Fattest perch ever, Basin bluegill tricks, How to flag big gators

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I know I have said that phrase ^ before, but this just stepped it up another couple notches in the perchin’ belt. Posted by Pete Hiller in the Ice Junkies Outdoors FB group, who said his buddy’s kid caught this SD jumbotron back in Jan. #eggwagon

Here’s another mind-boggling angle of that mutant – can’t even imagine!

We’ve got a runner-up on the fatness scale here too – Lake Gogebic, MI guide Justin Soffa shared this pic of a 14″ jumbo (that hit the 2-lb mark!) laying next to a 15″ walleye. Wow, just WOW!!!

Madness.

– Hilarious comment under this In-Depth Outdoors pic talking how James Holst “wasn’t planning to fish this spot, but it looks like the decision was made for him” after getting straight-up buried:

We’ve all been there – especially this season! Conditions wise, I can’t remember a worse year for on-ice travel.

Reminds me how a few years back I created the ultimate ice-fishing rig for cruddy travel conditions…and bonus points for being able to “drop in” on private lakes without trespassing. 🤣

Haters will say it’s fake, but I’ve already been working on the 1-person portable version for next season too:

Known for its zillions of walleyes, Lake of the Woods has also become a world-class pike destination during the Mar/Apr late-ice period. Special regz mean these fish can be targeted all the way through ice-out. #Jackpot

Mammoth pike will stage for the upcoming spawn in shallow bays all along the south shore and are ready to pop tip-up flags. Believe it or not, 40-inchers are hardly considered “big ones” when the bite is really on!

Big-fish junkie Andy Walls has been specifically targeting these toothy critters for years, so we tracked him down to get his scoop on putting these freaks topside. Full write-up on TargetWalleye.com, few excerpts below:

Gear

> “Make sure tip-ups are spinning smooth and that they have fresh 50-lb Sufix Performance Tip-Up Ice Braid. From there a quick-strike rig tied right to the tip-up line, and a 1/4-oz weight fixed above the leader to keep the bait in the strike zone.

 

> “Larger ‘Y yolk’ quick-strike rigs present both live and dead bait really well. They have a solid hook-up ratio with one treble fixed just before the head of the minnow and one rigged right before the tail. I’ve had the most success using 50-lb wire down to two #2 VMC Hybrid Trebles.”

Location

> “LOW northern pike can be caught literally almost anywhere on the lake, but there’s a large concentration of fish that really never leave the south shore.

> “Some of my best success early on in the season is in the 8-12′ range. Look for subtle structure changes like: a slightly quicker depth change, funnel, or ridge the fish may be following. Changes in the bottom content – like a rock or gravel patch – will usually provide even better action.

> By late Mar or early Apr, we’re typically setting lines in less than 5′. The later in the year it gets, begin concentrating your efforts closer to – or directly out in front of – main spawning areas where runoff is the highest…draws fish in”

Way more info in the full write-up here, including: when/how to make moves, how far down to set baits, and when to set the hook. 💯 Walls knows his stuff.

BONUS: You’d be surprised how many BIG incidental walleyes you can run into too!

Despite what the calendar says, we’re still fishing deeper midwinter patterns around north-central MN for the most part.

The transition into “late ice” bites usually happens once we get warm-enough temps to create a melt, and water starts to run back into the holes = panfish make a break for skinny water.

So until that happens…take these Jason Mitchell tips and run with ’em. And of course in typical J-Mitch fashion, he does a REALLY good job of talking about the “why” and not just the “what.”

This one’s coming from Ashton Stephens, who pulled off the once in a lifetime 2fer with a #3 Rapala Ultra Light Rippin’ Rap – believe that’s the “pink clown” color. 🙌 So cool:

1. MN: There’s a National High School Walleye Championship coming!

Presented by the Student Angler Tournament Trail and happening Jun 5 on Mille Lacs:

There’s tons of high-school bassin’ events (which of course is amazing!) but LOVE to see them branching off into some walleye fishing for the kiddos. 👊

2. WI: Merc National tourney happenin’ June 11-12.

Registration opens Mar 21 (believe they fill up with 300 teams every year) for the 44th-annual derby on Lake Winnebago.

The top prize = a Lund 1875 Impact XS with a Mercury 150XL Pro XS + $5K cash. Total package valued at OVER $50K! Updated payouts here for the rest of the field.

3. Updated 2022 NWT schedule.

• Mar 31 – Apr 1: Trenton, MI – Detroit River only
• Apr 28-29: Chamberlain, SD – Missouri River
• Jun 9-10: Prairie du Chien, WI – Mississippi River
• Jul 14-15: Marinette, WI – Bay of Green Bay
• Aug 24-26: Championship – Dunkirk NY – Lake Erie

Which event are you most excited about? 🔨

4. Updated 2022 MWC schedule:

• Mar 18-19: Illinois River – Spring Valley, IL
• Apr 22-23: Lake Erie – Sandusky, OH
• May 20-21: Big Stone Lake – Ortonville, MN
• Jun 3-4: Bay of Green Bay – Marinette, WI
• Jun 17-18: Lake Huron – Oscoda, MI
• Aug 19-20: Lake Oahe – Gettysburg, SD
• Sep 16-17: Cass Lake – Cass Lake, MN

Qualifying teams from the 2022 MWC tournament season will get to fish the 2023 MWC World Walleye Championship on Lake Sharpe (Pierre, SD) Oct 5-7.

Btw the 2022 MWC World Walleye Championship is happening Sept 29 – Oct 1 on the Bay of Green Bay.

5. MN: Joe Henry named “Tourism Professional of the Year.”

> Joe Henry, executive director of Lake of the Woods Tourism, was named “Tourism Professional of the Year” for his work on behalf of the MN tourism industry.

> “In addition to serving on local industry boards and commissions, including the Minnesota Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus and the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers, Henry has brought major global events to MN and created key alliances with the MN DNR, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CAN and the province of ON.

> “Henry is constantly working with media outlets, municipalities, economic development groups and other civic, public and private organizations to spotlight MN tourism.”

Big congrats Joe!

6. MN’s largest muskie show is this weekend.

The Minnesota Muskie Expo is happening right now in the Warner Coliseum at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Heard those folks will walk around the show all weekend just for a shot at seeing 1 big fish bait hahaha.

7. OH has 18 new natural resources officers on the job.

8. WA: 3.5 mil+ salmon fry lost to flooding event.

> “…extreme flooding resulted in significant debris in the hatchery’s water intake system.”

9. Plastic pollution could contribute to the spread of invasives?

Is the walleye allocation going the wrong way again?

Interesting read from Erik Jacobson talking about Mille Lacs Lake closures, and restrictions, and hooking mortality, oh my. 🦁🐯🐻

6 must-know tips for spring river walleye fishing.

I realize not everyone ice fishes 🥶 so I’m going to start sprinkling more and more open-water tips in here going forward = it’s coming…eventually.

River systems offer some of the earliest walleye fishing opportunities across the Midwest each spring, so let’s start with some golden nuggets from Jason Mitchell. His full write-up here, quickie “Table of Contents” below:

1. Avoid muddy water
2. Try backwater
3. Use heavier jigs
4. Use oversized plastics
5. Hang jigs
6. Avoid debris

Some solid quick-hitters in Jason’s 5-ish minute read.

“Nothing says you’re in a fight like throwing up.” 🥊

– That’s a little throwback to last season when In-Depth Outdoors’ James Holst was talking about a HUGE Lake Erie “mamacita” that he coerced with a “blue chrome” color #5 Rapala Jigging Rap. Check it:

His new hardwater PB that went a lengthy 32″ [!!!] and the fight was intense! To the point even the fish was throwing up during it lol. Guess it was spewing-up shad all over the water column before PJ Vick slid in with the landing assist. And they did it in style, airboat and all! Full IDO episode here if you missed it. 👊 Congrats again, James!

You think this Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba greenback wanted that rattlebait, or what? 😳 Someone get @iceboundmb some pliers stat!

If you haven’t heard of Icebound Excursions yet, I 10/10 recommend checking ’em out.
They offer guided or DIY SnoBear trips on “Big Windy.” Was legit one of the most enjoyable fishing excursions I’ve ever been on.

Oh granny, what big teeth you have…. 🐺 All the better to eat your “perch” color Freedom Tackle Blade Bait with, my dear:

Hope you have a great + safe weekend! And thanks so much for reading!!

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH