Secret new walleye baits coming, How Roach raps, Cold water hair jigs

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As usual = a bunch of stuff! Of course I can’t talk about it all…yet…but here’s one little sneaky preview for you…

Pure Fishing category managers Aaron Wavra and Daniel Vega recently hooked up with Mississippi River specialist Jeremiah Luhmann (Luhmann’s River Guiding) to put some of the new for 2022 PowerBait shapes to the test on the cold-water spawn bite. They boated this post-spawn 10.2-lb bruiser on the new PowerBait Bonefish Paddletail rigged on a Dubuque Rig (avail Sept 2022) with a PowerBait Rib Worm teaser:

Another angle for ya. Oh, and how insanely broad is that fish?!

That PowerBait Bonefish Paddletail will kick off with 2 sizes and 12 colors. Here’s a look at a few more staples:

And if you were reading closely a couple weeks back, you might have seen that we snuck a link to a first look at the prototype Berkley Money Badger from this BassBlaster email. 🤐 It was actually developed for walleye:

> It has the FlashDisc [weighting] and the ‘Better than Balsa’ technologies built into it, just like we did with the Frittside and we did to some extent with the Stunna….

Okay, fine, one more sneaky peek lol. This one is called the Gulp! SR Crawler and I’m told it “was purpose built for walleye spinner rigs” (SR hint hint) and is “unreal! It will dethrone live crawlers.” There’s a great first look at it starting at about the 4:36 mark in this The Next Bite TV episode with Korey Sprengel – thing looks NASTY in the water!

Okay, okay…I’ve already said too much. If I mysteriously go missing, make sure to check the Berkley HQ hahaha.

There’s tons of high-school bassin’ events (which of course is amazing!) but LOVE to hear they’re finally starting to branch off into some walleye fishing for the kiddos. 👊

This new derby is presented by the Student Angler Tournament Trail (SATT) and happening Jun 5 on Mille Lacs.

Not a whole lot of info on it out there, so I reached out to Jason Bahr (executive director of SATT) to pick his brain on a few more details. Here’s the Q&A:

Q: High school bass tourneys have been successful, why did it take so long for a walleye event?

> A lot of high school tournaments have qualifiers in which you would travel to another state to fish a championship and bass are really the only freshwater fish that allows that because they are in every state. But let’s face it, a lot of the guys who have been fishing for a while in MN are walleye guys…it’s kinda funny because boat captains have been asking us for years when we were gonna have a walleye event. A lot of these young anglers are really talented with electronics, so this will be a fun event to watch. I believe you’ll see many of these high school anglers on the pro circuits in a few years, including walleye circuits.

Q: The bite on Mille Lacs should be extra good with the late ice-out…what are you expecting for results?

> I agree that the bite is going to be fantastic, that’s why we went to Mille Lacs in early June. The anglers should be able to catch ’em on rocks, sand, gravel and mud…which will really make the lake fish big. They also should be able to catch ’em a variety of ways: live bait or artificial. Literally you could probably throw a piece of wood at one and catch it that time of year.

Q: Where is this all taking place at?

> The rules meeting will be at the Red Door Resort, they will be able to accommodate us. The night of the rules meeting, the high school anglers will get to listen to Tony Roach talk about Mille Lacs…it will be a real treat for the anglers and boat captains alike. As far as the actual derby goes – because we are on an app – boats are allowed to take off from any ramp, which certainly has its benefits on Mille Lacs.

Q: How do you have a tournament on Mille Lacs if you’re not allowed to keep any?

> That’s the great part of catch, record and immediately release. The anglers will catch one, take a picture with an app that timestamps the pic, and then they upload it into the Classic Bass Reel LiveWell app. The fish are measured in inches and the app converts it to lbs. The results are live. It’s really beneficial for a couple reasons: The fish get immediately released and the anglers’ friends and families can watch the app to see live results as they happen no matter where they are at. [Yes, they have a DNR permit].

Q: What are some of the prizes the kiddos can win?

> We have some awesome prizes, thanks to some awesome sponsors! Lund Boats has been behind us since the very beginning, that’s one of the reasons we are so excited for a walleye event…my first experience like many others fishing for walleyes was in a Lund. It’s almost tradition and because of that relationship there will be some cash prizes as well as some scholarships.

> Also, Rapala, same thing, I wonder how many first walleyes or walleyes in general have been caught on a #5 Shad Rap or a #11 Original Floater? At this derby, their will be fish caught on Shad Raps, Jigging Raps, Rippin’ Raps, Moontails, Bucktails, Moon Eyes, you name it. Rumor is that there will be some extra prizes if you catch the lunker or the lunker bag on a Rapala! We will also have some great prizes from Shimano, Blackfish and Scheels.

