As the hardbait designer for Berkley, I don't know how Dan Spengler gets any work done as much as he's posting pics of some serious walleye. 😅 But hey, someone’s gotta be doing some field testing.

Lately, looks like it's been the Berkley Ripfish for him and he was nice enough to break down his go-to cadences in a recent Facebook post:

1. Rip, pause [2 seconds], Rip again. Follow the bait down when you pause with a tight line. This cadence allows the bait to walk the dog underwater or dart laterally when ripped. I'm not talking hard hook set rips...simple finesse wrist flicks are all you need for the bait dart two feet side to side. 

2. Strolling...that's right...strolling. Slowly reel the bait while imparting a consistent [harder, 2-3"] rod tip cadence is the trick. The quivering causes the bait to flicker, flash and rattle at the same time. Once the fish engage, pick up your retrieve speed. Speed it up – don't slow it down...pull it away faster – simple as that! 

3. Standard rip/fall – basic sweep up and let the bait fall to the bottom. It's all about the bite on the fall with this one. 

4. Pop/hang – sweep or work the bait in any combination of 1-3, but after working the bait hold your rod with the line tight and slowly reel or use minute rod shakes. This will cause the bait to hold its position in the water column. 

Guess that's all it takes! ⬆️⬇️⏸️💥

Size wise, his general rule of thumb is the #7 size for 7-15’ and the #9 for deeper 12-25’ applications, but gotta let the fish tell you what they want.

One of his favorite colors is "ghost chrome gill" because he says it emulates both the bluegill and perch forage base in his northern waters:

And check the big ol' head on this Walter he popped using the “black silver” flavor. 😮‍💨

Can snag yourself a Berkley Ripfish here at Scheels if you’re looking to take a Waldo or 3 to "the train station" soon. 😎

Nick Lindner had a recent YouTube vid and a few of the points were too useful not to pull out. Quick gut check – are you doing any of these? #5 might surprise you...but #1 probably costs people the most fish.

1. Setting the hook too fast

This one isn't just a live-bait thing – even plastics can need an extra second when the water's cold or the fish are “off.”

> "When I was up on the Rainy River...water temperatures were really cold. I was dragging plastics on the bottom and when you got a bite on that paddle tail, [if] you set the hook right away, you're ripping it out of its mouth. But if you gave it to them for a second and then set the hook, you would hook almost every one of them.

> "Letting the fish eat it is one thing that can be really critical. But if you're using live bait, it's pretty much a staple of importance...jigging nightcrawler, jigging minnow, a leech...letting them eat it for a second is critical."

2. Rod not being in position to feed the fish

> "When I feel that bite, I try to just drop my rod tip down and set the hook. A lot of people don't have the patience to let them eat it for a second. You got the bite, you're excited.

> "Or maybe they have their rod tip already too low, so they're not in a great position to actually feed that fish. Not having your rod angle correct can be really, really tough [because] you're not in a great position to kind of bow to that fish and set the hook on them."

3. Letting the boat get too close

> "One of the biggest factors contributing to whether or not you get bit is how close the fish are to your boat.

> "I've seen some days where 60, 70', even 80'...when they get within that distance from the boat, they don't bite or they get kind of freaked out by the whole concept of the boat.

> "Some spring river fishing situations you can fish right underneath the boat. It's dirty water, there's a lot of current and stuff like that. The fish just don't seem to care. But...a lot of times we get into the thick of the season and you ultimately have to get that bait away from the boat because boats make fish spooked."

4. Not dialing the retrieve

> "The retrieve is almost everything. We can talk about colors, all different types of stuff, but if you're not retrieving your bait correctly, it's not going to matter.

> "Are you using a crawler? Minnows? Plastics? With plastics, obviously you're moving those baits a lot more quickly, trying to elicit a little bit more of a reaction strike from those fish.... But there are cold-water fishing scenarios where you're going to fish plastics really slowly."

> "[With] hair jigs, what guys will do is they'll cast those out and they'll either slowly drag them across the bottom or they'll kind of pop them off the bottom, kind of imitating a goby or something like that.

> "If you're using FFS...popping that bait while taking it away from them is going to be like a go-to presentation.... Start thinking about it like you're jigging a spoon and trying to take it away from the walleye."

And with jig + minnow...

> "...in some cases, you need to slowly drag that bait on the bottom.... A lot of times you'll drag that bait and then you'll pause and you'll reel up a little bit of line and go to drag again and there'll be a walleye on there. A lot of times they like to bite it on the pauses."

5. Fishing the wrong jig weight

> "Drop speed is very, very critical – a lot of times...the mistake is people are using baits that are too heavy.

> "Whether you're hanging baits in front of fish or you're lifting them and dropping them off the bottom and just kind of swimming that bait slowly over the tops of weeds or over the tops of rocks...using a light jig is really, really big.

> "But I would also argue that there are times where the mistake can be using jigs that are too light.

> "With current, you can't efficiently fish unless your jig is heavy enough. There's times when you're going to want to upsize to a 3/8 or a 1/2 or even a 3/4 or 1-oz jig depending on the situation.

> "Having a heavier jig can be awesome because you can cast into the wind and still get the bait 70, 80' away from the boat, [or] if you're fishing somewhere where the fish are really cruising around...having a heavier jig can be really critical to get that bait down faster [and] in front of the fish before it keeps on cruising past where you casted."

Check Nick’s full video here.

Obviously not saying a deep jerkbait is obsolete...this is just round 1 of the fight 🥊...but while I was filming a recent TW vid, making ‘em come way up (5-10’) to eat the bait was THE deal.

I was putting the deeper version right in their face and they wouldn’t even sniff it – like "what am I doing wrong?"

But then switched to the shallower Rapala PXR Mavrik 110 Jerkbait and boom they would fly up and crush it. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Here's what was going down up that day:


> "There's something about making those fish come up to it...kind of like ice fishing, if you can get them to come up, the more vertical you get them, the odds of them biting are better. 

> "Getting them to come up 4’, even 8' – at that point they're almost more committed to actually eating. It was crazy to actually see that.

> "I made 2 casts with the deep got right down in their face, but they wouldn't eat, and I just tied the regular Mavrik back on – I loved how that deep one was getting right down in their face, but if they're not going to eat it, doesn't do any good, so we will stick with the shallow version.”

I’m telling ya 👂 I 10/10 recommend getting that Rapala PXR Mavrik 110 Jerkbait onto your front deck and into the starting rotation. Thing has been a legit day-saver for me too many times to count now these last couple of seasons.

And now all I can think about is round 2 of this fishy fight lol. ‘Cuz the original Mavrik 110 runs 5-6' deep and had walleye coming up from 10-14’ to eat it.... So mayyybeee if I throw the deep version this summer, which runs 10+ feet deep, I’ll get those big girls that are suspended in 20-ish feet to come up and crack-a-lack it? Can’t wait to find out....

1. Lakich/Beckwith are AIM back-toback champs 🏆

Isaac Lakich and Tristan Beckwith just won the AIM National Championship...AGAIN! This time they took home a $105K payday 🤑 after sacking up a 2-day total (10 fish) of 57.77 lbs on Castle Rock Lake in Adams, WI.

Said they were fishing in flooded trees – not standing, but piles of trees. Were catching 'em shallower earlier in the week, but the hot weather leading up to tourney day pushed 'em out a little deeper. Wasn't a huge amount of fish in the area...they waited ‘em out with maybe a half dozen filtering thru a day – but obviously they were the right ones.

In practice they were throwing all artificials (flukes, Berkley Finishers, etc) but switched over to jigs and ‘crawlers during the tournament to be more consistent = get better hookups, land more fish, and make sure they were legally hooked in the mouth (sometimes get ‘em in the cheek with reaction-style baits).

2. WI: Natural Resources Board approves hearing for a plan...

...to speed action when walleye populations are in trouble:

> ...the proposed regulation would apply to “walleye lakes of concern” where they’re not seeing enough natural reproduction.

> “Under very specific circumstances, biologists would like to apply a certain regulation to help in the rehabilitation of the walleye fishery....”

> The DNR is proposing a 1-fish-a-day bag limit for walleye on lakes where populations are struggling. The agency would require an 18-inch minimum length for fish caught. But it also would bar anglers from keeping fish between 22 and 28 inches, the fish most likely to increase spawning or natural reproduction.

> Under the rule, the DNR could move more quickly to apply those limits on lakes where most surveys over the past 5 years have detected fewer than 15 juvenile fish per mile.

> The DNR has previously enacted such limits on the Minocqua Chain of Lakes, as well as four other lakes in Oneida and Vilas counties.

3. MN: First-ever AIM NXT Tour event is happening on Mille Lacs

June 11-12. Launching out of Macs Twin Bay with the rules meeting and awards ceremony happening at McQuoids.

They also said in a FB post:

> “...anyone who enters this event this year, will have tier 1 entry priority for 2027. It will have to be the same team, no separations, but that means you will get the first chance to enter the [NXT Tour] series in 2027 along with the top 20% from each division team of the year standings.”

4. MN: Study probes why southern walleye strain thrives

5. WI: A legal battle between...

...the state of Wisconsin and the Lac du Flambeau tribe reached a federal courtroom in Madison last Friday:

> The Western District of Wisconsin held a preliminary hearing in the state’s lawsuit against the tribe over attempted restrictions on walleye and muskellunge fishing. In April, the tribe closed 19 lakes on its reservation to nontribal fishing of walleye and muskellunge, citing dangerously low populations based on an early spring study.

> The State’s attorneys argued, based on legal precedent, it has exclusive right to regulate nontribal fishers – even on reservations, the land of sovereign tribal nations.

> The Lac du Flambeau Tribe’s defense argued the state has neglected its responsibility to protect the two species. They cited the DNR’s closure of the Osceola Hatchery and cuts to fishery positions. The Tribe also argued the walleye’s cultural role made the decline “catastrophic” to the Tribe, which would overrule the state’s authority.

6. WI: 48th-annual Merc National Walleye Tournament, June 13-14

7. WY: G&F Commission approves $21-mil fish hatchery expansion

Will allow WY to produce/stock their own walleye...they currently receive all of the state’s walleye from Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery in Riverdale, North Dakota.

The fish will spend less time on trucks which will improve survival, and also help reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species or fish diseases.

8. MI: Commercial walleye fishing proposed in bills

> Two bills introduced in the Michigan Legislature would expand commercial fishing rights on the state’s Great Lakes waters by allowing licensed commercial fishermen to harvest walleyes and certain trout species, a shift supporters say would modernize the industry while critics warn could threaten popular sport fisheries and ecosystem balance.

9. MN: U MN studying if FFS could harm fish populations

Bear in mind that data can be used to support any conclusion:

> ...researchers at the U of MN are preparing to study if the technology could threaten future fish populations across the state.

> The team will use those findings to model if the use of live imaging could deplete fish populations over time.

Does that sound like it's maybe biased from the get-go? Maybe....

1st Q: Do any of them fish?

2nd Q: Why does it cost $676,000 for a 3-yr project?

Also something that doesn't show up in spreadsheets is the fact that most walleye folks who are diehards and utilize FFS technology are also doing 1) a lot more catch-and-release fishing, and 2) actively practicing selective harvest and only keeping enough for a meal versus measuring their sucess by needing to keep a limit.

Let's see what happens....

10. Interesting factoids following the Lake Oahe NWT

From the statmaster John Balla. 💯

11. WI: Round gobies spreading into Lake Winnebago?

12. Jason Livermore new head of Shimano North America

13. Dave Mellon new prez of Simms Fishing Products...

...and Revelyst Outdoor Performance. Revelyst is the holding co. He has been CEO at Grundens and before that spent a couple years at Simms.

14. New Gamakatsu G-Power Outsider Treble Hook

The hook tips flare outward, which is supposed to help with hookups when fish swat a bait.

15. MN: New DNR e-licensing system launches June 9

> The new ELS is a modern and secure system that offers more flexibility than ever – three ways to buy a license (mobile app, online, or in-person from a license agent) and three ways to carry it (paper, PDF, or stored in the app). Customers can purchase, store, and even register harvests from anywhere, including areas without cell service.

> As the DNR transitions data to the new ELS, fishing license sales will be paused and anglers may fish without a license from 12 am Tues, June 2, through 11:59 pm Mon, June 8. All other fishing season regulations and bag limits will remain in effect. At 12 am June 9, the new ELS will be available for anglers and hunters.

> Phase two of the launch will happen at a later date with the recreational vehicle and watercraft titling and registration module.

16. MN has a YUGE new state record crappie 👀

MN's David Selle just punched his way into the record books with a 4-01 black crappie caught in southern MN. Beat the previous state record by just over 1 oz (old record was 3-15).

Minnesota's walleye is a sacred fish with a rich history

I mean I do agree...but also according to that write-up ^ female walleyes can potentially reach 40-inches long? 👀😳😅 Learn something new every day lol.

Finding the ‘biters’ is a big part of catching fish

Quick (but valuable) tip from Fishing the Midwest's Bob Jensen talking on how finding the fish isn’t always enough – you’ve got to find the fish that are actually willing to bite.

> “Some sonar work might reveal a bunch of walleyes hovering off the edge of a deep-water structure, and just a few walleyes on the top of that same structure. While it’s tempting to work the big school of fish that are on the edge, it might be more productive to work the smaller group that’s on top of the structure.

> “Walleyes that are shallow or on top of a structure are often looking for something to eat. Walleyes that are near structure but that have pulled off to the side of the structure are fish that have probably recently eaten and are now just hanging around. They probably aren’t very interested in eating. When they do get ready to eat, they’ll swim back to the structure and find a meal.”

Have actually noticed this more and more the last few seasons, on several different lakes and completely different conditions.

It’s getting to be the time of year when it’s pretty easy to spot a fish-head in the crowd.... 😅 Those Croc dots are wild, tho!

Thank YOU for reading! 👊 Back atcha in a couple....

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026