Dang it!! Sorry for the late send today. Our email sender Constant Contact was having major technical issues – again. 🤦‍♂️

Hopefully this gets out. Here we go!

I came across this great Z-Man Blog post called “Not Another Forward-Facing Sonar Story” that’s picking the brain of walleye pro Dylan Nussbaum. Gonna drop a few excerpts below, but the full Q&A is for sure worth a read.

> Dylan: “We watch videos and read so much about fishing with sonar these days, but I think there’s a lack of content really explaining how and why we do what we do when we’re up front, crouched over a screen, flicking baits and setting hooks. Sure, I use FFS to catch big fish and win tournament money, but the truth is, it’s also an awesome learning experience and honestly, one of the most exciting and rewarding ways to catch ‘em.”

Z-Man: Seems like the power of FFS has shined through at recent walleye tournaments. Most eye-raising are the big water tournaments, like on Lake Erie, where trolling methods that cover large swaths of water are gradually being supplanted by casting a single lure to a single fish spotted on sonar. Why are anglers adapting?

Dylan: Beyond the fun factor, of course, it all boils down to the fact FFS helps us pinpoint and cast to individual big fish, one-on-one with a favorite lure, as opposed to towing lures around the general vicinity of a school, hoping one will eventually eat. In tournaments, we’re looking to put five big fish in the boat each day, rather than seeking limits of smaller eater sized fish.

So, even in inland seas like Erie, we’re able to use electronics to find general fish-holding zones – often well off-structure – and then zero in on larger, individual walleyes. We saw it at the last two national tournaments on Lake Erie, where many of the top ten placing anglers opted to go ‘scoping rather than trolling. Even amid infinite volumes of potential fish-holding water, a single angler wielding FFS and the right skills can sometimes catch more big fish than the trollers, who cover ten times more water, faster.

Z-Man: Tell us about the baits you’re casting with FFS fishing.

Dylan: Right now, it seems like everyone’s throwing a jig and Scented Jerk ShadZ, which has become the default FFS lure, especially early and late in the season. The 4” Jerk ShadZ delivers the perfect bait-sized profile. I’ve thrown it at every tournament this year. The ElaZtech material is so soft and it’s buoyant, too...moves differently than any other fluke-minnow bait I’ve used. Get it nice and straight on a jighead and watch the bait as you reel in. If it’s rigged right, you’ll get this killer crankbait-like action, a subtle wobble and shimmy that can’t be duplicated because of its superplastic material.

I think the buoyancy is a huge advantage for suspended fish because it keeps the bait up and almost hovering in place. You benefit from a slowed-down drop, so it’s not falling past fish too fast. Underwater, the bait’s buoyancy also keeps it perfectly aligned at that ideal horizontal angle on a jighead. Also, I can use a heavier jig for casting distance, but still benefit from a slower, more seductive rate of fall.

On bottom, the Jerk ShadZ’ tail stands up, remains visible and looks alive. In all cases, I love the Jerk ShadZ in tournaments, because this optimal bait (and hook) angle basically guarantees I’ll sting 95-percent of the fish and right in the roof of the mouth. You almost never lose a fish on this set up, either. Feel that thump and you got ‘em.

Z-Man: What about the durability of the ElaZtech material. Why is this important?

Dylan: The fact I can fish with one bait all day and never have to worry about the tail getting ripped off by a short biter or nipped in half by nuisance fish...that is huge. I’m never fishing and wondering if my bait looks right or if it’s been destroyed, so every cast is pure confidence. Add a single drop of Loctite Gel Control before threading the bait on the jig and you’ll essentially create a bulletproof lure that lasts all day long

Z-Man: Any guidelines on your preferred bait colors for FFS fishing?

Dylan: In clear water, I’m throwing natural baitfish patterns like Bad Shad, Disco Cisco or Perfect Perch. If the water’s stained to dirty, I do especially well with Pro Yellow Perch or plain old Pearl.

[Btw here's those colors in order from top-to-bottom]

Z-Man: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned by using FFS?

Dylan: Well, it’s entirely changed the way I think about walleye behavior. The craziest thing is witnessing just how much the fish are moving. On the Great Lakes, they’re swimming non-stop, often traveling faster than you can run even with the trolling motor set at 10. On Kinzua Lake, near my home, I’ve discovered that even if you don’t see fish on a favorite point where you’ve been catching them, a quick move down along the break or over to the next point can put you back on ‘em. Walleyes on structure often set up travel routes, so they’ll often visit the same certain points every day, but not always at the same time.

Z-Man: Any shortcuts to help anglers find their lure on screen?

Dylan: Start with short pitches. Make sure your transducer is perfectly aligned with the nose of the trolling motor. Once you can consistently hit a target and see your lure every cast – say with short 10' pitches –increase to 20' and then 30' casts. It’s all about retraining your mind and muscles to cast at virtual moving targets rather than a physical tree branch sticking out of the water.

Z-Man: How do you stay on individual fish when they’re moving?

Dylan: Boat control is everything with my style of power fishing, especially as it gets windy and rough, producing challenges like bows in your line. You need a powerful, super responsive trolling motor. I use a Minn Kota Ultrex with 115-lbs of thrust. Then it’s all a matter of your ability to hit small targets, like a walleye 54' out, 18' down.

One of the biggest mistakes I see anglers make is engaging the bail on their reel too fast, which sweeps the lure back toward the boat and away from your target. Instead, leave the bail open and watch the line (most anglers use bright fluorescent braid for a mainline), letting it freefall straight down. Do this and you’ll start seeing your lure show up on screen.

Z-Man: Walk us through a typical fishing scenario and the lure moves you use to trigger bites.

Dylan: Usually, I prefer to target the singles, which are usually bigger lone wolf walleyes, often hunting pelagic prey. That’s another key thing I’ve learned...that the biggest walleyes suspend 5’ to 10’ off bottom way more than they pin themselves tight to the sand.

Again, the first and most critical element is hitting targets, making sure your bait shows up on screen. If I miss, I’ll immediately crank back in and fire another cast. If I hit the bullseye, I let the bait – nearly always a Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ on a 3/8-oz jighead – drop 10-15’ or 20’ down, right at the fish level. Stop. Give the bait a few twitches and if you don’t notice a change in the fish’s body language, rapidly reel back and cast again. Keep approaching the fish from different angles with different casts. (Don’t retrieve the lure into the fish’s face, rather keep it moving away.) Try to make ‘em chase. Or, even if I just make the fish turn its head, I’m confident I’ll eventually catch her.

Z-Man: Any other tricks to induce a positive response or a bite?

Dylan: Vary the cadence of your rod twitches, making the Jerk ShadZ pop from 6” to 12”. If you get fish following back to the boat without biting, I’ll take ‘em right to the bottom. Say you’re in 30’ of water, with fish suspended 10’ off. Drop the jig straight to the bottom, then start working the bait extra slow, perhaps just inching along the substrate. Usually, though, when you rocket straight down, the fish won’t even let the Jerk ShadZ touch down before crushing it on the freefall.

Lots of great info – thx fellas! 👊

When it looks like someone shot your Humminbird HELIX with a paintball gun! That’s actually a pile of buggers rising up from bottom on Lake Erie charter captain Juls’ unit:

Another way to tell there’s a hatch happenin’ is if you need a shovel – even though it’s 85 degrees – to get in your car. Came across this pic from Lake Erie guide Ross Robertson, which is also a nice reminder to not park under lights. 😅

Wonder how many bottles of Sea Foam Bugs B Gone you’d need for that LOL? I mean if you can’t keep up with a shovel, maybe take the snowplow to ‘em:

Ahhhh, those dreaded bug hatches. Some folks swear it’s not even worth hitting the water when a big bug hatch is going on...but Tom Boley isn’t some folks. Lot of the times bug hatches are the first big push for walleyes to move out deep. Of course to gorge on bugs, larva, and leeches...but also on the baitfish that are eating those little treats too.

In case you missed it, Tom posted this video a couple years back where they absolutely crushed walleyes (what’s new?!) despite what most folks would consider tough conditions.

His secret? They were running 1-oz bottom-bouncers with the Mack’s Smile Blade Slow Death Rigs – and also his own spin on Slow Death – to catch suspended basin-swellers.

He always makes it look so easy 🔥 except for maybe when they were quadrupled-up lol:

Although now that he's got Humminbird MEGA Live on his side, he'd probably be sharpshooting the BIGS with a Kalin's Google Eye Tungsten Search Bait like he was in his newest upload.

So pick your poison based on how you like to fish and the technology you're working with. You don't need the latest and greatest to get out and catch a few – use what you've got.

I'll let him explain this one:

> If you walleye fish, chances are you use live bait rigs at times. Here is a simple solution for organizing weights, hooks, swivels, line and other components for live-bait rigging.

> Many hobby stores and sewing shops sell plastic canisters or cups with lids that screw or thread together. These plastic containers are cheap and work great for organizing tackle. Thread the hook cups together, the bead and swivel cups together and so forth. This is a great way to organize terminal tackle.

Pretty slick! Especially for those little components that like to slide under the tackle tray dividers.

Will someone please hook this feller up with a good chiropractor? Or at least one of those #money Rollga Foam Rollers?? Pic from Brady Snyder on Instagram:

1. RBFF encourages dads and daughters to go fishing.

Okay, you talked us into it!

> The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) announced its new Take Me Fishing Second Catch campaign encouraging Dads and daughters to reconnect on the water this Father’s Day and throughout the summer season. Aimed at improving retention and reactivation numbers which have been troubling in recent years, RBFF has developed a wide array of dynamic assets its stakeholders can use to amplify the message.

> “Research tells us women who fish have significantly greater grit, confidence and self-esteem than women who don’t. But it also shows girls stop fishing at an 11% higher rate than boys, and often feel excluded from fishing and boating trips. Second Catch encourages girls and women to get back on the water to continue building their confidence through adolescence and beyond!”

> RBFF’s Second Catch campaign messaging centers on an animated short movie that showcases the heartwarming journey of a father and daughter whose shared love of fishing drifts apart – only to be rekindled years later when the daughter’s passion brings them back on the water.

This vid = powerful stuff!

Hope you’re able to get on the water this weekend!

2. MN: HUGE pike caught in Boundary Waters.

It was 47.5” long [!!!] which would have broken MN’s catch-and-release length record, but they didn’t get a pic of it on a ruler.

The current C&R length record is actually a tie between two 46.25-inchers.

3. MI: Sault Tribe holds first-ever open house at walleye hatchery.

> For the first time in its history, the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians opened its walleye hatchery to the public in an open house Wednesday evening.

> The hatchery is located on 360 acres between Sault Ste. Marie and Pickford.... It has a 25-acre drainable pond and two 5-acre drainable ponds. 

> In the larger pond, 1.7 million walleye fry are planted each season. In the two smaller ponds, about 600,000 fry are planted.

> The event was created to invite people to learn about its walleye rearing efforts as the fisheries staff prepares to transport and release upwards of one million walleye fingerlings into nearby lakes and streams.

> The tribe has been raising and stocking walleye since 1995 to support commercial and sport fishing in the 1836 Ceded Territory since 1995. In that time, they have released more than 18 million walleye.

4. New AnglingBuzz episode all about bobber fishing.

We used to wait for fish to come to us, but now using electronics we're bringing the slip-bobbers to fish.

5. MN: I had no idea that we have EELS here. 🤯

> The American eel is a unique, migratory fish. All American eels in MN were born in the Atlantic Ocean.

> The females of this species make an incredible journey swimming up the Mississippi River to its headwaters. Males stay close to the streams along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast.

> These fish are strictly nocturnal. They tend to stay close to deep riprap and snags near shore within moderate-sized to large rivers and streams.

> American eels are listed as a species of special concern in MN and are extremely rare. If you catch one, we encourage you to handle the fish carefully and release it back into the water as soon as possible so it can complete its lengthy migration cycle.

6. More details on Z-Man’s new Tungsten ChatterBait.

Z-Man also just announced a new ElaZtech ChatterBait trailer called the ChatterShad.

7. MO: 13-yr-old started pouring his own plastics...

...and 10 months later he's shipping all over the Midwest. Super cool!

8. WA: Coast Guard rescues family of capsized kayakers...

...just before hypothermia set in.

> One of the adults in the group hit the SOS button on their [Garmin] inReach immediately after the boats swamped. ...the adults were able to get the dog and child back into the water-filled kayaks, while they stayed in the water and waited for rescue.

Glad everyone made it out okay! And thank goodness they were all wearing life jackets and had a Garmin inReach device. Little more info on those because I hadn’t looked into ‘em before:

> Go beyond the limits of cellular networks, and stay in touch with friends and family with global two-way messaging via the Iridium satellite network1. If necessary, trigger an interactive SOS message to the Garmin Response 24/7-staffed emergency response coordination center.

> Trained team members are standing by to respond to your SOS, track your device and notify proper authorities and emergency responders in your area. Then, while help is on the way, the Garmin Response team will in most cases continue to text back and forth with you, providing updates and critical information until help arrives or you no longer need assistance.

Fishing line organization hack.

I’m telling ya, if you still haven’t used this little line hack…you’ve gotta get on it!

WI fishing guide Troy Peterson showed me this trick a few years back on how he uses Beadalon Spool Tamers (from the jewelry/sewing industry) to keep his spools of line, well...spooled.

Should be able to find them at your local craft store, but can sometimes snag a bulk 25-pack online for around $15 if you dig around hard enough. Great tip!

“Sometimes you hook the fish, sometimes the fish hooks you!”

- That’s Chad Bullock (aka @guide_chronicles on IG) on the wrong end of a big Berkley Juke Saltwater after a “rambunctious pike performed its death roll” and drove 2 prongs of a treble hook deep into the palm of his hand. 😫 YOUCH!!!

> “A quick trip to the Whati Health Centre, some cutting, some stitching and we were on our way.”

> “Not much to say other than pinch your barbs, careful when handling/unhooking fish, and I might just stick with single hooks for the remainder of this season. 😂”

Don’t blame you one bit, dude!

I love this IG post from Jadyn Thomas snatching ‘em out of the flooded ND timber with his 7’3” ML-F 2B Fishing Genesis spinning rod rigged with a dropshot. 💯

Hope you get to smile like/with a walleye this weekend! Mitch Klatt shot:

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026