Q: How do kids register? Do you have to be from MN to fish the event?? How much does it cost???

> The cost is $20 per angler and you do not have to be from MN. Registration will open Thurs, April 21 at 6pm. We are limited to 150 boats…that being said our bass tournaments generally fill 200 boats in less than 20 minutes, so the recommendation is to get on right at 6 and register. The website is www.SATT.org you can also find us on Facebook for more info. We would love to see high school anglers from all over the Midwest come partake, especially the guys and gals that have not had the interest in bass derbies yet.

Awesome – thanks for the info, Jason!

Walleyes can be – and usually are – downright stubborn…especially in shallow, clear water. While some guys bust out the slip-bobber, Tony Roach picks up a Rapala Rippin’ Rap and goes to work:

> “There’s a lot of things that make a Rippin’ Rap absolutely deadly. It’s got a really loud thump, unlike any other bait. It also falls at just the right rate. And it has this really tight wobble as you rip it. This thing has the right action to catch a lot of fish. And you can fish these baits a lot of different ways.

> “I compare it a little to the deadly Jigging Rap, but it falls slower and has more subtle action, which is ideal in spring. …works best when water temps are 50-55°F.

 

> “Rippin’ Raps fall nose-first…a natural-looking posture for walleye prey. We fish the #5, #6, and #7 models, but the #6 (2.5″ and 1/2-oz) gets most play in spring.”

Quick look at a few of the new Rippin’ Rap color patterns, clockwise from the top left = moldy fruit, juicy Lucy, voodoo haze, and black light:

> “Work the lure along the deep side of rock ridges and over depressions where walleyes often hold that time of year. Bottom transitions from sand-to-rock are also key locations….

> “The retrieve is very important and it takes a little getting used to, as you learn the correct cadence. It’s not a fast ripping retrieve…the lure actually moves forward at a moderate pace, but with a lot of up-and-down motion. Walleyes typically bite either on the fall or when the lure first hits bottom, so you want to maximize those situations.

> “As soon as the lure hits bottom after a cast, raise it up off bottom so it can fall again. It should contact bottom for only a split second before rising. After a few hours of doing this you’ll have this cadence down and you won’t have to think much about it.

> “Long casts help you cover a lot of water…. I fish them on thin braided line (6- to 10-lb test) with a fluoro leader of 10- or even 12-lb test. Without a leader, the back hooks of the Rap sometimes snag the braid on a cast, wasting time.

> “The heavier fluoro cuts down on the number of [zebra mussel] break-offs due to its abrasion-resistance. Moreover, a lot of pike are up shallow in spring, and it gives a bit more protection to have a 12-lb leader. And walleyes don’t mind a bit.

> “To fish this way, rod selection is important. I favor a medium-light rod from 6′ 8″ to 7′ 2″. And I like rods with an extra-fast tip section, since you often have to set hooks solidly from a distance. The softer action and length allow you to sweep the lure off bottom cleanly and keep the cadence right.”

Of course not all lakes have a ton of hard-bottom areas (rocks/sand) to work with, so:

> Another good way to catch early-season walleyes on Rippin’ Raps is to swim them over and through the tops of new vegetation. With your boat in deeper water, fancast across spawning flats, making contact with the submerged vegetation. When your Rippin’ Rap hits grass on the retrieve, pop it free to trigger bites.

As with anything, you’ve gotta get a confidence-building day under your belt to stick with it, but then you won’t wanna put it down.

Gotta say, I get a kick outta some folks mean-muggin’ in fish pics nowadays…like they’re not having any fun at all lol.

I’m here to tell you it’s okay to smile in fish pics [!] just maybe don’t kick it up this many notches:

Unless it’s a new PB (personal best) of course!

Posted by @outdoorgirljess on Insta:

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:

And I betcha it swam uphill current both ways lol.

Glen was a member of the legendary Nisswa Guides League since 1977. This group is the oldest guide league in MN starting in 1961 when Marv Koep opened the Nisswa Bait and Tackle Shop. Glen had taken 6,000+ guide trips over 4 decades! RIP fishing brother 🙏✝️ and prayers to the family.

2. IA: Statewide CPR walleye challenge, May 1 – Jun 30.

> The DNR is partnering with MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas to conduct a statewide [catch-photo-release] walleye fishing challenge starting May 1 through Jun 30. Anglers will have the chance to win weekly prizes while also contributing to fisheries research, helping improve walleye fishing in the state.

> Participating anglers are encouraged to report all the walleye they catch in May and June through the MyCatch mobile app. DNR fisheries biologists will use the data entered to learn more about walleye populations across IA.

