone else want to see a picture of that rig?! 🙋♂️
> “I was nonchalantly reeling the fish towards the surface and even took time to watch an eagle fly by.” But when he set eyes on the fish, he knew it was special. He called for his friend and co-angler, Lee Haile, to net the outsized perch.
> Realizing they might have a record after weighing it on a hand scale, they took it to a certified scale for an official weight. The duo took the fish to the certified scale at Gibby’s Seafood in Lutherville, where they were met by DNR recreational fisheries coordinator Erik Zlokovitz, who confirmed the species.
> Dembeck’s perch ousted the long-standing record of 2.2 lb, caught by Niles Pethel on Nov 21, 1979.
|
|
"When targeting walleyes, you need to act more like a turkey hunter rather than a duck hunter.”
|
|
|
- That’s a line from Ross Robertson’s MeatEater write-up talking tricks on how to catch big walleye through the ice, which includes staying stealthy:
> “One winter, I had a client who kept telling me he couldn’t see any fish on his sonar. His buddies in shacks less than 30’ away were not only marking lots of walleyes, they were catching them, too. As I entered his shack to provide some coaching, the problem quickly presented itself.
> “He threw his thermos onto the ice after pouring a cup of coffee. Many might say this doesn’t matter, and some days it may not. I quickly set up my Hummingbird MEGA Live sonar, which allows me to see fish at least 20’ out from the hole. In real-time, he watched a school of fish 10’ from the hole spook as he again tossed the thermos.
|
|
|
> “I’ve seen fish spook just from human foot traffic many days as well. The point is to be aware that fish, especially big walleyes, are paying attention when you mess up. When targeting walleyes, you need to act more like a turkey hunter rather than a duck hunter. Less commotion is always better. Simple things like ice creepers make a lot more noise than a plain boot, if not absolutely necessary, ditch the cleats while fishing.
> “Most of us can relate to a buddy catching fish only feet away when others aren’t, even on a seemingly structureless basin. In many cases, this also comes down to what footprint you are putting out. A simple trick to always remember is to set up on snow patches, no matter how small they may seem. This can allow for a quieter approach as you move around and, even more importantly, puts you in the shadows.
> “On gin-clear winter waters such as Lake Michigan’s Bay De Noc, something as simple as not clearing the slush out of your hole helps to decrease light penetration below. Believe it or not, this can be a make-it-or-break-it move. Be aware of how much commotion you are making.”
Keep reading here.
|
|
European perch caught in the states? 🤣
|
|
|
There’s jumbo perch, and then there’s JUMBO perch...and then there’s whatever the heck you’d call this thing LOL. 🤯 Caught the other day by my buddy Danny Thompson – congrats on the new PB, man! Definitely the paunchiest Mille Lacs jumbo I’ve seen yet:
|
|
|
> "The key is having a big enough bait that you can keep the small walleyes off. I was just getting destroyed by the thousands of small walleyes and couldn’t keep my bait down there for when the perch came by. That’s why I switched to plastics when I was running wax worms.”
Also said that prior to setting up shop, he’s running and gunning with Garmin's new Panoptix PS22 Ice Fishing Bundle “which keeps me mobile when chasing these perch because you’re either on them or nowhere near them it seems.”
Most lakes with FAT jumbos are stuffed full of either freshwater shrimp, or they’re cannibals, but these ones have a different menu:
|
|
|
I’ll have more info on their menu in an upcoming TW soon-ish....
|
|
Tungsten vs lead jigs for panfish.
|
|
|
You likely already know the benefits of tungsten panfish jigs...but there’s still a time and place for lead. This Jason Mitchell write-up on Virtual Angling breaks down the advantages of each, but here’s a few excerpts specifically geared towards lead to get you started:
> There are several situations where traditional lead gives the ice angler a distinct advantage and most of those situations occur with tough bites. Perhaps the most reliable way to counter a tough bite is to decrease the profile of the presentation and make the presentation more subtle by moving less water or slowing the presentation down.
> Vertical lead jigs in particular leave a much smaller footprint that more closely mimics a lot of the small invertebrates and large zooplankton. There are other scenarios where the slower fall of lead can be incorporated into the presentation where a slow fall can often trigger strikes. Lead can also aid with some styles of bite detection.
> Remember above where we made the comment that tungsten can make 4-lb test feel like 2-lb test? That comment was implied because the added weight of tungsten will take out any memory or coil that can develop in the heavier line, making the presentation feel more sensitive. This strategy can work well when using a spring bobber or any bite detection where you can either watch for or feel a bite with the end of the rod. When fish suck in the jig and coast forward, this style of bite detection is often optimum.
> There are other situations however where fish will suck in and spit out the jig or suck in the jig and stay in one place sometimes slowly backing up. This type of bite can be much more challenging and anglers often have to watch the line for indication of a strike instead of having a focus on the rod tip. When the bite dictates that the angler watches the line, some coil in the line offers an advantage. This is a prime situation where lead catches fish over tungsten because the added weight of tungsten can reduce your ability to watch for this type of bite. The toughest bites often dictate lead jigs combined with 1-lb test.
> Basically, if the coil in the line gets bigger or less, you set the hook. On the toughest bites, this is the only way you will be able to catch fish. For years, there were pockets of ice anglers that used the old 4-lb and 2-lb hi-vis Stren that was discontinued years ago. In today’s world, line has gotten more specialized for today’s ice anglers targeting panfish. The Clam Pro Tackle Frost Line features thread diameter monofilament in 1- thru 4-lb test that features a high-vis orange interval for better visibility when watching the line.
Keep reading here.
|
|
“And you thought kidney stones sucked…imagine passing that.”
|
|
|
That’s ^ a comment under an Ice Fishing Minnesota FB group post of Alex Petrashov’s bonus catch of the day...found a toy Lindy Glow Spoon inside his Happy Meal Lake of the Woods sauger. #PG13
|
|
|
3. USA: Ice fishing for gold! 🏅
The 2025 XXI World Ice Fishing Championship kicks off this week on Tamarack Lake in western MI – the first time in over a decade the World Ice Fishing Championship has been back in the USA.
> ...the best anglers from 10 countries, including Estonia, Finland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United States.
Teams will be prefishing the next few days, and the competition is Feb 15-16.
4. IA: Last call for walleye on IA Great Lakes
> ...the walleye fishing season on Big Spirit Lake, and East and West Lakes Okoboji is open thru Feb 14. The season will then close on those lakes and will reopen on May 3, Walleye Weekend.
> The DNR says those are the only lakes in IA that have a closed season for walleye, and the off-season is during the walleyes’ spawning time.
5. MI: Proposed walleye slot limit change for 7 UP lakes
They’re looking to “increase natural recruitment” by building up a spawning stock of fish.
> The daily possession would be 3 fish. Anglers could possess fish 15-18” and only 1 walleye 23” or greater.
> Lakes proposed for the change include Lake Antoine (Dickinson County) and Lake Emily, Hagerman Lake, Lake Mary, Lake Ottawa, Stanley Lake, and Winslow Lake (all in Iron County).
6. NY: No more walleye stocking on the St. Lawrence River?
> DEC officials were part of Monday’s county finance committee meeting to announce it would now focus on creating a self-sustaining walleye population instead of restocking every year. County Board of Legislators Chairman David Forsthye says the county was left out of the discussions and is afraid the switch will undo years of work.
7. OH stocked 46 mil fish in 2024
That’s 6 mil more than 2023. Here’s a look at the Percidae family members that went in:
> Fry (less than 1” long): saugeye (15.6 mil), walleye (13 mil), yellow perch (2.1 mil)
> Fingerling (1-2” long): saugeye (7.6 mil), walleye (4 mil), yellow perch (1 mil).
8. This tool holder is legit 💯
I’ve played with probably a half dozen different retractable lanyards now, and at one point or another either they fall off or the tool falls off. But this Rapala Magnetic Release hasn’t failed me yet:
|
|
|
Has a VERY powerful magnet that lets you pop the tool off so you’re not bound by a short leash. I keep it on my ice-fishing bibs with a Glow PicK (for poking out hooks and lighting up baits):
|
|
|
9. SD: GFP announces online walleye fishing challenge
> The Midwest Walleye Challenge, hosted by Anglersatlas.com and the MyCatch app, will include SD, NE, IA, IN, IL, and MI, and will run from April 1 – June 29.
> This online challenge is part of a multi-state research project aimed to assess the walleye fishery across the Midwest. This is a Citizen Science event, so anglers reporting all of their catches is very important. Reporting all catches ensures that the data collected are representative of the angler’s actual fishing effort and qualifies them for more prizes.
10. WI: Learn about Shawano Lake’s walleye mgmt tonight
> Learn about Shawano Lake walleye movement and results of 2024 area surveys from DNR senior fisheries biologist Elliot Hoffman.
> This meeting is part of the Northeast Wisconsin Fisheries Spotlight Series, which allows the public to learn about game fish management and meet the DNR staff members working in northeast WI.
> The meeting will be held in person [at the Shawano Middle School] and virtually via Microsoft Teams from 6 to 8 pm tonight [Feb 11].
11. AIM walleye tourney organization is hiring
I mentioned last week that AIM is hiring. But wanted to follow up with a little FYI that Denny is not leaving:
> “Denny: It has grown to a level that I need help going forward. I cannot be in 2 places at once, as hard as I try.”
12. MN: The Bash Ice Fishing Derby is set for Feb 22
At the south end of Lake Bemidji. Over $45K in cash and prizes up for grabs, plus you’re fishing for a great cause(s):
> This nonprofit event funds BHS and BSU Fishing Teams, the Bemidji Jaycees and United Way of the Bemidji Area.
13. MI's free fishing weekend is Feb 15-16
14. WI: 4th-largest sturgeon ever speared outta Winnebago
Hayley Herzi has been sturgeon spearing for 6 yrs now, and didn't expect her first harvest to literally dwarf her (lol) at a whopping 180.5 lbs and 79” long. I can't even imagine:
|
|
|
They're having a replica made and the meat is headed for the smoker.
Btw the largest ever on Lake Winnebago was a 212-lber speared back in 2010.
15. MN: Ross/Burkartzmeyer win UPL on Tetonka
Big props to Brian Ross and Cody Burkartzmeyer on their impressive Ultimate Panfish League win with a weight of 11.29 lbs (8 crappies + 7 sunfish).
|
|
|
19. Discount code for Tom Huynh University 🚨
You already know walleye-tournament phenom Tom Huynh 🔨 but did you know that he’s offering a forward-facing sonar master class if you want to seriously step up your game?!
This course is packed with tips, tricks, and know-how you need. Go at your own pace with videos, guides, and testing models for a simple, easy learning environment.
> Visit www.fishthu.com and use promo code: LOVE2FISH for $40 off Master Forward Facing Sonar. Offer ends February 14th, 2025.
20. Angling Edge 🤝 Outdoor America
> ...solidifying its role as an anchor franchise for Q1 and Q3 programming across Outdoor America’s FAST Channels. Additionally, Outdoor America will soon launch an exclusive Angling Edge Store on Shop Outdoor America, offering anglers the gear they need for every fishing adventure.
21. SPRO expands JDM products to US market
22. Battery size ≠ battery Life?
Not all "12V" batteries are created equal! Amped Outdoors breaks down why voltage – not just amp hours – determines your fish finder’s performance and runtime. Lower voltage = higher amp draw = shorter run times. Learn why 14.8V lithium batteries can outlast and outperform lower-voltage options.
23. ND: Bismarck Sport Show, Feb 14-16
Huge lineup of boats, RVs, tackle, and top walleye pros like Jason Mitchell & Ted Takasaki.
24. AR: Bass Pro plans to build a new store in Fort Smith
The 70,000-sq-ft Outpost retail location will be on Rogers Ave.
25. DC: Jacky Usyk joins NMMA as vp of government relations
> “...takes on a newly created leadership role within the association, overseeing an integrated state and federal lobbying team that is driving NMMA’s member-driven policy and legislative agenda in Washington and in state houses across the nation. "
|
|
|
Love me some walleye fishing [!] but it’s getting to be that time of year and folks are already catching.... #BurbotSZN
|
|
|
My buddy Joel VandeKrol is an absolute photog magician! 🔥 Had no idea he was snapping pics at this time, but I’m super glad he did lol. Looks like I was ice fishing on the moon!
|
|
|
I’ve been running the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Jacket & Bibs from Whitewater Fishing all season and absolutely loving ‘em! As you can see in that pic ^ I’ve rocked it in some nasty (tho beautiful lol) conditions. Spendy, yes...but high quality gear you'll actually enjoy wearing. It’s so incredibly comfortable, NOT restricting, and lightweight that I legit don’t understand how it can be so warm.
They say:
> Built with a durable 3-layer design, this jacket features a ripstop 4-way stretch nylon shell and a 100% nylon lining. It’s windproof and waterproof, thanks to 30k/13k lamination, taped seams, and a DWR treatment that sheds water effortlessly, ensuring you stay dry in the harshest conditions. The thermal-mapped Primaloft® Silver insulation provides targeted warmth without bulk, with 80g in the hood and collar, 133g in the front body, 170g in the back, and 100g in the sleeves, so you can fish comfortably and freely.
I say:
Not exactly sure what all that means, but I do know that they knocked it out of the park with this cold-weather get-up! 🙌 Try one on in person and you’ll know what I mean.
|
|
|
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.)
|
|
|
FRIENDS OF 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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
