MN bait shortage, Prom night walleye, It’s raining loons

– That’s a line from bait-slinger Jonny Petrowske in this interesting Star Tribune write-up titled “Desperate bait dealers turn to DNR to address minnow shortage.”

Did you know that Minnesota and Maine are the only 2 states in the US of A where live minnows for fishing must be 100% homegrown? Meaning here in MN we can export bait to other states, but we can’t import any when we are short.

Sounds like it’s going to be extremely difficult to find live minnows in MN this season. And not just shiners…might not even be any fatheads to go around. Lot of insight from minnow trappers all around the state in the full write-up here, few excerpts below:

> Koep and others say the root of the minnow shortage is the continuing loss of harvestable water. Invasive species have put many waters off limits, while shorelines that were once undeveloped are now being purchased by people who introduce competing uses, including the stocking of fish that deplete minnows.

> Bait dealers also say that wetland restoration projects undertaken for the benefit of waterfowl hunters intentionally disrupts fathead populations. In addition, the DNR itself has unknowingly moved some of its walleye-rearing operations to ponds used by minnow trappers. Meanwhile, agricultural drainage practices usher more and more water into river systems, shrinking large ponds and drying up others.

> At the meeting in Brainerd, minnow trappers also complained about losing access to ponds and lakes inside state and federal wildlife lands that no longer allow motorized vehicles. And in the past few years, recurring droughts, floods and severe winters have disrupted minnow populations by causing winter kill or introducing undesired fish populations.

> Moreover, the bait dealers stressed to the DNR that minnows don’t reproduce in ponds as heartily as they did 15-20 yrs ago. They are slower to develop when stocked and slower to bounce back after winter kills, they said. The group wondered out loud if farm chemical runoff could be a factor, but no one had evidence.

Obviously this is a huge bummer for minnow trappers and local baitshops – some small businesses might not survive this season. 😣

Sounds like the DNR is looking for solutions and making changes…in the meantime you might be forced into fishing more artificials for walleyes this season. I guess the good news is there’s never been a better time to sling around the “fake” stuff for walleyes with all of the new information and gear available today….

From this Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency FB post:

> “MaryJo Mattingly and Luke Lankford of Anderson County High School went night fishing on Melton Hill Lake [TN] after their junior prom and she caught this 7.06 lb walleye. Note she still has her makeup and nails on!”

Nicely done, you two!

That seems like a really Minnesotan thing to do 😅 so was wondering why I had never seen it before…and realized prom usually happens before “Fishing Opener” in these parts.

I’m no welder, but dude looks like he has skills!

And for those saying they don’t see any fish…are we looking at the same graph?! There’s clearly shadows on both sides of the boat 👀 that top-right pod is probably 8 fish itself:

Wasn’t just that ^ one, it was a whole bunch of them all over the state. Apparently it’s called a “loon fallout” and according to this Raptor Education Group FB post it…

> “…occurs when atmospheric conditions are such that the migrating loons develop ice on their body as they fly at high altitude and crash land when they are no longer able to fly due to the weight of the ice on their body or the interference with their flight ability.”

And if you didn’t know:

> “Loons cannot walk! They will need your help! If you find a loon on land or on a road or cow pasture, realize that it cannot walk. Their legs are placed to the back of the bird and are made for swimming and diving not walking.”

1. In loving memory of Ron Lindner.

> Al Lindner: “Ron’s legacy is unbelievable. He was 10 yrs older than me. That said, he was my best friend, fishing buddy, my business partner, and my big brother – he watched over me my entire life. We had a phenomenal relationship and spent our lives together while here on earth – such a blessing.

> “After his passing, as the following year went on, we received so many emails and messages and things that Ron did in his life that positively touched human lives all over the world. Actions and initiatives that he took, including some things we never knew about! He was so moved to help people, including people struggling with drug and alcohol issues.”

2. Red Wing MWC relocated due to record flooding.

It was moved (same dates May 5-6) to Petenwell Flowage on the Wisconsin River.

3. WI: 5 walleyes OVER 31” were registered…

…in FishDonkey’s Green Bay Walleye Series virtual tourney. Longest went 32.75″!

4. Great Lakes: Lake of ice could affect spawning?

5. WI: Lake Winnebago NWT is May 17-18.

Zach Axtman won it last time they were there (May 2019) with a 2-day total of 27.40 lbs = $84,614 payday. It was a brutally tough bite then and he caught his fish slip-bobbering:

> “I’m from ND…[slip-bobbering] is just what we do when the bite gets tough. When the water temp starts to drop, that’s the first bite that gets going. I wanted to make sure I had the bait in front of them for the longest period of time possible.”

Zach’s bobber setup was a plain #4 red hook with schmedium-sized leeches hung 6” off bottom – any higher and they wouldn’t touch it.

Used the old-school “blaze orange” color 14-lb Berkley Fireline with a 6-lb Berkley 100% Fluorocarbon leader. Said the orange mainline was key for watching what direction the fish were swimming with the bait, so he could set the hook on the fish and not just on the bobber.

Caught everything off one rockpile – on the northwest side of the main lake – that topped off at 5.5′ and was covered in medium-sized rock and gravel…the sides dropped off to 7-10′. Was about 200 yards off the bank and served as a rest area for post-spawners returning from the river.

> “They were stopping there and feeding on leeches after dumping out of the river. The spot just reloaded – the next school would just come in. It was a matter of waiting for the right-sized school to come through…having enough confidence in the spot to sit there and go through the fish.”

6. The 15th annual Minnesota Fishing Challenge…

…is coming up Jun 3 on Gull Lake near Brainerd, MN. 🙌 This fishing tournament literally changes lives! This year their goal is to raise $500K to support MN Adult & Teen Challenge’s drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and help people find freedom from addiction:

For more info, register to fish it, or to make a donation = click here.

7. IA: DNR’s spring walleye collection goal achieved. ✅

> …the goal was to collect 1,880 quarts of walleye eggs to produce over 162 mil walleye fry, and that goal was exceeded [with 1,891 quarts].

> “…abundant 17-28” walleyes allowed (them) to capture 1,300+ fish in just 6 nights.”

8. MT: Trap netting at Fort Peck delayed by ice jams.

9. ND: Game and Fish fisheries biologists outline walleye prospects…

…on Sakakawea, Oahe and Devils Lake:

> While not at record levels, walleye numbers in Lake Sakakawea are high going into this year’s open water fishing season.

> Walleye abundance in Lake Oahe is on par with historic averages but size structure is poorer than what anglers are accustomed to catching.

> On Devils Lake, walleye numbers are strong, and the size structure looks pretty good, as well, with an abundance of 15-20” walleyes.

10. Brad Hawthorne is speaking at the next TCWU meeting.

Happening Thurs, May 4 at the Bloomington Event Center.

11. MI: Saginaw Bay Walleye Clinic w/ Mark Martin, May 2-3.

12. Mission Tackle Shiner Jigs are 20% off this week.

Has a super long-shank hook so you can “double hook” shiners (in the mouth, out the gill, then thru the back). Sort of like a TX Rig for walleyes haha. Great way to keep those dollar bills straight and on the end of your hook until a fish hits ’em. Bonus points for less short-biters with the hook being further back on the minnow:

13. MI: Another lead-weight-stuffer caught in the act. 🤦‍♂️

This time it was during a sucker fishing event called Omer Suckerfest where a suspicious fish was DQ’d during weigh-in:

> “A participant was weighing in his freshly-caught white sucker at the Omer Suckerfest in Michigan, and he noticed the fish entered before him weighed more than it looked like it should. He noted his concern to tournament organizer, Deric Rogers. Lead sinkers were found stuffed into the meat of the fish’s head, directly behind the gills.”

Losers. Btw the 1st-place prize was $800….

Hoyer’s jigging cadence for swimbaits in the weeds.

Quick tip on how John Hoyer snaps his Berkley PowerBait The Champ Swimmers to snatch walleyes out of the veggies. Same technique he uses to clean up “against some of the liveliest live bait on the planet” in derbies all over the walleye world:

“I would have bet money it was a 12-lb walleye during the fight.”

– That’s Brandon Owczarzak talking about this barn animal (freshwater drum aka sheepshead) that munched his Strike King Rage Swimmer. 🐑

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH