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Today’s Target Walleye is a little different than the yoozsh.... We’re gonna run thru some early-season walleye fishing tips and locations. 👀 Mixture of stuff you can take to the river right now, or stash in your pocket for “fishing opener” around your local lakes. 👊 Here we go!
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How Tony Roach Rippin’ Raps in spring 🎯
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Walleyes can be – and usually are – downright stubborn...especially in shallow, clear water. While some guys bust out the slip-bobber, Tony Roach picks up a Rapala Rippin’ Rap and goes to work.
Btw I’m sure glad this “bad lipstick” color is on the walleye’s lips and not Tony’s lol:
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> Tony: “There’s a lot of things that make a Rippin’ Rap absolutely deadly. It’s got a really loud thump, unlike any other bait. It also falls at just the right rate. And it has this really tight wobble as you rip it. This thing has the right action to catch a lot of fish. And you can fish these baits a lot of different ways.
> “I compare it a little to the deadly Jigging Rap, but it falls slower and has more subtle action, which is ideal in spring. ...works best when water temps are 50-55°F.
> “Rippin’ Raps fall nose-first...a natural-looking posture for walleye prey. We fish the #5, #6, and #7 models, but the #6 (2.5” and 1/2-oz) gets most play in spring.”
You already know that Rippin’ Raps come in some great stock colors, but here’s some Scheels exclusive colors you maybe haven’t seen yet. Bottom-left one called "sweetspot" was my top-producer around central MN last spring.... 🤫
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> “Work the lure along the deep side of rock ridges and over depressions where walleyes often hold that time of year. Bottom transitions from sand-to-rock are also key locations....
> “The retrieve is very important and it takes a little getting used to, as you learn the correct cadence. It’s not a fast ripping retrieve...the lure actually moves forward at a moderate pace, but with a lot of up-and-down motion. Walleyes typically bite either on the fall or when the lure first hits bottom, so you want to maximize those situations.
> “As soon as the lure hits bottom after a cast, raise it up off bottom so it can fall again. It should contact bottom for only a split second before rising. After a few hours of doing this you’ll have this cadence down and you won’t have to think much about it.
> “Long casts help you cover a lot of water.... I fish them on thin braided line (6- to 10-lb test) with a fluoro leader of 10- or even 12-lb test. Without a leader, the back hooks of the Rap sometimes snag the braid on a cast, wasting time.
> “The heavier fluoro cuts down on the number of [zebra mussel] break-offs due to its abrasion-resistance. Moreover, a lot of pike are up shallow in spring, and it gives a bit more protection to have a 12-lb leader. And walleyes don’t mind a bit.
> “To fish this way, rod selection is important. I favor a medium-light rod from 6’ 8” to 7’ 2”. And I like rods with an extra-fast tip section, since you often have to set hooks solidly from a distance. The softer action and length allow you to sweep the lure off bottom cleanly and keep the cadence right.”
Of course not all lakes have a ton of hard-bottom areas (rocks/sand) to work with, so:
> Another good way to catch early-season walleyes on Rippin’ Raps is to swim them over and through the tops of new vegetation. With your boat in deeper water, fancast across spawning flats, making contact with the submerged vegetation. When your Rippin’ Rap hits grass on the retrieve, pop it free to trigger bites.
Awesome springtime bait. As with anything, you’ve gotta get a confidence-building day under your belt to stick with it, but then you won’t wanna put it down.
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John Hoyer’s cold-water killas 🥶
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The man, the myth, the probably-doesn’t-have-anymore-room-on-his-wall-for-trophies legend John Hoyer seems to be able to catch walleyes anywhere and everywhere. If you want to do the same 🙋♂️ you’ve got to be versatile.
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Don’t be afraid to switch it up! Step out of your comfort zone and play with some different presentations to dial-in what’s working best for the current conditions and fish’s mood.
There’s lots of different ways to catch spring walleyes – here’s some of Hoyer’s go-to presentations in cool water right now into the ‘fishing opener’ time frame:
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> I generally don’t fish any deeper than 12’ on opener, which makes it some of the most fun bites of the year.
> An 1/8 or 1/4-oz jig and very soft plastic. The Berkley PowerBait Curly Bones and Bonefish [pictured below] are specifically designed to excel at very slow speeds. This makes it a perfect bait to pitch out, raise your rod tip a few feet, hold it there, and watch your line for the bite or when you hit bottom. Repeat and set the hook periodically. Natural whites by day, bright stuff at sunrise and sunset.
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> A shallow-running crankbait. A Berkley Hit Stick or any shallow running minnow-style bait, trolled at 1.2-1.5 mph after dark. This can be the best catch rate of the weekend...especially if dealing with calm conditions or super clear water.
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> Slip-bobber/leech. I will never say bobber fishing is boring because of the simple fact that it never gets old watching that bobber go down. If I’ve learned one thing from forward-facing sonar, set your bobber at least 2’ off the bottom...3’ is probably better.
> 1/8-oz jig and minnow. Simple yet very effective. Use the wind to create some float in your minnow, cast quartering casts to the waves, and let the jig swing back to center. Another tip – especially when using a shiner – is don’t worry about touching bottom.
> Push the envelope. Rattlebaits [like the Berkley Jack] known to work on the great lakes excel at times throughout any given day in May [on “normal” bodies of water like we fish in MN].
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> Other fast-moving presentations like a 3/8- or 1/2-oz Fusion19 Swimbait Jig Head and The Champ Swimmer can outfish everything if the fish are in a good mood.
Good luck to those of you lucky enough to sneak out over these next few weeks, and during the upcoming ‘Fishing Openers’ across the Midwest.
And remember if you’re going head-to-head with friends or fam...pike are -1 😂 hahaha!
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It’s “go-time” at the Rainy River! 💯
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Can’t talk early-spring walleye fishing without talking about the Rainy River on the MN/CAN border! 🎯 So here’s the skinny:
> Every spring, zillions of walleyes make the annual run from Lake of the Woods into the Rainy River to spawn. This can be some of the best fishing all year...both high-number days and a seriously good shot at sticking giants.
> Look for flats adjacent to the river channel and shoreline pockets. Fish will be spread out across the entire river, but if you find one chances are there’s more.
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Rolling sand dunes are lesser-known (and fished!) river spots that can potentially be just as good-er. As current flows over their tops it creates pockets of calmer water between them. I’ve already said too much.... 🤐
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> Experiment with jig weight...try to get away with as light as possible while still maintaining bottom contact...gives the plastic a more-natural look in the current.
My buddy TJ Erickson posted a nice YT video a few years back (called Rainy River 101 | Locations, Landings, Tips, & Tactics) that’s filled with a pile of info to help get you started.
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> Fishing on the Rainy is heavily dependent on water conditions – generally the cleaner the water, the better the bite. When conditions worsen and water clarity drops to less than 1′ = the “cheater rig” can be a legit trip-saver (on ANY river, really...spring or fall). And don’t be afraid to bring a couple of whoopin’ sticks as another backup plan...the Rainy River has some incredible sturgeon fishing and it can be easier than you’d think.
The Rainy River is opening up more and more each day. I follow a bunch of the resorts’ FB pages from up yonder to help keep tabs on the conditions...one that’s pretty good about posting a ton of up-to-date info/videos/pics on the conditions, accesses, and where the open water ends and the ice pack starts – nearly daily on their page – is called Royal Dutchman Resort.
> One word of caution: The Rainy can be insanely busy in the spring before the rest of the MN’s walleye season opens. Be prepared for long lines at the ramp, though there’s plenty of places to hide on the river...especially as the ice pack makes its way towards the mouth at Lake of the Woods. Either way, no doubt it’s worth it!
Speaking of “worth it” 👀 get a WIDE load of this:
A few springs back, Will Pappenfus and Bryan Hennager had themselves the trip of a lifetime on the Rainy River, cracking 6 fish over the magical 30” mark IN A SINGLE DAY! 🤯
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INSANE! 💯💯💯
Will was saying they had “plenty of cookie cutter 20-28″ fish to boot.” Okay man, most people’s cookie-cutters aren’t THIS big lol:
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Caught ’em pitching 1/4-oz jigs with giant rainbows and a mixture of paddletails.
