Massive metro crappie, Accidents happen, Blade baits still overlooked

Little background info from Wyatt:

> Way too many fishless nights, and multiple 100-hole days have gone into the past 7 yrs of trying to find a fish of this caliber. When I say [Bobby Beattie] and I have worked ourselves to death to see a fish like this, it is truly meant. All it took was luck and a high-pressure bluebird sky day to land this giant metro 17.75″, 3-lb 1-oz black crappie.

> We watched this fish on LiveScope vapor trail through a pack of smaller fish and slam a spoon with no bait, doubling over my @w2customrods Noodle. She went on 3 drag screaming pike-like runs before that giant noggin scraped up an 8″ hole.

> Huge thanks to [Bobby] for sticking to the grind with me, playing auger boy yesterday, and landing the fish that’s been keeping this dream alive.

We’ve mentioned this naked spoon before = the basically-out-of-stock-everywhere 1/16-oz Clam Jointed Pinhead Mino in the “gold/black” color:

Congrats on the fish of a lifetime, man! 🙌

Btw the current MN state-record crappie is one that’ll likely never (ever!) be broken…. A 5-lber (21″) caught from the Vermilion River back in 1940.

I haven’t been able to find a picture of it, and some folks think “it’s possible the fish was poorly identified and actually was a hybrid between a black and white crappie.” Guess we’ll never know….

Last Friday a few buddies and I were heading out on the lake to do some burbot fishing. I was leading the other couple snowmobiles since I have a GPS lake map on my sled.

Glanced down for a millisecond to see how close we were coming to the waypoint, and when I looked back up there was a big snow bank (from a removed fish house) right in front of me with nowhere to turn. Ended up having to “send it” like Larry Enticer. 🤦‍♂️

I’m not sure how fast I was going – 30 mph or so? – but regardless it was TOO FAST for driving at dusk and also off the snowmobile trail.

I was thrown off the sled and ended up about 35′ from the snow bank I had hit. I was wearing a helmet, but the main impact was to my right-ish side/back and knew immediately it wasn’t good. The whole thing was like slow motion. I can remember every second of it.

All the wind was knocked out of me and it was a couple minutes before I could actually take a real breath. I was able to move my legs and feet…but I literally could not get up and had excruciating pain in my back like I’ve never felt before. I’m sure everyone on the lake could hear me screaming like a sasquatch while laying face down on the ice for nearly an hour.

I cannot thank the EMTs and firefighters enough for getting me loaded on the bed of their tracked 6×6 UTV, off the lake and into the emergency room. And if you haven’t thanked a nurse today, pls do so. They are real-life superheroes.

Also so fortunate to have great friends and family by my side that stayed calm, and all split up to do their part in getting me and my stuff off the lake and back home. So blessed to have you all in my life.

It could have and maybe should have been way worse. My internals all looked good on the CT scan. Likely just have fractured ribs in my back? It’s day #5 since it happened and I still feel like a truck hit me…then backed up and ran me over again. Have only left the house once for an appointment.

I am not saying this because I want or even deserve any sympathy. As careful as I usually am, this one was still my fault for going too dang fast in low-light conditions. Instead please use this as a reminder to SLOW DOWN. Don’t be in a rush, those fish will still be there when you get there. Never seems that something like this can happen to you, until it does. Also, tell your family and friends that you love them because it’s crazy how fast things can change.

Okay, now back to some lightheartedness….

Few interesting tiger muskie snippets from Bob McNally’s full Outdoor Life write-up:

> Tiger muskies are a hybrid between a northern pike and a muskellunge. [They] grow faster, but are typically smaller, than pure-strain muskies.

> Tigers are typically sterile, but thanks to PA’s robust hatchery program, they can be found in 34 lakes and 18 rivers throughout the state. The PA Fish and Boat Commission stocks roughly 7,300 tiger muskie yearlings (averaging 12-14″long) every-other year in these water bodies.

> The IGFA world record…is a massive 54.25″ fish that weighed 51-03. It was caught on July 16, 1919 by John Knobla on Lac Vieux-Desert, which is on the WI/MI state line east of Land O’Lakes.

1. Reminder that no ice is considered safe ice.

Need to be especially careful as we start to thaw out for spring – ice conditions can deteriorate FAST.

I’ve seen a couple of recent body recoveries in the news of folks who went in and never made it out: 1 from a rural farm pond south of Cherokee, IA. And 2 bodies were recovered from Pistakee Lake near Johnsburg, IL. 🙏✝️ Prayers to the families.

2. MI: Fish house blown 1 mile across the ice on Saginaw Bay.

With 3 dudes still inside it! They had slept in the shack the night before and woke up to 50-mph winds that took ’em for quite the ride. No one was hurt….

3. MN’s Gregg Thorne is a Hall of Famer!

Gregg Thorne, co-founder of Two Brothers Innovations, has been inducted into the 2022 Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame.

> In 1981, Gregg and brother Paul started OT Custom Rod Works with local rod builder Harley Ogata. In 1983, the brothers moved on under the name of Thorne Brothers Custom Rod Tackle.

> …grew the custom rod business into a full-fledged Midwest fishing specialty store. Eventually this led to opening another specialty store called “The Fly Angler”. A dedicated fly-fishing store with a workshop teaching in-store rod building, lure building and fly-tying classes. Over those 13 yrs of ownership, Gregg built thousands of custom rods of all types and instructed countless individuals in building their own customized fishing rods.

> All this created an innate sense for fishing rods and applications that became a blend of both art and science. Gregg worked with many national brands in assisting with rod design and applications.

> In 1993, Paul and Gregg sold Thorne Brothers and the Fly Angler and went on to pursue individual careers within the outdoor industry. Gregg became a regional manager for the Cortland Line Co. and Diamondback Rods. His job required him to travel overseas to work on rod design and development. In 2008, he joined PRADCO Fishing and in 2013 became the Lindy Brand Manager. His primary responsibilities involved designing lures, packaging, sales management and marketing.

> In 2016, Gregg started Elliott Fishing Rods. Gregg eventually recruited brother Paul to join him in the rod business giving birth to Two Brothers Innovations. Along the way, Gregg developed Syncork, a synthetic material that is 30% lighter and 40% denser than organic cork. This new material improves sensitivity and durability and is one the key features of the Elliott rod brand.

Get this:

> In 6th grade, Gregg’s teacher asked the class to write a 1-page essay on what they wanted to be when they grew up. Gregg wrote that he wanted to own a sporting goods store and employ people. I guess dreams can come true….

Well-deserved, man! 👊

4. So WTHeck is “Syncork?”

If you’ve never had the chance to hold a rod with a Syncork handle before, you’re missing out! Gregg Thorne actually developed the schtuff in 2005. The term “game changer” gets thrown around far too much in the fishing industry, but this stuff is legit:

> “Syncork (made in the USA) is synthetic-based duplication of natural cork. It’s lighter in physical weight, extremely sensitive and durable enough to last many lifetimes.

> “…cannot absorb water, dry out or rot, and is resistant to UV rays and other chemicals and products commonly used in fishing situations. It also provides a far superior grip – especially when your hands are wet from rain, cold from frigid temps or slick with fish slime….”

5. MN: Boater education bill passes environment committee.

> …a proposal [HF3787] that would require state boat operators, with some exceptions, to take a mandatory safety course and receive a permit before leaving shore. …a watercraft operator’s permit would be phased in over the next 5 yrs.

6. New Suzuki 250SS unveiled at the Bassmaster Classic.

> …2022 DF250ATSS V6 4-stroke outboard, the new flagship of the company’s “SS” Sport Series of high-performance motors engineered to deliver extra kick for today’s performance-based boats….

6. MN: Northwest Sportshow kicks off tomorrow.

Show runs Mar 10-13 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

8. WI: H2H Walleye Opener II pushed back 1 week.

“Due to unfavorable conditions and safety” it’ll now be happening Mar 21-25 on the Fox River.

9. OH: No trolling allowed at the LEWT Open happening Apr 16.

Only jigging/casting allowed at this Lake Erie Walleye Trail (LEWT) open event.

10. You spooling up for the season yet?

I know I’ve said it before, but one gadget EVERY fish-head should own is the Berkley Line Stripper Max – attaches to a cordless drill so you can peel off a pile of line right quick = serious time-saver:

They always seem to be sold-out in the spring, so do yourself a favor and snipe one early.

11. 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.

12. WNY Sport & Travel Expo happening Mar 10-13.

At the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg.

13. New Daiwa 22 EXIST spinning reel.

Daiwa built the entire reel around their AIRDRIVE concept:
> …the new EXIST family features an all-new EXIST Air Drive System with ZAION Air Drive Rotor, Air Drive Bail, Air Drive Spool, and Air Drive Shaft. Thanks to ZAION, the new EXIST Air Drive Rotor is 15% lighter, features a screwless design, flush surface, and greatly increased rigidity. The design eliminates design waste without reducing strength. But the largest benefit to the AIR DRIVE ROTOR is the lighter rotation providing you less handle turning resistance. 

More info on the design in this YouTube video.

14. WI DNR is hiring seasonal staff.

15. How mercury gets from coal-fired power plants into fish.

Walt Matan’s cold-water blade bait tricks.

Rippin’ blade baits is still one of the most overlooked and not-talked-about techniques for cold-water walleye. Learn ya some knowledge in this throwback MidWest Outdoors write-up from Walt, few excerpts below:

> Thin metal wobblers like B-Fish-N Tackle B3 Blade Baits [left] and Wolf’s Big Dudes [right] cast like a rocket and sink like a rock. You’d think this would spook a shallow walleye, but it attracts them.

> Blades are “reaction” baits and fish have a split second to react to something resembling fleeing baitfish, so they attack.

> Never tie directly to a blade bait – some makes will have several attach points or holes at the top (which give wider or tighter wobbles). It’s best to use a snap or split-ring on top to prevent line cutting.

> Prevent snags in stumps, fallen timber or rock bottoms by cutting off the front barb of the front hook.

> Shallow-water trick: A sidearm cast low with a snap of your wrist will sometimes get the lure to skip along the surface, resembling fleeing bait.

> A slow, steady retrieve of a blade is popular, but you should try it with a stop-and-go and high-speed retrieve. I also like to rip-jig the blade up with a fast rip of the rod followed by a slow reel to pull up the slack.

More cold-water tips on crankbaits, plastics and bucktail jigs here.

Good news: Tourney SZN is coming in hot!

Bad news: Entry fees are coming in even hotter. 😳🤑

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH