Ask most folks (even diehard fish-heads!) a question about barometric pressure, and they usually have similar answers:

Low vs high...rising vs falling....

Enough, do you want my head to explode?! 🥴🤯😅

I came across this great Virtual Angling post chatting with Brian ‘Bro’ Brosdahl that actually tackles some specifics (thx fellas!) when it comes to how barometric pressure affects fish and what we should be keeping an eye out for. Few experts below:

> Barometric pressure is defined as “the measurement of air pressure in the atmosphere, specifically the measurement of the weight exerted by air molecules at a given point on Earth.” This pressure can be felt more significantly by creatures living underwater, where pressures are already greater than those of the air...which can really mess with fishing.

> Brian ‘Bro’ Brosdahl admits he is not a meteorologist but has spent enough time on the water while following the barometer to make some accurate correlations between air pressure and fishing.

Shoot, I’d tune in each night! 🍿

> Air pressure affects fish by dictating how they use their air bladders. When the pressure is low, they shrink their air bladder and sink to the bottom, awaiting more comfortable levels. When the pressure is high, the air bladder expands and they rise higher in the water column away from the higher pressures near the bottom.

> Old adage agrees that fish often become more ‘lock jaw’ during a high-pressure system setting the stage for those frustrating outings where you mark lots of fish, but they refuse to eat.

> ...anything below 29.90 is on the low end...above 30.12 is high.

> When the pressure is high, Brosdahl switches to more finesse presentations like lighter lines and smaller baits.

> What you’re looking for is pressure stability. Think about it: if the pressure constantly fluctuates, the fish have to adjust their air bladder often, making them uncomfortable. Would you want to eat if you had a belly ache?

> Stable pressures from 29.90 to 30.05 are key to watch for, so use weather apps with accurate barometric readings to get a good sense of when fish are feeding and dial in exactly when the fishing is going to be top-notch!

Now, are you ready to apply those nuggets to your fishing trips and pay attention to what the barometric pressure is doing?

When in doubt: Just go fishing!

You might not know this, but I am obsessed with fantasy football. I still have a few more drafts lined up in the next week – legit get giddy like it’s fishing opener or something lol – so it has 110% consumed my brain and I cannot stop creeping on all things FF. 🤷‍♂️ If you know, you know.

So I guess this is just my random thought of the day...because if you think about it, fishing and fantasy football have so many things in common. 💭

• Random draft orders are just like boat draws...out of your control and might force you to completely change up your game plan last minute.

• Sleeper picks are just like secret spots...there’s NO worse feeling than seeing them go to someone else. Gut wrenching. Rattled. Ahhhhh!

• Usually come into the day (matchup) with lofty expectations, and leave embarrassed about your (team’s) abilities 🤣. Once in a great while the stars align, and you’re feeling on top of the world. But usually you’re just trying to hang on for dear life.

• When you’re hot, you’re hot! Confidently making moves and the decision making is on point.

• But look out when the wheels fall off LOL. Then you’ve obviously gotta start daydreaming about the good ol’ days when everything fell into place.

• You might be great friends with your opponent, but you want to – NEED to – crush them.

• You’ll always have that arch enemy in your fantasy or fishing league. You know their name just popped in your head while reading that!

• The more time you spend doing research, learning, really diving in...the better you do. BUT then your line breaks or an injury pops up and you realize it’s all over. 😫

• And when it comes time for weigh-in, half the folks have already left.

Just wanna say good luck to everyone out there drafting these next few days!!! Stay strong in those ruthless group chats! 🤣🤣🤣🤦‍♂️

Okay, now we’re back to fishin’....

This throwback write-up was posted by Dan Johnson in Aug 2014, but it does a great job of explaining exactly what the thermocline is and how you can use it to your advantage to catch more and bigger fish. Full scoop here, few excerpts below:

> As summer wanes, a stellar pattern solidifies on many lakes that produces big numbers of super-size walleyes and northern pike. Often overlooked by the masses, it provides steady action well into fall.

> When low levels of dissolved oxygen in deep water force cool-water forage into a narrow band higher in the column, big predators move in for the feast. Anglers able to capitalize on the conditions can enjoy some of the season's finest fishing.

> In a nutshell, the pattern occurs when a lake stratifies by temperature. Cold water in the lower level known as the hypolimnioncan become inhospitable to whitefish, tullibees, smelt and other baitfish when dissolved oxygen levels dip below critical levels. As a result, forage species are forced upward into the midsection, called the metalimnion. Home of the thermocline, this slice of paradise holds cool, oxygen-rich water.

Here’s a nice In-Fisherman graphic for you visual learners:

> While predators may suspend and harass baitfish wherever the metalimnion occurs, areas where this band of water contacts classic structure, such as reefs and humps, set the stage for epic feeding binges and great fishing.

> ...not all lakes stratify, and not all that stratify do so in a uniform manner. To complicate things a bit more, variations in the depth and thickness of the metalimnion are possible in different areas of the same body of water.

> Still, finding the fish-attracting middle ground is often a simple task with high-quality sonar. Since a thin layer of suspended particles often rests on the dense upper reaches of the hypolimnion, the break between the two layers is often visible on [traditional 2D] sonar. If you don't see it, adjust your sensitivity [bump it up] until a slight band appears....

> Suspended pike and walleyes shadowing wayward baitfish in open water can be challenging to locate. If you do spot a school surrounded by larger arcs, trolling deep-running crankbaits can be a lethal tactic.

> My favorite spots are adjacent to deep basins...start on the south sides of such structures, where southerly, surface-warming breezes stack up the baitfish. It's hard to go wrong targeting the 10’ of water column just above the thermocline, which in northern lakes typically lies 25-30’ beneath the surface.

Of course this was written (2014) well before forward-facing sonar entered the chat, but it all might help explain why you see so many of those big marks suspended around-ish the same height in the water column... 🥵👉😎👈🥶

...until cooling fall temps wash away the thermocline and lakes experience a “turnover” in late Sept. More on that later!

Here’s some fish cleaning/processing tips from Ross Robertson you maybe haven't seen before. Everyone has their own style and way, but I’m sure there’s a few nuggets you can pluck out of here to fit yours:

That PVC tubing trick to make the fish-cleaning table taller is worth the price of admission itself. 💯 My back thanks you.

- That’s Walleyedan talking, who no doubt is ripping his #7 Rapala Jigging Rap right in the thick of it!

Btw quote is a reference to using one of those “tournament culling beams” where you put a fish on each side and the heaviest one drops...makes it super quick to cull-out your smallest fish during a tourney.

1. MN: Bruce "Doctor Sonar" Sampson’s last seminar?!

Doc will be speaking at the Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited meeting on Sept 5. He shared the event in a FB post and said:

> Doctor Sonar: "This is my last electronics seminar, it has been a great adventure being in the fishing education business. Saying last seminar or last anything is risky but I feel done...I will discuss my electronics evolution and how I presently use electronics to catch walleye."

Thank YOU Doc for the tremendous amount of knowledge you've been willing to share over the years! 🙌

Some comments from TCWU:

> Doc mastered the art of using GPS and Sonar technology to improve his walleye catching success. His innovations elevated his professional career by achieving multiple major wins including; the PWT on Devil's Lake, the MWC National Walleye Championship in 1986 and the RCL National Walleye Championship in 2002. He also has 8 major walleye tournament wins including the MWC twice, the PWT 4 times, and the FLW/RCL. He continued to innovate throughout his career by combining sonar technology along with aerial photos, satellite elevation charts, and creating custom designed contour maps.

> Doc has a tremendous passion for education and to share his knowledge to every level of angler. He hosts classes, seminars, creates how-to DVDs and has written numerous articles teaching thousands of anglers around the world how to read, interpret, and master their marine electronics. Whether you seek a little help or a lot, the Doc can help you via his website, educational videos. newsletters, and magazine articles. 

> Doc will be sharing a lifetime of fishing and marine electronics knowledge, you don't want to miss this opportunity to learn from the best! Mark your calendar and save the date, this may be your last chance to connect up close and personal with the Doctor Sonar - Bruce "Doc" Sampson.

2. MI. NWT championship, Lake Huron, Sept 4-6.

> The top-41 pro anglers from 2024 Progressive Angler of the Year points will be competing for over $300K in cash and prizes in the no entry-fee event to crown a new NWT Champion.

3. Lake Erie: Summer walleye migration tips.

Info-packed piece from capt. Ross Robertson.

4. TN/KY: Big walleye die-off on Dale Hollow.

> ...the combined effect of high water temperatures, low dissolved oxygen, reduced flows, and changes in water levels have contributed to the death of numerous walleye. Biologists say about 250 dead walleye have been seen so far. The Horse Creek and Mitchell Creek areas, located on the lower end of Dale Hollow, are specifically being monitored.

5. NY: 5-yr old catches record pumpkinseed.

Gregory Martin caught the 1-lb 14-oz fish dropshotting a crawler on Oneida Lake!

It lost 1 oz of weight in transport to a certified scale, was still 5 oz heavier than the current record of 1-09 that was originally set in 1994 and tied in 2020.

So dang cool – congrats!

6. Ed the Diver was on Minnesota Bound.

Great segment – Ed is a gem!