They were fishing a sand flat in front of an “underwater forest.” Would pitch out and bump their baits along the current to get right in front of the trees. Said they could see the fish on Side Imaging sitting in the trees and would try to put the baits right in front of their face when they came out to feed. Pulled 5 of their 6 dirty 30s out of that spot and the other came just 50 yards away.
Don’t think I’d EVER leave if I had a day like that. Reminds of that scene in “Billy Madison” where he says, “Stay here! Stay as long as you can!!! CHERISH IT.”
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Couple other early-spring walleye factories that’ve been kicking ‘em out....
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Fox River (Green Bay, WI)
> The 7-mile stretch of river below the De Pere dam is one of the best areas in the Midwest to stick a legit double-digit walleye.
> Early in the “run” when the water is at its cleanest, walleyes will tend to stay deeper. As snow melts and (the runoff) dirties up the water, fish will move shallower...especially with sunny conditions.
> The Fox also has a number of shoreline accessible spots for those looking to do some fishing from the bank. Voyageur Park in De Pere is a popular spot all spring.
> Jigs and plastics work well here, as well as rattlebaits like Rapala Rippin’ Raps. Play around with retrieves...as the water warms, more aggressive snap-jigging can work extremely well.
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> Brighter colors usually work best in stained water conditions – orange and chartreuse are river standards.
> Trolling is another option, especially at night. Can fish 3 lines per person in WI, so stickbaits like Berkley Hit Sticks, Rapala Husky Jerks and Smithwick Rogues – pulled behind Off Shore Tackle Planer Boards – can cover a lot of water fast.
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There’s a reason big-fish junkie Doug Wegner spends many of his spring trips patrolling the area.... #GIANTS
Couple springs back he caught a 32.25-incher that was spawned out and still weighed 11.76 lbs (short vid). 😳 And here’s a prespawn 29-incher that went 12.02 lbs and inhaled a #6 Rippin’ Rap:
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And if you haven't heard how Doug Wegner chases 'em around out on the Bay...you'll definitely want to read Top Item #1 from last week.
Mississippi River (Pools 2-9)
> The mighty Mississippi is another killer option for early-season ‘eyeballs. Although fishing varies by pool, many of the same techniques are used across the board.
> The “Big Muddy” is impacted more by high-water conditions than any other early-season system, so keep an eye on river levels and boat launch closings.
> Fishing close to the major lock and dams can produce big number days, but expect company...these areas are the busiest spots on the river.
> Finding flats and current breaks down from dams can produce just as many fish and usually a heck of a lot less busy.
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> Slow trolling upstream and long-lining jig/plastic combos behind the boat is a great way to get your bait close to the bottom and fool pressured fish into biting.
> Another great technique is fishing 3-way rigs with small stickbaits like Rapala Original Floaters.
> Of course jigs tipped with minnows and plastics can produce all spring...but make sure you have extra because the Mississippi is notoriously snaggy and you’re bound to lose a few:
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The good news: Sometime those “snags” start fighting back (especially if you slide up and fish shallower 🤫) like this ridiculous egg-filled walleye caught by Brian Larsen while fishing with Muddy Waters Guide Service. She went 29” long x WOW” girth – looks ready to pop!
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Released so she could go drop the kids off at daycare. And for sure one of my favorite walleye release shots ever. 👊♻️
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We’re in that awkward transitional time of year...
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...where ice-fishing opportunities have faded fast, yet many open-water gamefish seasons are still closed. Sorta feels like:
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So we’ve got some new ice-fishing content for you diehards that are refusing to let go. 🥶🕳️😫
Just posted a new ice-camping video last night (part 2) on the Target Walleye YouTube channel. From a trip earlier this winter where we spent a couple nights up north in the Clam X-600 Thermal Hub and fortunately had some quality bites join us in the process.
There's just something special about sleeping out on the ice! Especially when the fish cooperate, but there’s more to the experience than that.... 🍿 Hope you enjoy the ride!
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As always, all of the gear I used in this specific video is listed in the video’s description on YouTube. If you have a specific question on anything, drop a comment over on YouTube and I’ll do my best to get back to you in a timely fashion.
Oh, and don't worry...open-water vids will be coming soon lol.
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It's a great time of year to catch 'em from the bank – play nicely if any of you river-rats find someone in your "secret spot" hahaha:
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Back at ya with more 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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