There’s a $25 fee to enter the tournament – register here.

3. MN: URL summer walleyes regs announced.

Upper Red Lake will have a 4-walleye possession limit, with only 1 walleye > 20″.

> Although angler activity was once again high last winter, harvest was modest at 134,000 lbs of walleye. Early winter fishing was very good, but heavy snow reduced anglers’ mobility and harvest in the later months.

> Fall netting is used to assess the status of the walleye population and directly informs the pounds of walleye that can be sustainably harvested throughout the year – 2021 surveys found a robust population of walleye. The 4-walleye possession limit, with 1 > 20″ size restriction, is intended to keep total annual harvest within the target harvest range of 240K to 336K lbs. The 2021 open water regulation was a 3-walleye limit with 1 > 17″ allowed.

> Edie Evarts, Bemidji area fisheries supervisor: “We are happy that anglers will have the opportunity to harvest a few more and larger fish this summer. This is due to a combination of lower winter harvest and a desire to manage spawning stock at a level that stimulates recruitment of strong year classes.”

4. New Humminbird MEGA Live firmware update for HELIX units.

Just released on 3/4/22. I’ve heard from a couple different people who’ve had the chance to get it on the water, and they said it’s a huge improvement to the previous version: better jig tracking and overall performance adds to your MEGA Live transducer. More info on how to do the update here.

5. Brian “Bro” Brosdahl gets Otter fish houses.

Can tell in the video he is genuinely PUMPED:

Thought it was super cool how they posted 5 series of clues on Otter’s FB page so folks could guess who the new partner was. 🤝 Congrats to both!

6. MN: Walleye Alliance Spring Banquet is TOMORROW.

At The Woods Event Center from 5:30-9:00pm. They’ve got special guest Tony Roach speaking at 7:30pm following the social + dinner. Still a few spots left.

7. IA Great Lakes walleye season opens May 7.

At Spirit Lake, East and West Okoboji lakes.

8. MN: Gull Lake Spring Walleye Classic, May 21.

Hosted by the Walleye Alliance. Lots of fall derbies happen on Gull, so love that they’re doing a spring bash again! Limited to the first 75 boats that sign up. 1st place = $7.5K based on a full field. More info here.

Matt and Jessicka Hochmayr won it last year with 15.78 lbs (1 fish >20″). That power-couple is always in the money around here! Would love to see them win it again 🙌 but would also thoroughly enjoy having this sick traveling trophy squatting in my office for the next year lol:

9. Couple slick Lakewood goodies….

First is a mesh livewell bag called the Treasure Chest (comes in 2 sizes) for when the fish are headed to the table instead of the scale:

And here’s another “why didn’t I think of that” dealio called the Lakewood Net and Boat Protector = stops the hardware from scratching the gunnels of the boat! Simple + smart:

Reminder: You can use the code: WALLEYE at checkout for 10% off all Lakewood stuff.

10. BlackRock, others increase ownership of Academy.

11. DH Custom Baits had a kid’s coloring contest.

Super cool little dealio where they desgined their own crank patterns! Trey Trieu won and got a gift card plus a couple of DH Custom-painted Walleye Nation Creations SB Reapers to match his vision:

DH Custom Baits said he “couldn’t let a close race go to waste. Granger was 1 vote away from a tie” so he did a Llungen Lures .22 short (mean little musky bait) in his pattern:

Love it!

How Jason Mitchell gets his pre-spawn walleye on.

This new video has Jason and guide Bret Alexander talking patterns and locations for pre-spawn walleye on Green Bay. Early-spring is all about chasin’ warmer water temps, which is why these fellas were specifically looking for dirtier, stained water because it warms up faster.

They were using a 1-2 punch of pitching plastics and Northland Deep-Vee Bucktail Jigs (mostly 3/8 oz) in just 4-10′ of water. Here’s the video:

“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.

Bass thumb? That’s cute! 🧛🏻‍♂️ #NomNomNom

That’s fish-head Brent Relopez getting his gravel lizard on 🙌 with the 2B Genesis Series open-water rods. I snagged a couple of them last season and was super impressed – just ordered a handful more. Their 7′ 3″ ML fast is a GREAT all-around walleye rod. We’ll be diving into a couple other models here soon-ish.

Btw those 2B rods are another gem brand under Paul and Gregg Thorne’s Two Brothers Innovations. Same fellas who make Elliott Rods – which I KNOW you’ve heard of – right here in MN. Little different feel, little wallet-friendlier price tag, equally awesome sticks in their own way. Keep killing it, fellas!

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. Props to Nathan Holzer on booting up, and walleye-ing down. 👊 Posted by PK Lures on Insta:

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

MN-FISH