“Anyone who catches a walleye in rivers is asked to kill it....”
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- That’s ID Fish & Game who said “walleye are spreading at an alarming rate upstream in the Snake and Salmon rivers and now occupy critical rearing and migratory areas of juvenile salmon and steelhead.”
They’re asking folks to kill any walleyes they catch, take a photo, and contact IDFG to report the location and size of the walleye to help Fish and Game better understand how this species is spreading.
> In 2023, anglers reported catching 19 walleye in the Snake and Salmon rivers and so far in 2024, we have received over 60 verified reports of walleye that were caught. The increase is likely due to increasing abundances of walleye and our efforts to reach out to anglers about walleye.
> These walleye were caught in Snake River upstream to Hells Canyon Dam and in the Salmon River upstream to Riggins. Size of walleye reported by anglers ranged from 13” to 30” in total length but most were 16” to 18”. Long stretches of these rivers are difficult to access so fishing effort can be low, so we know there are many more walleye out there.
How’d you like to catch a 30-incher with this kind of backdrop?!
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That road-trip would be a blast! But man, I’d feel too badly about having to kill them all. 😑
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A simple shore-fishing rig for fall walleyes.
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You don’t need a boat to catch fall walleyes! And even if you have one, some days the wind might keep you on shore.
Here’s a simple shore-fishing approach guide Hays Baldwin has dialed in to get it done from the bank:
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Location
> Hays: “Some of the best areas have clean hard-bottom structure. Rocks are ideal, but fish will relate to sand and gravel as well.
> “If you can find a bank spot on the south end of the lake, that’s where you want to be. Heavy north winds push bait and fish into these areas.”
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> “I like to fish outflow spots, whether it’s a creek mouth, culvert, anything with moving water really. Seems like these push the bait around more and make it easier for the fish to ambush.
> “It doesn’t seem like a steep drop is necessary. I actually like fishing more flat-type areas because the fish are cruising at night looking for an easy meal.”
Gear
> “Longer spinning rods generally work best – I’m bombing casts so some extra tip helps. A 7′ 6” M F-action is perfect.
> “I fish a variance of a basic bottom rig: 20-lb braid mainline to a 3-5′ 12-lb mono leader with a 1/0 octopus hook. For my sliding dropper, I use a 2′ piece of 12-lb mono to a 2-oz cannon ball weight...allows the weight to slide up and down the line – that way when a fish picks up a bait they can run with it freely.”
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> “After making a cast and getting the line tight, I set the rod up in the rod holder. Budget-friendly spiral rod holders [like Berkley Spiral Rod Holders] work just fine. As long as it holds the rod steady and doesn’t let it get pulled in, it’ll work.
> “I tape a glow stick to the tip of the rod so I can visually see if the tip moves. I dial the drag as loose as I can get away with. When I do get a bite, I try to get to the rod quickly and open the bail to feed line.
> “I fish big chubs pretty much exclusively...4-6” redtails or creek chubs are perfect.
> “Having a good spotlight or headlamp is probably the most important piece of equipment.”
And don't forget a chair and snacks! This sounds like such a fun, relaxing way to catch 'em. Of course it's not always about the "catching," but sticking even just 1 would be incredibly satisfying/rewarding.
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Dude where’s there’s my car!
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Really nice image that Mike McClain got off his Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 106sv and GT54 transducer while snooping around the Ohio River (yes, he reported it to authorities).
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I know a couple fellers that’ll be upgrading their units after seeing this:
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Fishing the turnover and finding fall walleyes.
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This is an old AnglingBuzz video that was recently “recycled” on the social mediaz, so had to give it another watch. Still a ton of really interesting info with James and Al Lindner talking about the fall turnover and where the bait/walleyes go. Worth a listen:
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1. ON: Man fined nearly $16K for selling baitfish and walleye
> Charges were laid after the MNR conducted an investigation in the Morson area from 2019 to 2021.
> ...convicted of selling baitfish and leeches without a license for commercial purposes, unlawfully taking baitfish for commercial purposes, fishing without a license, commercially selling walleye, possessing an overlimit of walleye, and packaging fish in a manner such that the species and number of fish cannot be readily determined.
> He was fined $15,870 and given a 3-year fishing and baitfish licensing suspension.
2. PA: Can now leave skin on filets?
> The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission tentatively approved a change for those cleaning fish at Erie’s public fish cleaning stations.
> ...change the requirement where anglers have to leave at least a 2 ”x 2” piece of skin on every fish filet.
> At Monday’s meeting, the board decided to publish a proposed rule making change that would allow anglers to remove the skin, but the entire filet needs to remain fully intact.
> Anglers reported they didn’t want to wait until they arrived at their home to finish cleaning their fish to remove the piece of skin from fish....”
3. OH: Survival of 2024’s Lake Erie walleye hatch at the low end
4. MO: Sandy Flesh disease found in walleye
> A walleye infected with Sandy Flesh disease was caught last month in Bull Shoals Lake in AR near the MO border. The disease is unnoticeable until the fish is cleaned and fileted.
> Infected walleye will have muscle tissue that is yellowish-brown, tough, granular, and coarse, resembling freezer burnt meat.
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11. CO: Fur ban could be serious problem for fly shops
> Residents of Denver, Colorado, will vote on a citizen-led ballot measure that would ban the trade of all fur and could cripple the local fly-fishing industry.
> The citizen-led ballot measure, known as the Denver Fur Ban Initiative, is being spearheaded by the animal rights group Pro-Animal Future.
> They also say the Denver ban is just the beginning.
> Fly fishing is more than just a pastime in Colorado. It is a major economic driver that supports the state’s roughly $13.9-bil outdoor recreation industry. Banning the sale of these flies (and/or the materials used to make them) would decimate Denver’s thriving community of fly shops, says President and CEO of the Fly Fishing Show Ben Furimsky.
12. How 'Gussy' is matching the hatch...
...for big smelt-eaters = a Z-Man Jerk ShadZ on a Smeltinator Jig. 🥵
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Al Lindner talks walleye bait colors.
This video is actually a full Lindner’s Angling Edge episode called “Fall Color Factors.” The description says:
> “Al Lindner has witnessed all the fishing trends that have happened for over 50 years – size, shape, tactics, and color...you name it. Right now, color is again the latest hot topic. Some of today’s hottest performing lure paint jobs are options that we would have never considered using years ago!”
But now they’re catching the snot out of fish. The duo of Al Lindner + Jeremy Smith in the same boat is downright not fair for the fish LOL, and I’m here for it:
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One of the baits they were talking is the Big Bite Baits Suicide Shad, and man did they ever come out with some killer colors that were specifically designed for walleyes. 😍
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I would 10/10 take a Big Bite out of those.
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“People talk about fall and it brings up iconic things like sweater weather, pumpkin lattes, cooler mornings...my brain says things like walleye weather, big minnows and fall feedbags....”
- It both looks and sounds like Sportsman’s Journal TV host Sara Trampe has her priorities right. 🙌
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FRIENDS OF TARGET WALLEYE
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Target Walleye – walleye during open water and all species during hardwater – is brought to you by Al Lindner, Jay Kumar, Chris Philen, Brett McComas and other diehard fish-heads like you!
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Brett McComas is the main man for Target Walleye 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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