“Cheater rig” for river walleyes, Holst can dance, Spring crappie guide

If you haven’t seen it yet, the Rapala Shad Dancer is a balsa bait you can heave about twice as far as a Shad Rap and digs a bit deeper. Here’s what IDO’s James “dances-with-walleyes” Holst has to say about ’em, plus a few favorite colors:

> Many walleye bites are wind-generated – if it’s not windy, the fish probably aren’t biting. You’re going to be casting into the wind, that’s just the way it is. …that Shad Dancer you can really rifle out there…and get that balsa action.

> It’s got a really subtle side-to-side movement, kind of like a #5 or #6 Shad Rap, but it dives so much deeper. Shad Dancers will easily ping bottom in 8-9′ on a cast. We fish them any time the fish are a little bit deeper. We were still bumping bottom in 10-12′ while flat-line trolling ’em too.

> It seems like when you’ve got good wave action rolling into those rocks, the fish just aren’t going to be up in 1.5-2′ of water – they’re kind of getting thrown around as well by the waves crashing.

James uses natural patterns like perch and yellow perch, or the HD live patterns when the water is clear to lightly-stained (top). In stained/muddy water he prefers brighter patterns like firetiger, hot steel and red crawdad (bottom):

Also said he fishes Shad Dancers on 10-lb (4-lb diameter) Sufix 832 Advanced Superline braid tipped with a 10- to 12-lb fluorocarbon leader, which is a super-versatile setup.

Haven’t seen James’ dance moves off the water yet, but anyone else picturing that Napoleon Dynamite style?

#RockIt

– That’s the B-Fish-N Tackle crew talkin’ about their “cotton candy” color AuthentX plastics. Here’s a look at it in the always-fishy Pulse-R.

*Warning: Not for human consumption (lol):

Joe Amundson (@joe_walter_outdoors) said they were choking it on his last trip to the Rainy River. #GetThePliers

New baits/colors always got me like… #SugarRush

Here’s a few other AuthentX colors you probably shouldn’t try eating yourself, tempting as their names may sound:

1. Peanut butter and jelly,
2. Honey oil glitter,
3. Pink bubblegum pepper,
4. and for sure stay away from firecracker!

NWT pro Korey Sprengel has spent thousands of hours fine tuning his equipment, so when he finds something interesting…👀 I’m all ears:

Korey was going thru some baits the other day and came across this “firetail chrome candy” color Berkley Flicker Minnow, that he said was the best for him at the NWT Championship on Lake Erie…but not just the color so much as that particular bait (on the bottom):

> Korey: “I had only 2 of this color and the bottom one would catch them probably 5 to 1 over the one above it. I changed the hooks once in practice on the bottom one it had gone through so many fish and then that was the point I retired it till game day knowing how valuable that bait may be.

> “Usually a difference like that usually comes back to a turning issue compared to the other bait. I even put a red hook on it as well but it just didn’t stand out like the other. Recognizing what seem to be little things at times in fishing can be a big difference-maker in terms of getting bites at the end of the day.

> “I’ll let ‘Mr. Crankbait’ Dan Spengler [Berkley bait developer] take a deeper look at these to help fine tune more perfect crankbaits in the future.”

Well, Dan…when you get to the bottom of it:

No doubt the hardest part about catching spring crappies – or any fish for that matter – is making sure you’re putting your bait in front of ’em. This Joel Nelson AnglingBuzz write-up does an awesome job of breaking down the spring transition. Full write-up at the link, but a few excerpts below:

> I start with mid-winter community holes…. …in most instances, you can draw a nearly straight line from these holes to pre-spawn staging areas and the eventual spawning shallows. Start deeper, and move to shallower staging areas like a weedline or edge of a flat in 10-12′, then move all the way up to the shallows beyond, shallower than 6-8′.

> The best areas have a well-defined basin that gives way to an inside turn or “chute” that fish follow back and forth as water temps and weather change. Animals of all kinds are well known for using topographic funnels and land contours for movement, and fish are no exception. Underwater topography concentrates movement, making inside turns and the inward directions that point towards the shallows great locations to start.

> On cooler, overcast or rainy days within the spring period, consider following this line outward to the depths. On the warmer days focus your efforts shallower, knowing again that activity will be better from the middle to late part of the day, especially in the earlier part of the spring…. Proceed slowly with the bow-mount down, using your electronics…. If you have side-imaging, make sure to use it…tailor-made for locating big schools of early-season panfish.

> As far as the spawning locations themselves, you’re looking for back bays, coves, and boat canals with warmer-than-main-lake water temps. …zones within these warmer locations that fish congregate in more heavily…docks, brushpiles, bulrushes, pencil-reeds and lilypad root stems where only soft-bottom is available. Cover…is secondary to water temp so keep that in mind.

> …spawning location depth is relative for the lake you’re fishing and its clarity. Fish in clear water can spawn well outside of the reedbeds in 6′ or more…while murky-water fish can be right up against the bank.

Keep reading here.

You probably shouldn’t, but this guy did:

> Wallace Michelin: “My crazy brother never stops, at least he’s got the right tools to keep pushing forward!!”

That “tool” is a Lund 1875 Impact – those things are straight-up tough! Guess if they can support the weight of Al Lindner’s fish, they oughta be able to handle a wheeler? 😂

1. Head2Head Fishing is making moves!

I mentioned in the last TW email how they teamed up with Salmo, Blackfish Gear, Lew’s, Yamaha, Skeeter, and Aftco….

As of yesterday you can add Rapala, Off Shore Tackle, Sufix and VMC to that list. 🔥

2. WI: New “fish-viewing platform” on Peshtigo River.

The 160′ platform gives a birds-eye view of the river below – where you could probably see schools of walleye moving into the shallows to spawn right now!

That would be super cool to see [!!!] but 7 minutes later you’d find me down where these other folks are (gotta be 300′ away from the dam)…casting:

3. WI: Merc National tourney happenin’ Jun 12-13.

Believe they fill up with 300 teams every year, so would register early for the Lake Winnebago bonanza. The top prize = a Lund 1875 Impact XS with a Mercury 150 Pro XS + $5K in cash!

4. PWS pro Isaac Lakich is a Warrior.

Just picked up his new Warrior 2090 BTT w/ a Mercury 250 Pro XS = a whole lotta tiller!

Warrior also added 27-yr walleye pro Ross Grothe to the team. If you haven’t followed along with Team Grothe’s happenings, it’s super cool to see him compete in (and even win!) walleye derbies while fishing with his 11- and 14-yr-old sons. 🙌

> Ross: “My family is my support crew. We hunt and fish together as often as possible, and we fish walleye tournaments as a family, too. With as much time as we spend on the water, the right boat critical to our success. We are absolutely thrilled for this new direction and new relationship with Warrior Boats. I’m grateful for the opportunity and the future looks great.”

5. Tommy Kemos gets X2Power.

Premium AGM batteries for a premium stick. 🔨

6. Brunswick’s CMO Lauren Beckstedt named…

…to Boating Industry’s “40 Under 40.” 👏 Congrats!

7. Have you seen Eagle Claw’s Weedless Pro-V Eagle Eye Jigs?

> …American Made Lazer Sharp LV570 Pro-V jig hooks with lead “Aspirin-style” jigheads and feature stainless steel weedguards. The weedguards protect the gap between the hook and soft plastic, keeping weeds from snagging the bait, and allowing for great bait presentation in grass and weeds.

> …the Pro-V bend in conjunction with the “Aspirin-style” head offers a more streamlined profile when falling through the water column and when dragging through grass or weeds. …also stronger than comparable round-bend jig hooks, and creates a pocket in the hook throat that holds live bait in place.

> Large holographic eyes and premium paint in a wide range of colors….

8. Interesting info from Academy CEO interview.

> Academy published its 2020 fiscal year results March 30, boasting 416% growth in net profit and a 157.2% increase in net income.

> “Whether, ultimately, the internet gets to be 30%, 40%, 50% (of commerce)…the (brick-and-mortar) stores are still going to be around because of the experience.”

> Hicks said the company now has 15% online penetration, which is defined as total e-commerce merchandise sales, including buy-online-pickup-in-store purchases, divided by total company merchandise sales.

> “More than 95% of our total annual sales involved our stores….”

> Last Sept Academy said it had goals to open 8-10 new stores a year starting in 2022, and those goals haven’t changed. …looking at smaller footprints that might not carry as much product…signs will be posted directing customers online for more options….

9. For all you folks that lose fish close to the boat…

Clam Fortis Nets now come with the option of a 110″ (over 9′) handle. 😏

10. Max Wilson did a tell-all LiveScope video.

11. MN: DNR pushes for new respect of rough fish.

> “These are fish we need. There’s still a perception that if it’s not a sunfish or another game fish, it’s a carp.”

> “Whether a fish has a limit or not, we don’t want them wasted. They are part of the ecosystem.”

> Redhorse and other suckers are a vital food source for game fish. Buffalo eat unwanted algae. Gar and dogfish (bowfin) are among the few fish that eat carp. Minnows thrive by eating suckers’ eggs. There’s also growing interest around the country in targeting certain native, nongame species for table fare and catch-and-release sport.

> Just last year, DNR championed a bill at the Legislature that elevated eelpout (burbot) from unprotected rough fish to game fish. The new designation gives DNR the authority to establish a season and bag limit for the species.

Good!

12. ND: Folks who obtain moss balls with zeebz could get jail time?

😳

13. MT: Bird folks upset at DNR killing birds around hatchery ponds.

14. Another #SeaFoamWorks story.

Chris L. from IA:

> “I had a young kid bring me an outboard that was his grandpa’s who recently passed. It had been sitting in a basement for 10-15 yrs. I filled the entire fuel system with Sea Foam, and the cylinders. 24 hours later after draining everything I put fresh gas in it with a mix of Sea Foam, and the little motor came to life. The young boy was in tears. It is still running today, making memories. And the boy is using Sea Foam in all of his engines now too. Thank you for a great product!”

“Cheater rig” for dirty river walleyes.

I’m usually an artifical-only enthusiast when chasin’ walleyes…but sometimes you gotta bust out all the tricks when it comes to out-fishing your buddies lol. This simple “cheater rig” straight-up catches ’em [!!!] when you’re dealing with swift current, and cold dirty water:

Note: We shot this late-fall on the US side of the Rainy River near Baudette, MN…but the same “cheater rig” trick can work even more better-er in the spring as well if you’re dealing with dirtier than normal water.

Don’t overlook it = can be a legit day-saver when water conditions worsen!

“Apparently walleyes like wind…but turn the fan off now please.”

– That’s Lake Erie Cap’n Ross Robertson talking about mother nature and her gusty ways. 💨 Man, has it been blowing lately! No doubt makes things difficult on the water, but can sure put fish on the chew:

On to the next season! Troy Lindner you cold 🥶:

Sending her off with some walleye fishin’ 2-for-1s. Shot from @acmetackle’s Insta:

Cheers to the weekend!

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH