Target Walleye/Ice email

Fattest walleye ever, Roach starts shallow now, Local river rig

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Today’s Top 4

Is this the fattest walleye ever?

Trevor Davies is no stranger to big fish, but lookit at the ridonkulous girth on this one:

Fish measured just 24.4″, but still went 10.4 lbs! Fish was like:

Believe that portly feller was caught on a “hot perch” color Bagley Deep Diving Shad, which looks something like this:

Whoops…not that kind of hot perch, THIS kind of “hot perch”:

Gravel lizards of the week!

Big ‘eyes are following emerald shiners up the Rainy River from Lake of the Woods and the bite should only get better. Gregg Kraemer stuffed this mondo 14-lb 1-oz [!] wall-rus that measured a stout 31″ x 18.5″. #Sheesh

Speaking of Rainy River pigs…Joe caught this 30.5″ oinker on a jig + emerald shiner:

James Tousignant cracked his new PB 30.5″ gravel lizard pitching Rapala Jigging Raps in central MinneSnowta. Congrats man!

What locals call the “ReelBait Red River Rig.”

We mention lots of non-sponsor stuff in the Target Walleye emails. We also mention lots of sponsor stuff because they of course support TW and your enjoyment of it. What it comes down to: If it’s interesting, gonna help you catch more fishes, or something we think people should know about…we’re gonna talk about it.

ReelBait Flasher Jigs are made by a mom-and-pop shop, and one of those non-sponsor products we name dropped in the last TW special “greenback” issue ‘cuz it’s what a TON of guys are using on Winnipeg, Manitoba’s tributaries.

We got a message from Jeff Matity with a few more deets on what locals call “the ReelBait Red River Rig,” but it’s something that should work especially well on most any dirty-water river:

> “Here’s what the Winnipeg guys calls the ReelBait Red River Rig…the new Tournament Series jig with 2X Strong 3/0 Gamakatsu hooks with two jumbo salties (I sugar-cure our shiners to make them last longer with better body condition).”

That stout hook is key since greenbacks get like 47 lbs (lol):

> “One shiner is hooked through the mouth…out the gill…as the collar of the jig is snuggly pushed into the mouth, the hook is brought through the side of the body…holding the shiner tight to the jig’s head.

> “The second shiner is hooked upside down to show the vulnerable white belly.”

[Raise your hand if you’ve also got a “vulnerable white belly.”]

> “A Bait Button is placed against the chin of the second shiner (not shown in the pic) to hold everything in place. This allows active jigging without causing the shiners to work loose and foul the hook.”

Here’s what the bottom of your boat’ll look like after a day of fishin’ with “salties”:

Also learned about the “pickerel rig” while in MB…might be a whole TW itself lol.

Show us your fishy Halloween costumes.

If you’re celebrating All Hallows Eve this weekend with the kiddos — or you’re a big kid at heart — send in those pics of your fishy Halloween costumes! Here’s a few faves we’ve already seen floating around the interwebz:

Someone let Sylvianne Thibault know that’s not how those old chain stringers work:

Looks like this kid can already outfish some of us…and hey, if he wants to drill the holes then he’s invited every trip lol:

Guess Trevor Davies (Top Item #1) does sometimes catch normal-size fish, but only when he’s horsin’ around. #FishSammies

Owen’s the proud owner of his first Lund boat. Love it bud!

News

1. ND: Devils Lake perchin’ should be solid.

Sounds like a good year for a roadtrip:

> Jason Feldner: “Last season there were lots of 7-9″ [perch] in the system…this year they should be up to 12″. Based on the solid bite last winter and this summer when we caught 15-20 perch while walleye fishing, I anticipate good numbers of 12-inchers this winter.”

2. ON: Shebeshekong River spawning habitat restored.

Created new spawning channels around rock using a combo of drilling patterns and a “non-explosive demolition agent for rock” called Dexpan. #Stout

3. OH: Scientists studying Erie algal blooms…

…to see which bait colors walleyes see best. Even got Gov’t $$$ to do it.

When in doubt, tie on a “UV racer” Bay Rat — has all the colors of the rainbow:

4. MN: Super Bowl of ice shows in St. Paul.


Happenin’ Dec 1-3. TW’s Brett McComas will be there creepin’ the new ice gear.

5. “Bro Road Show” kicks off in Nov 3.

Bro is EVERYWHERE. Crazy he still finds time to fish catch.

6. Check this: Limited edition Okuma Ceymar Tiara.

Christmas is coming up, fellas [*cough* subtle hint *cough*].

7. MN: Lake of the Woods job openings.

Few different openings for ice-fishing guides, housekeeping, LPNs/RNs, bartenders…. Hope they offer lots of “sick days” for when the fish are biting….

8. Johnnie Candle gets Lund Boats.

> Johnnie: “Lund has a very long standing reputation as the dominant boat of the North Country and putting my name next to theirs means a lot to me.”

Congrats to both!

9. First Gander Outdoors stores will open in ’18.

10. Big Rock withdraws from Maurice acquisition.

Was “subject to customary closing conditions,” but Maurice said they wouldn’t leave that old trampoline in the backyard (kidding).

11. AL: Game warden charged with Bass Pro Shops theft.

Article says he stole a couple packages of broadheads and was wearing his uniform at the time?

How ’bout a $250 shopping spree from FishUSA?! They have ALL the stuff walleye- and ice-heads need!! Plus some bonus swag to get you lookin’ right on the water. Same thing: enter your email addy, then share the link you get for more chances to win. Good luck!!

Sure that will take a lot of convincing….

Tip of the Day

Tony Roach loves pitchin’ Northland Fire-Ball Jigs in the fall and says he always starts shallow first. Why? ‘Cuz the only reason fish are up there is to feed. Here’s a quick breakdown of how/where he does it:

Quote of the Day

I’m not much of a hunter…I guess I do hunt, but I hunt fish. We’ve caught just oodles and oodles of fish and there’s not another human being out on the lake.

– What James Lindner said about late-fall fishing while he was deep jigging for walleyes on some Canadian gem with Rapala Jigging Raps.

How many walleyes make up one oodle? What weighs more: oodles, noodles, zoodles or poodles of walleyes? Maybe the whole kit-and-caboodle? Anyone else like to doodle on Toaster Strudels? Okay this is getting brutal….

Today’s ‘Eye Candy

Marius plucked this green gold straight outta Manitoba’s Traverse Bay:

#FinnedOut #Perky

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Who is Target Walleye/Ice?
Target Walleye/Ice — walleye during open water and all species during hardwater — is brought to you by Al and Ron Lindner, Jim Kalkofen, Brett McComas and other diehard fish-nuts like you! #fishheads
Brett McComas is the main man for Target Walleye/Ice. He was discovered in Brainerd, MN after years of wondering how in the heck people break into the fishing biz. He’s in it now, but still can’t answer that question…. Brett is one of those guys who majored in marketing, only because there was no such thing as a “fishing degree” at the time…. Get him at brett@targetwalleye.com

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