Fattest walleye ever, Outboard break-in trick, Lilacs mean go-time!

Said it took him about 2 hours to complete, but looks like time well spent to me lol. Now imagine what he could create with that last 6 hours of the break-in period….

Btw B-Rob is a bass-head at heart, but does occasionally tango with some gravel lizards:

This Wired2Fish video has Nuss💣 breaking down his 3 favorite artificials for whacking aggressive walleyes. Short version below:

> Lipless crankbaits: Rapala Rippin’ Raps are proven performers when walleyes are shallow and aggressive in the springtime and fall. The addition of a VMC Bladed Treble hook adds extra fish-triggering flash and vibration. Dylan prefers pitching them out and ripping them back to the boat across the bottom. He uses a #6 in the springtime and steps up to a #7 in the warm water period or targeting big fish.

> Gliding jigs: Pitching Jigging Raps and Flat Jigs is Nussbaum’s top all-around reaction tactic for summer and fall walleyes, and of course vertical-jigging through the ice. The key is to work the baits with an aggressive snap and fall, almost creating a darter minnow-like action as the bait bounces across the bottom. Walleye have no choice to eat it or lose out on a meal.

> Paddle-tail swimbaits: Like in the bass-fishing world, paddle-tail swimbaits are workhorses in versatility. Nussbaum fishes them all year but hones in his paddletail game in the fall. Like the above baits, he prefers fishing them with an aggressive rip and fall, which explains his preference for a heavy [3/4- or 1-oz VMC Neon Moon Eye] jighead.

Check the full Wired2Fish video here to see what each looks like underwater:

Youch! Guess the old war wounds didn’t stop it from tracking down/eating the bait.

Imagine the stories that one will tell its grandkids:

1. EU pulls back from tariff increases on U.S. boats, motors.

> The EU and US announced that planned tariff increases by the EU on American-made boats and engines from 25-50% on Jun 1 will not take place…will remain at 25%.

2. MN: How you can make walleye fishing even better.

Can’t catch ’em if they aren’t there…. Buying a $5 optional walleye stamp helps raise money to supplement the state’s walleye stocking efforts:

> Monies raised through Walleye Stamp sales are used by the DNR to directly purchase young walleye from private vendors and fish farms for stocking in state waters. Stocking helps the state maintain fish populations over time, particularly with species like walleye that are generally harvested by anglers.

Can still pick one up, even if you’ve already bought a fishing license. 👊 I’ve got mine.

3. Suzuki working on a micro-plastics filter for outboards.

> The first micro-plastics collection device designed for installation on outboard motors…. The system is designed so that the filter element can be cleaned of debris as needed and re-used, with a built-in bypass that will prevent a clogged filter from ever causing engine performance or overheating issues.

> Micro-plastic pollution is created when bottles, bags, wrappers and other trash thrown into the ocean are broken down into smaller and smaller pieces by the sun, saltwater and wave action.

Can’t not like the idea, but I’d be curious how often that filter would need to be cleaned…and what could happen if you forgot to?

4. Boat shipments up 23% over Feb 2020.

5. ON: Looking for fishing gear donations for the homeless.

Fredericton Homeless Shelters are looking for fishing gear that their guests can use along the St. John River banks in the city, and for a couple of group fishing trips to Lower Lincoln.

> “We’ll probably do a couple of these events, where we go out with…some hotdogs and burgers and have a day out and some relaxing time. …to get out of town a little bit and spend some time at the river, take the guys and gals out for fresh air and to enjoy nature. It’s great – good for the soul.”

No doubt.

6. SD: Lake Oahe ramp closed for repairs.

Bush’s Landing north of Pierre:

> “Due to low-water conditions, the current high-water ramp is out of service. We have a target date of May 28 to finish the low-water ramp. …we are doing our best to get it done as quickly as possible.

> “We have not extended the lower-level ramp prior to this year because of the extreme financial cost and the higher water levels. This low-water ramp project is over $500,000 alone. The access road out to the low-water ramp goes under water when we experience high water levels and creates extremely challenging working conditions…to perform work.”

7. MN-FISH donates fishin’ boat…

…to non-profit Camp Fire Minnesota = nature-based learning for youth:

And the folks at Rapala kicked in $500 worth of gear. Thx all!

8. Jack Gavin named sr mktng mgr at Providence Marketing.

Internal promotion for Jack Gavin who’s been with Providence since 2013.

9. MI conservation officers rescued elderly angler…

…who fell into the Shiawassee River. Great job folks!

10. NY: Lake Erie and Upper Niagara River virtual meeting tomorrow.

Chance to pick the brains of DEC biologists. Join the meeting here at 7pm EST.

11. These Gruv Fishing “Launch Pads” are slick.

Sold-out most everywhere (sorry) but slick:

Have a couple on my boat now – use ’em all the time now instead of sticking my “used” jigs in the boat’s carpet, or cupholder.

12. 2021 “Partners Outdoors” set for Jun 1-2.

Outdoor Recreation Roundtable’s annual conference:

> The online event is open to all industry stakeholders, and brings together federal agencies, business and non-profit sectors to discuss the future of outdoor recreation and the industry’s most important issues. Topics this year include impacts of covid, recreation and conservation, 21st century outdoor recreation workforce, the future of recreation management and policy, and more.

13. Union Sportsmen’s Alliance awarded $35K grant…

…from Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Outdoor Fund:

> As part of its Work Boots on the Ground (WBG) program, the USA will combine the grant with the skills of union volunteers to complete projects that improve public access to the outdoors in IL, GA and NJ.

14. ID: Record 34-lb carp caught from the Snake River.

15. WI: H2H PWS is at Lake Wisconsin right now.

4 folks are moving on in this bracket-format walleye derby tomorrow. It was a grind of a bite for ’em all today. You know how dang fussy the ‘eyes can be sometimes, especially when the conditions throw you a curveball. But someone almost always figures ’em out.

And any next cast could end up being a 7+lb sow like this one that helped Isaac Lakich move on to the next round:

Early-season walleyes follow the shiner spawn.

And blooming lilacs?? MN fishing guide Scott Seibert talks shallow, early-season walleyes in this throwback Jason Mitchell write-up. Solid info, here’s a few excerpts:

> Early-season walleye patterns on northern MN fisheries often occur in less than 12′. While classic deep-structure patterns will emerge as the summer progresses, many anglers miss opportunities by looking too deep too early.

> …Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech Lake hold tremendous walleye populations. Both…have a shallow-weedline bites that often occur in less than 10′.

> The shiner spawn – which often coincides with blooming lilacs – is a major trigger that creates shallow-walleye bites. Sand or fine gravel is usually preferred, but there’s also usually weed growth (pencil reeds, cabbage, etc) in these areas on natural lakes.

> Many of these fisheries offer extremely good water visibility. Wind can trigger aggressive fish to move up into shallow water and feed aggressively, where a lack of wind can shut down some of these shallow bites.

> If the wind lays down, be prepared to slide out over the next break. Cold fronts and major weather systems can also push fish slightly deeper, but as a rule of thumb you can expect some very aggressive fish up in less than 10′ during stable weather when there’s wind.

> Sharp breaks adjacent to shallow flats and weedlines will often concentrate fish when they do slide out into 12-20′. Use your electronics to look for fish and anticipate shadows by where the angle of the sun is. Sharp breaklines that cast deep dark shadows will often hold fish.

“Post-spawn male walleyes behave like teenage boys who have been coerced into taking a buddy’s fat sister to the high school prom: After the dance they can hardly wait to collect on the promised beer and pizza reward….”

– That’s the beginning Ted Peck’s post-spawn walleye advice article. Gotta hand it to him for heck of an opening line! Maybe something from Ted’s past? Lol just kidding.

You don’t always need a boat to catch walleyes – especially this time of year, when current, bridges, neckdowns, etc can all help bring the bait AND fish to you.

Exactly what Troy Lindner and I were doing at 12:01 AM for MN’s “fishing opener” last weekend – caught ’em pitching swimbaits from the bank:

Tom Brady bought a $6-mil yacht.

> “The [$2-mil yacht he bought last year] has been an amazing boat for our family. I think [the new one] will be a little more suited for what we need it for down here, which is a few more day trips and weekend trips.”

I should’ve learned to throw a foosball. 😂😳😑

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH