Strange pike deformity, Custom cranks got bigger, Walleye has dad bod

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If you’re getting Target Walleye for the first time, a friend probably signed you up!

Today’s Top 5

Ummmm…don’t see that every day! 👀🧐

I’ve seen some wild deformities, but this one is right up there. Pics were shared on Pete Maina’s FB page and said Kyle Sorenson had this one whack his bait while chasin’ muskies on Friday the 13th no less. Ever seen anything like this?

Most folks in the comments section are suspecting it’s the result of an injury from a Boga-Grip style tool. Definitely could be the case unless pike are evolving into filter feeders or that thing had an emergency tracheotomy 😳 LOL. Most other guesses have to do with where it was caught…

Awesome ice-fishing mount!

Are you this diehard?? And your uncle thought his “leg lamp” from A Christmas Story was cool hahaha:

Only way to tell it’s fake is that Premium isn’t cracked yet. 🤣

Walleyes can rock the “dad bod” too!

This thiiiick Green Bay waldo looks chock-full yet John Hoyer was still able to convince it to go for dessert aka a Moonshine Shiver Minnow:

I got even more envious of the pic when I thought Hoyer was sporting New Balances and white tube socks hahaha. Turns out those shoes are actually made by Kuru and supposed to be A+++ on the back, knees and of course your feets.

Is this the biggest custom-painted crankbait ever?

Leave it to Dane Heid of @dhcustombaits to put his magic touch on a Rapala 29″ Giant Lure for his son – 🔥 LOVE it!

It’s just a matter of time before Dane tackles the 6-footer lol. 👊 Awesome stuff, man!

I knew Lake Diefenbaker walleyes got HUGE…

…but had no idea they could grow up to 98″ (lol) like this one Angela Patron and her niece wrassled to shore. 🤯 Turned out absolutely amazing, ladies!

News

1. 2022 MWC schedule is out.

   • Mar 18-10: Illinois River – Spring Valley, IL
   • Apr 22-23: Lake Erie – Sandusky, OH
   • May 20-21: Big Stone Lake – Ortonville, MN
   • Jun 3-4: Bay of Green Bay – Marinette, WI
   • Jun 17-18: Lake Huron – Oscoda, MI
   • Aug 19-20: Lake Oahe – Gettysburg, SD
   • Sep 16-17: Cass Lake – Cass Lake, MN

Qualifying teams from the 2022 MWC tournament season will get to fish the 2023 MWC World Walleye Championship on Lake Sharpe (Pierre, SD) Oct 4-7.

Btw the 2022 MWC World Walleye Championship is happening Sept 29 – Oct 1 on the Bay of Green Bay.

2. ND: Devils Lake fish populations way up.

> Walleyes caught in test nets were 32.4 fish per net this summer. The long-term average is 21 per net. Significantly, the “eater” size walleyes 15-20″ revealed 10.8 per net nearly double the average of 5.7 per net. …natural reproduction plus fingerling stocking in ’16, ’17, ’19, ’20 and ’21 (about 900K each year) boosted walleye numbers.

3. FishUSA is sponsoring a nationwide online fishing tourney…

…to benefit first responders. They partnered with Behind the Lines Foundation who’s holding its first Guns N Hoses National Fishing Tournament Sept 11-26.

FishUSA is also launching a first responder discount program where all active or retired first responders (police, fire, and EMS) save 10% on most fishing gear. They already have a military discount program, too. More info on both here.

4. NE: H2H PWS is coming to Lake McConaughy Aug 23-27.

“Big Mac” kicks out some slobs! A DNR survey done last year showed 20-25″ fish made up the bulk of the walleye population. Has lots of fish that are pushing 30″ as well – imagine seeing one like Taylor Vanis’s 31-incher (12.9 lbs) caught LIVE when PWS anglers are duking it out:

Some more great insight on the fishery from Daryl Christensen here.

5. IN: DNR awards $1.45-mil in grants to improve lakes/rivers/streams…

…in 21 counties.

6. WI DNR issues consumption warning on crappies/perch.

Fish in the Petenwell Flowage of the Wisconsin River “were found with high levels of the PFAS compound, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).”

> PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products, including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers and stain-resistant sprays. These legacy contaminants have made their way into the environment in various ways, including spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater from treatment plants and certain types of firefighting foams.

Supposed to limit fishy meals to just once per week.

7. MN wants input on proposed sunfish regs.

The changes are aimed at protecting + improving sunfish sizes by lowering daily limits on 52 lakes.

8. PA seeks bids to operate marina on Lake Erie.

9. Okuma gets “treasury shares” of Rapala.

> Rapala VMC announced on Jan 27, 2021 the acquisition of Okuma European and Russian trademarks and associated intangible assets against a consideration of USD $8 mil out of which an amount of USD $4 mil was a deferred payment.

> As part of the deferred payment the Board of Directors of Rapala VMC has today resolved on a directed issue of 315 000 treasury shares to Okuma…. These shares form a significant portion of the consideration paid by Rapala VMC to Okuma for the purposes of strengthening strategic cooperation between the parties….

10. Johnson Outdoors (Humminbird/Minn Kota) had a solid Q3.

Comparisons vs last year:

> Fishing revenue increased 51% due to continued high demand across all product lines in Minn Kota and Humminbird.

11. Fund-owned West Marine gets new CEO.

12. Gamakatsu adds Micro Split Ring Pliers + Folding Braid Scissors.

13. LA: 60K folks expected at the Crappie Expo.

> The event, which runs in conjunction with the Mr. Crappie $250K tournament at the Red River South Marina…runs from Oct 1-3 and the tournament from Sept 30 to Oct 2….

Tip of the Day

Brian “Bro” Brosdahl’s late-summer walleye tips.

From MidWest Outdoors:

The Bromeister loves pulling spinner rigs for late-summer walleyes ‘cuz A) they’re a great way to cover water, B) there’s lots of ways to fish ’em and C) he can switch up components to dial in the bite:

> There’s a time during Aug in many lakes where fish are on top of structures on both the outside edge and inside edge of the cabbage weeds.

> Fish like flats in the summer and will concentrate near the patches of chara, gravel and rocks on the flats. These areas will hold a mixture of forage – including minnows and crayfish, which are a large part of their summer diets.

> Spinners give the bait some lift…helps keep the baits off the bottom and out of the weeds. Also send out vibrations fish can feel along their lateral lines and help them target the baits in lakes with limited visibility.

> Pick up the speed on the flats to cover more water and put baits in front of more fish…gives fish [less time] to decide whether to strike at the bait or let it pass by.

> Larger leeches can be hard to find late in the season…[try using] 2 small- to medium-size leeches on spinner rigs instead….

> I often use Northland’s 1.5- to 2-oz bottom-bouncer with either a 2-hook spinner rig with a nightcrawler, or a single Slow Death hook for either nightcrawlers or leeches.

> Stained-water lakes give anglers a better chance to catch walleyes during the day…even when faced with less than favorable conditions.

Meme of the Day

Careful: Those zebra mussels will get ya nicked up!

Parting Shot

Gotta give a shout-out to Britney Magdal on crushing her new PB walleye and joining the dirty-30 club 🙌 with this Lake of the Woods bruiser! Caught running a “purpledescent” color #12 Rapala Down Deep Husky Jerk on leadcore in the basin. Congrats!

Check this stuff out!

Friends of Target Walleye

National Professional Anglers Assoc. 

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