7. MN: “Fishing to End Hunger” charity derby is Oct 5.

On Gull Lake. I believe there's only 17 spots left...so better jump on registering if you want a shot at that $15K payday for 1st place!

8. MT: Record tiger muskie caught on custom swimbait.

Tiger muskie = muskie/northern pike hybrid.

> Dan Caricaburu-Lundin was fishing MT’s Ackley Lake on May 20, 2024 in his kayak when he landed what proved to be the new IGFA’s all-tackle length world record tiger muskie.... After what Caricaburu describes as a tough fight that almost flipped him, he landed the 45.28” tiger muskie, which barely fit in his net.

> Making matters even sweeter, he caught the fish on a custom swimbait he built for just such an occasion....

> “I make big swim baits for bass fishermen. So they kind of go hand in hand with muskie. Big, huge, baits – they just draw the fish a little bit better.”

> ...built a custom Kokanee swimbait. The 8”, 2.5-oz model does a good job of imitating the salmon, and getting big fish to eat.

9. MN: Zeebz confirmed in East Twin Lake.

Lyon County.

10. MN: Public access at Sturgeon Lake got a facelift.

Marks the first completed boating access modernization project using Get Out MORE funding.

> Prior to the improvements at the Sturgeon Lake site, the paved parking lot had severely deteriorated, and the site was not up to code for accessibility. The new parking lot boasts 24 parking spaces for vehicles and trailers, including one accessible parking space. There are two new boat ramps, a floating dock, improved stormwater management that meets best practices, and an aquatic invasive species boat and trailer cleanout lane.

Glide bait sharpshooting walleyes without FFS.

Quick hitters from Jeff Knapp's Game & Fish write-up talking glide baits (Jigging Raps, Hyper-Rattles, Tikka Minos, Shiver Minnows, etc) and how he targets specific fish with Side Imaging, Down Imaging, and traditional 2D sonar. 👀 Yup, no forward-facing sonar needed!

> Since a glide jig is relatively heavy and compact, it sinks rapidly. Therefore, you can quickly put it in front of fish you spot on sonar. It’s efficient, as fish either hit it on the first couple casts or they ignore it....

> The essentials of working a glide jig include allowing it to fall on a slack line to the bottom, which doesn’t take long. Once there, engage the reel and take in the slack. Then, give the lure a sharp, upward snap that rockets it anywhere from a couple to several feet off bottom, depending on intensity and length of the snap. A quick sequence of 2 or 3 snaps will shoot it up even higher. The lure then falls on a slack line to the bottom.

> As the jig sinks, it glides from side to side in an erratic manner. Suppress the urge to maintain a tight (or even semi-tight line) during the drop. Veteran jig fishermen might find this difficult to do, but the slack line is necessary to allow the jig to glide.

> Different species seem to hit glide jigs in various ways. Walleyes commonly follow the lure to the bottom and pin it there. You likely won’t feel the strike, rather the fish will just “be there” when you attempt your next snap (or series of snaps).

> In water 15’ or less, I lean toward side imaging set out to 70’ to 80’. Walleyes roaming flats and humps will display on side scan, particularly high-frequency units like my Garmin Ultra with UHD56GT transducer. Sometimes you’ll only see the shadows. When I mark fish, I’ll drop a waypoint on the spot (I use a blue pin) with the intention of circling back around, spot-locking the boat, then targeting those fish.

> Since it’s impossible to know how long fish will stay in an area, I don’t wait long to glide-jig them once I’ve found them. Don’t camp out on a spot, though. If you make contact with fish, keep at it until the action dies. If they don’t bite, keep looking.

> In deeper water (roughly 15-35’), down-imaging and traditional sonar come into play. Deep humps, points and creek channel ledges are all places to search. I often scan deeper structures at around 2 mph with my outboard. When I spot fish, I slam the boat into reverse and toss a heavy glide jig back behind the boat.

Take advantage of that time on the water this weekend:

Also if that were the case, I’d probably use the extra funds to fire-up a bunch more Underdog Fantasy Best Ball drafts before next week. 😂

Glorious over/under action shared by Vexus Boats on FB.

Man, I think if you’re running their DVX series, you’d probably look forward to the days where the wind is ripping! 🥵

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces almost $3 mil to eradicate invasive species.

I instantly think it’s going to be talking about lakes and fishing whenever I hear “invasive species” mentioned, so it caught me off guard when I realized this headline was talking about divvying up $3 mil to eradicate:

Norway rats in AK...Argentine ants in CA...invasive plants in HI...black rats in U.S. Virgin Islands...and bullfrogs in WA. 😅

Have a great + safe Labor Day weekend! Catch some fish too!!

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026