Finding juicy weedlines starts on the computer 🧃
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That's what Jason Halfen (aka The Technological Angler) is saying in this full post. Before Jason is hitting the ice, he's doing some e-scouting 💻 and checking out where all the prominent weedlines and weed patches are to go target – here's how he locating these spots:
> This is one of the times that I make extensive use of satellite imagery to visually inspect the shallow areas of clear lakes, looking specifically for flats or bays that have distinct patches of heavy weed growth.
> The larger these patches are, the more baitfish they will harbor, and the more walleyes they will attract.
> Turning these satellite-located weedbeds into easy-to-find fishing spots is simple: on Google Maps, just drop a pin where you would like to drill a hole, and then save that location.
> Now, open up the Google Maps app on your phone or mobile device, and presto: the magic of 21st century technology has your future hole location displayed in its correct position, making it easy to find when you hit the ice.
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> This is a low-light pattern, so plan to hit the ice in mid-afternoon, drill ALL of your holes at least an hour before the sun hits the treetops, and then settle in for the evening rush.
> I recommend that you drill at least 3 times as many holes as your local regulations allow you to fish through at any one time, which will make it easy to relocate your efforts quickly, without additional drilling noise, when the bite fires up.
> We make extensive use of Aqua-Vu underwater camera systems to ensure that the weedbeds we are drilling around feature robust, walleye-attracting green weeds rather than fish-repelling brown ones.
> Underwater video is also a powerful tool for fine-tuning hole position. Over the years, we’ve found that holes positioned 8-10 feet off of the weededge to be the most productive.
You can also use Google Earth Pro (free btw) and use historical imaging to see where the weeded areas have been trending over time (ie maybe the heavily weeded areas have moved year by year). Then you're not just seeing 1 snapshot in time. Gotta use all your resources!
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Hit the backwaters for winter river slabs
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Ever hit backwaters in the winter? 👀 Came across this post on Fishing SI where they got dialed on fishing backwaters on frozen rivers – but you open-water folks can take a lot out of this deal too.
Here's VT's Kaleb Brown on where they're finding crappie in New England right now, which he says “are predictable and pattern-able once you understand what to look for.”
> River crappies...move into slack backwater areas, preserving their energy during the winter months while their metabolism is slow.
> These backwater spots often hold quite a bit of life. All levels of the food chain tend to congregate...everything from zooplankton to numerous species of aquatic invertebrates and small baitfish.
> Many rivers have backwaters, often referred to as sloughs, pockets, setbacks, or oxbows. They all have still water that is either moving slowly enough to freeze or not moving at all.
> Catching these fish is the next part of the puzzle. Backwaters and "coves" can vary in depth, but most are less than 20' deep and often include vegetation.
> Many are even shallower, often ranging in 4-10' of water. The shallow areas with vegetation are often great early in the year. Crappies make their way into these locations and feed on remaining vegetation, insects, zooplankton and minnows.
> Fish often move away from the shallower locations as the season progresses and vegetation begins to die. They head for locations that have deeper water and better oxygen levels, just like in lakes and ponds.
Catch the full deal here on SI.com.
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Jason Mitchell's secret to icing bigger crappies
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> It doesn’t matter if you find crappie suspended over basins or classic wintering holes. It could be shallow weeds or pencil reeds, or maybe sharp breaking basin or channel edges. Perhaps you are fishing flooded brush piles, cribs, or submerged timber. Wherever crappie swim, we often find a universal theme. In fact, this is the secret or trick, if you will, that separates that person who always seems to catch the biggest, baddest crappies. It doesn’t matter if I am in MI or NE, if there is an angler who always seems to have a knack for sticking the biggest crappies, chances are that the angler is fishing higher in the water column – often right under the ice.
> If you are content to simply catch fish, fish the fish. Fish slightly above the fish you are marking with your electronics. If you want to try and catch the biggest crappie in the neighborhood, fish much higher above the fish. If you are fishing suspended fish that are 15’ down over 20’, fish 5-10’ below the ice. If you are fishing an 8’ weed flat and most of the fish are running halfway down in the water column, go ahead and try fishing right below the ice. Get up above the fish. The reality is that you won’t catch as many fish but you will often catch the biggest crappies.
> The presentations can run the gamut but as a rule of thumb, this strategy doesn’t border on finesse. Soft plastic options like the Maki offer fish an easy-to-find profile or silhouette.
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> Power-fishing strategies with small spoons like the CPT Pinhead Minnow are also really gaining momentum in a lot of regions. Big crappie might have a mouth that is as big as a Styrofoam cup and crappie are indeed a predator. While there are times when fish can be difficult and require finesse, the reality is that crappie can often surprise us with their level of aggressiveness. For targeting the biggest crappie, don’t be afraid to fish high, and don’t be afraid to go bold and big.
> Horizontal jigs paired with soft plastic profiles have been a big crappie staple the past decade. Many of the more popular plastics have been a larger minnow type profile. On horizontal jigs, you can get the jig to swim and kick forward by sliding a Palomar knot back towards the hook. Sliding the knot back and letting the jig move more horizontally does often seem to work well for catching these bigger fish.
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> On occasions where crappie will rise high or show up high in the water column but won’t hit larger and more aggressive profiles, there are times when a more subtle vertical jig can be the ticket. Especially with unstable weather, heavy fishing pressure, or just the classic midwinter doldrums when fishing seems to get tougher. We often use a similar minnow or Maki profile plastic, but hook the plastic horizontal below a vertical jig. Vertical jigs just seem to move less water, have a more subtle footprint and a much smaller profile as fish look up at the jig.
> For simply covering water with an aggressive power fishing attitude, the spoon craze is a fun way to target aggressive fish. Many anglers are using spoons like the Pinhead Minnow without any bait or plastic. To be fair, the Pinhead Minnow does have a small blade on the treble for an added bit of flash that seems to be a part of this lure’s allure. With the spoons, fish high and play keep away. Keep the spoon moving and make the fish chase the lure.
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> This high, big, and bold routine probably catches the larger crappies in a school for a variety of reasons but I think there is a universal theme at play.... The smaller crappie seem to like the security of the pack...don’t like to be exposed above the rest of the school...don’t seem to like to be alone...know they are a meal. Big fish have a different swagger. Big fish beat the small fish to a meal and don’t worry about exposing themselves above the pack. By fishing as high as possible in the water column, often pushing the limit to the bottom of the ice...you offer a presentation that the big fish will find and eat. You are also outside the limit and comfort as to what small fish are willing to risk for a meal. This ceiling or elevation game is perhaps the easiest way to sort out the top-end fish.
> By pushing how far fish will rise to hit the lure, remember as well that a 14” crappie usually beats a 10” crappie in a race. What we have also found is that so often, the bigger fish are often lone wolves.
> If your goal is simply to catch the biggest crappies you can this winter, cheat higher in the water column. Fish so high in the water column that you start to catch notably less fish. What you will often find is that you will start to catch some real trophies.
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"For those of you who sometimes keep your ice rod on your dash and understand my pain....”
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Yup, it’s time to sell the truck lol. 🫨 #RattleRattleRattleRattle
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For your viewing pleasure 🍿
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Big things are happening every day in the walleye and ice-fishing worlds, and nobody seems to know about it. We're here to change that.
I recently posted a new "Top 5" video (episode 92) on our YouTube channel. Big thx to our friends at Sea Foam and Scheels for making this video series possible! We're having a ton of fun with 'em and hope you are too!! Here she be:
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1. WI: ‘Walleyes for Tomorrow’ creates spawning area in Allouez
> A large bedding of rock spread across the Fox River in Allouez is part of a conservation effort by a local Green Bay group working to preserve walleye habitat and its $264-mil impact on the local economy.
> The Green Bay chapter of Walleyes for Tomorrow placed 300 tons of washed cobblestone on the shoreline in Allouez to increase spawning success for walleye, which are unique when it comes to repopulation.
Amazing. 👏👏👏
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2. Great Lakes ice coverage is over 50%
Which is above the long-term average for this point of the season.
> As of Monday, ice cover on all lakes combined was at 58.31%. It's the highest concentration in 7 years, when 2019 peaked at more than 80%.
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3. NY: City bans ice fishing on Oswego River
> ...strong currents that endanger anglers venturing onto the frozen ice shelf that has formed, officials said, adding that the risk also endangers first responders who would respond to any distress calls.
> According to the City of Oswego, violators of the ice fishing ban will be cited under the New York State Penal Law for trespassing and are therefore subject to arrest for trespassing, disorderly conduct and any other relevant provisions of law, and strictly prosecuted.
4. Study shows PFAS levels dropping in Great Lakes fish
Aka “forever chemicals.”
> Companies have manufactured per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS chemicals, since the 1930s and 40s. They’re used in a wide range of consumer products, from carpet and cosmetics to clothing and cookware, and were key ingredients in famous brand names such as Teflon and Gore-Tex. They were prized for their ability to repel water and resist heat.
That post says that PFAS “have steadily declined in Great Lakes fish over the past two decades.” Which caught my attentions 'cuz I thought I had always heard the opposite?
5. PA: 52" musky was plucked thru an 8" hole 😳
On the Kinzua/Allegheny Reservoir:
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6. IA Great Lakes walleye szn closes Feb 14 😢
7. WI: 19th-annual ‘Battle On Bago’ is happening Feb 20-21
Over $475K in cash + prizes up for grabs!
> Battle on Bago was created in 2007 by a group of five Oshkosh Southwest Rotarians in order to support area youth and conservation efforts throughout the state of WI.
> Beneficiaries receiving funds from Battle on Bago embody the mission statement of the event “For Kids & Conservation” and serve as just the beginning of a long list of organizations and youth Battle on Bago will benefit in the future.
> Battle on Bago has generated net proceeds of nearly $2.6 mil!
The biggest fish last year (1st place) was a 7.371-lb walleye that won Eric Fischer some new Yeti gear. But it was Paul Weise's 1.427-lb white bass in 2,000th place that won his choice of a 2024 Ford F150 or $50K cash. 🤑
8. MI: DNR plows public accesses?!
> The program, launched as a pilot in 2021, maintains access at more than two dozen popular Upper Peninsula ice fishing locations. The DNR partners with local organizations and volunteers to plow sites, which are primarily managed for recreational boating.
Dang, is that ever nice! Assuming there’s snow hahaha.
9. MN: ‘Fishing for Ducks’ is Feb 21
The largest Ducks Unlimited event in the nation is actually an ice-fishing derby. I believe 1st place wins $20K. Sounds like it will be on the northwest end of Mille Lacs again this year out of Garrison.
And yup, they actually do drill the holes in the shape of the DU logo.
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Those Clam Peg Spoons have a big-profile (5/16 oz with #4 hook) but are ultra thin for some insane flutter.
> Made from lightweight Zinc Alloy it’s the ultimate large profile bait but is ultra thin cut for best flash and flutter in skinny water. Hexagon stamped body with bright fluorescent and metallic color front side along with highly reflective plated backside flickers, the Peg Flutter Spoon flashes and flutters as it falls.
The way that spoon dances on the drop immediately caught my attention – few seconds of that here in this throwback video talkin’ about it. Bright colors on a big profile flash ’em in from a distance.
They’re a blast to fish! I’ve had some REALLY great luck with it on shallow fish, and also when targeting bigger suspended fish out deeper. I like doing big 2-4′ rips, letting it flutter down on a semi-controlled slack line, then dancing it in place for a few seconds – repeat if necessary.
14. What a dam looks like underwater...
...thx to Humminbird MEGA Down Imaging. 🤯 Unreal!
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The Drip Minnow (top) has a “drip”-shaped bulbous tail for a nice subtle action when twitching or shaking. And the Drip Swimmer (bottom) has a micro-boot tail that "delivers tight actions for finesse swimbaiting." Some in 3”, 4” and 5”, have flatter sides, and some killer "Ultra High-Definition" colors. Scheels has ‘em on sale right now....
16. The Crappie Chronicles crew made gourmet wraps
Love the creativity with these guys.
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Love me some walleye fishing [!] but it’s getting to be that time of year and folks are already catching.... #BurbotSZN
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Thank YOU for reading! 👊 Back atcha in a couple...
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FRIENDS OF TARGET WALLEYE
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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!
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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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