Bigguns of the week, Strange humpback muskie, The Dodd knot

Kickin’ off today’s email with another “parade of pigs” jammed full of shots of BIGS – 💯 here we go!

1. Jeremiah Luhmann (@luhmannsriverguiding) has been working over some Mississippi River hawgs this spring 🐷 including this one he caught on a Dubuque rig with a Berkley PowerBait Bonefish on the jig and a Curly Bones on the trailer:

The fish hit the Curly Bones trailer, which was the “citrus blast” color and looks like this:

2. Love this line from Warren Fisher:

> “If it’s too windy to be fishing, you should probably be fishing. Howling winds had the big ones acting foolish!”

Warren was slinging a “fruit bowl” color #7 Rapala Rippin’ Rap for this Door County (WI) fool…and a bunch of her friends:

3. This post-spawn 31” behemoth smoked a Northland Thumper Jig paired with a swimbait on Green Bay. Troy Peterson was throwing it on one of the best all-around finesse walleye rods I’ve ever used = an Elliott 7’ 3” ML fast. 👊 Impressive fish, man!

4. Tyler Flynn doesn’t miss too many days on the water. He pulled this Marinette’r out of that nasty current seam just off the flooded timber – said they been pitching a 1-2 🥊 of VMC Bucktail Jigs and AuthentX Pulse-R paddletails:

Came across this awesome throwback pic on the Lindner’s Angling Edge Instagram page of Al Lindner and Jeff Zernov with some hi-tech fishing equipment in the mid-70s:

I’d be willing to bet at the time there were some folks getting worked up and wanting that stuff banned…. 🤔

I was tagged in this pic from captain Gavin Scray and had to do a double-take…just like I’m sure he did when it hit the net LOL. Believe they were fishing for walleyes on Green Bay out of Peshtigo, WI when they caught this weird humpback critter on a #6 Rapala Rippin’ Rap in the “redfire crawdad” color.

I have no idea what’s going on with it, but I simply cannot stop staring at it.

Gum and varnish has always been the #1 cause of marine engine problems…. This is a great (easy!) thing to do at the beginning of the season to help your boat motor start easier, run better, and idle smoother.

Brian demonstrates in the vid how he 1) starts with a low tank of fuel, 2) adds a couple cans of Marine PRO, then 3) runs the engine so the high concentration of Marine PRO can work its way through the intake and upper engine.

The jar on the left is fresh fuel…the jar on the right (same formulation, neither has ethanol) is about 5 months old and was “exposed to oxygen,” which caused the fuel to degrade. If you used Sea Foam to stabilize your tank’s fuel in the fall…it wouldn’t look like that:

Hope you dig it 👊 and thanks SO much for taking the time to watch and comment!

1. MN: Amazing turnout at the Walleye Alliance Spring Banquet last night.

Best I could get without standing up and causing a scene haha:

Big thx to all that helped put on this fundraising event! 💯

And shout-out to the DNR’s Marc Bacigalupi for being the featured speaker – it’s always fascinating listening to him talk walleye. I tried to sneak up there afterwards to steal his thumb drive (loaded with amazing info on walleye population numbers, size structure, growth rates, and how it all changed with zeebz, etc) but it was already gone lol.

2. IA: Statewide CPR walleye challenge, May 1 – Jun 30.

> The DNR is partnering for a second year with MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas to conduct a statewide [catch-photo-release] walleye fishing challenge May 1 through Jun 30. The IA Chapter of the American Fisheries Society has joined as a research partner for the 2023 challenge.

> Anglers will have the chance to win weekly prizes while also contributing to fisheries research, helping improve walleye fishing in the state.

> Participating anglers are encouraged to report all the walleye they catch in May and June through the MyCatch mobile app. The mobile app maintains anonymous location data, so angler’s secret sports stay secret. DNR fisheries biologists will use the generalized lake and river catch data entered to assess and manage walleye populations across IA.

There’s a $25 fee to enter the tournament – register here.

3. WI: Fishing has a $2.3 bil economic impact in Wisconsin.

> Almost 1.2 mil fishing licenses were sold in WI last year. Of those, about 99,000 were “new buyers.”

4. WI: Lake Winnebago NWT is happening May 17-18.

Out of Oshkosh. Gotta register by May 5.

5. First round of Merc’s electric outboards are now shipping.

Called “Avator.”

This 7.5e model:

> Based on testing with a 13-foot Veer V13 boat (382-lb dry weight), the Avator 7.5e electric outboard can run for 60 min or 5 miles at constant full throttle, with one fully charged 1kWh battery, and up to 19 hours or 34 miles at constant 25% throttle.

6. TN: Bassmaster Classic generated $35.5 MILLION for Knoxville.

Sheeeeesh! 🤯🤑

7. IL: Wish my middle school would have…

…taken us to visit a fish hatchery – like West Carroll did – to see the process used to grow and stock walleye! Super cool.

8. MN: DNR names Kyllo, Durick to fishing workgroups.

> Karry Kyllo of East Grand Forks was appointed to the DNR’s Walleye Workgroup, and Red River catfish guide Brad Durick of Grand Forks was appointed to the DNR’s Catfish Workgroup.

> The Walleye Workgroup, meant to enhance dialog between members of the public and the DNR, consists of 10-15 citizens representing different geographic regions and interests in MN. The group meets several times each year with DNR fisheries staff to discuss many aspects of MN’s walleye fishery…recreation, effects on local economies, research, water quality, fish habitat, populations, harvest trends and fisheries mgmt.

> Members of the Walleye Workgroup are appointed to 2- or 3-yr terms and members may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms. The Walleye Workgroup is chaired by DNR fisheries regional or program managers.

> In his role on the DNR’s Catfish Workgroup, Durick is part of a citizen panel that will discuss topics such as laws affecting catfish anglers, including bait and the use of 2 lines on inland waters of MN. The group also will discuss catfish management, based on migration studies and creel surveys from MN catfish waters.

9. MN: West Metro Walleye League schedule (6-9pm).

They have 7 openings left.

The top-5 teams will get bids to the 2024 Cabela’s National Team Championship:

• May 18: Minnetonka
• May 25: Washington
• Jun 1: Briggs Chain
• Jun 8: Independence
• Jun 15: Horseshoe Chain
• Jun 22: Waconia
• Jun 29: Buffalo
• Jul 13: Clearwater
• Jul 22 (Championship): Koronis

10. Minnesota Bound Crappie Contest, May 6, Lake Minnetonka.

Proceeds benefit Fishing For Life. Advanced registration is just $10 per angler (or $20 on-site the day of) and you weigh your single biggest crappie. Lot more info here.

11. DC: Senate bill intro’d to allow lead tackle on federal land.

Have you tried the “Dodd knot” before?

First time I’ve ever seen this variation of joiner knot for tying leader line to a braided main line. Thx to TW reader John Minnihan for the heads-up. Folks are saying that it’s even sleeker and tighter than the FG knot, and of course easier to tie than it…everything is lol.

Little update from the guy who originally created that knot:

> “When I first developed this knot the braided lines were more oval shaped so it took many more wraps to prevent any slippage, which is the death nail to a good knot. Most new braided lines are now woven with 8 strands, making them rounder, which eliminates about half the wraps….”

Says he never needs to use more than 7 wraps now when using newer, rounder braid.

Just trying to mentally prepare you for the tip ^ above. 😅 Posted by @karlsbaitandtackle on Instagram:

I still have nightmares about the first time I tried tying an FG knot up. Might be the only thing I’ve ever completely given up on after attempting it for a mere 47 seconds. 🫣

Love this toothy shot of Cody Solberg staring down the barrel of a 30″ Green Bay waldo. #LockedAndLoaded

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH