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If you’re getting Target Walleye for the first time, a friend probably signed you up!
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Tungsten panfish jigs: LIVE BAIT vs PLASTICS?
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Aside from color, these jigs might look extremely similar at first glance…
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…but there’s a few tiny details that can make a big difference when it comes to icing hardwater panfish, and the type of meat – or, uh, vegetarian option – you have on the business end of the presentation.
Simple answer:
The VMC Tungsten Tubby Jig shines w/ live bait (euro larva, waxworms, etc).
The VMC Tungsten Mongo Jig excels w/ plastics.
These are the same jigs as pictured above, only shot from a different angle. The 1/16-oz Tungsten Mongo Jig (top) and a 1/16-oz Tungsten Tubby (bottom). Now it’s probably a little easier to play the “spot the differences game,” eh?
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Now here’s the why not just the what. 🕵️♂️
The Tungsten Tubby already has a VMC Power Gap hook – aka wider round gap compared to other micro jigs in equal sizes = increases your hookup percentage. Though it still has the shorter shank which is ideal for having a compact, inhale-able option when fishing “meat.”
But if you prefer fishing plastics, I 10/10 recommend checking out the VMC Tungsten Mongo Jigs with X-long Power Gap hooks. They bumped-up the hook size on each compared to the Tungsten Tubby (1/16-oz: #8 hook, instead of #10…1/32-oz: #10 hook, instead of #12). Makes ’em fit plastics beautifully and less chance of fish just nipping at the tails ‘n not getting a hook to their snoot.
Did you notice the slight difference in head shape? 👀 The Mongo’s head has a flat bottom so that plastics sit flush.
Why is that such a big deal? ‘Cuz if your plastic isn’t perfectly straight, it’s going to cause the bait to spin in a circle when you jig it. If you don’t believe me, try it in your ice hole just a couple inches under the water before you drop down. That “spin of death” can stop fish right in their tracks and send ’em in the opposite direction.
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Want another example that’s often overlooked? Too bad I’m giving it to you anyway. 🤣
Both of these jigs have a 90-degree hook eye which helps to keep your jig in the perfect horizontal position. Of course it all depends on the day, the fish’s mood, personal preference…but I tend to get more bites with tungsten that sits perfectly horizontal vs offset at a 45-degree angle.
Just one more minor detail to pay attention to when buying panfish tungsten based on your own personal preference. And little snippets that can go unnoticed on the ice, but may be the reason buddy is 5 fish up on you in the next hole over.
Of course you can make all this fishing schtuff as complicated or simple as you want…but paying attention to minor details can and will get you more bites when it matters.
I’m not trying to make you go out and spend a ton of money on more panfish jigs. Just spewing a few of the differences you might already have going on in that big box of tungsten you’ve already accumulated over the years. And if you are hitting the aisles to stock up, I’ll apologize in advance for the “sticker shock” at check-out lol:
When you realize how much $$$ you’ve spent on fishing tackle:
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Underwater camera spearing decoy?! 🤯
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No idea how I came across this one from @pups_pigs_projects, but I’m sure glad I did! He got an underwater camera for Christmas and decided to disguise it as a spearing decoy: |
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How cool is that? AMAZING work, dude! Hope you’re quick on the spear…. 🤑
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I want to get something off my chest… 😤
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I’ve seen SO MANY reports this season of fish houses being broken into – or even the whole shack being stolen – all over local police blotters, FB posts, in the news, etc.
Soooo lame and makes me absolutely sick. How hard is it to keep grubby paws off other people’s stuff?!
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It’s outrageous that you can’t even leave an ice auger in your locked shack for the 12 hours that you go home before coming back out that same evening.
I’ve talked to numerous folks that say they even leave their wheelhouses unlocked just so that they don’t have to replace the broken door if some jerk wants to come snoop around…’cuz if they want in, they’re getting in either way.
What kind of a world do we live in where you can’t respect others’ stuff? It’s really not that hard to just be a good human. 🤷♂️🤦♂️
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Don’t care who you are, we all go thru tough times: whether it’s financially, physically, mentally, emotionally, you name it. But if you want something = work your dang butt off until you get it! Okay, okay…I’ll try to relax now…. 😅
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Another WILD fish-house design.
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Imagine pulling up next to that thing at the community hole:
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“And you thought kidney stones sucked…imagine passing that.”
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Alex found that toy Lindy Glow Spoon inside his Happy Meal Lake of the Woods sauger. Some replacement glow sticks and you’ll be back in business, dude! 😂
That spoon should be thankful it was recycled to a good home, because Alex doesn’t let anything go to waste. Proof in the fact he takes the time to filet and cook-up the “wings” and even made perch-egg patties! Impressive:
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Shout-out to TW fan Douglas H on hipping me to the catch!
2. Great Lakes ice coverage to be at record low.
> Ice cover on the Great Lakes is highly variable from year to year, but on average 53% of the lake waters freeze. Right now we’re at 7% with a yearly maximum forecast of only 12% total.
3. Virtual “America’s Ice Fishing Tournament” happening Jan 22.
Presented by the Brainerd Jaycees who also host the world’s largest in-person ice fishing derby on MN’s Gull Lake. First-ever event which will be open COUNTRY-wide to all ice fishing anglers.
Here’s how/why it came about:
> Last year, the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza shifted their on-ice tournament to a virtual event due to the…pandemic. The event had 4,700 registered participants across the state of MN and raised $125,357.17 for local charities and non-profit organizations. With the success of last year’s tournament, the committee decided to organize a completely separate, new virtual ice fishing tournament.
Like I said, this new virtual “America’s Ice Fishing Tournament” will be open country-wide, so can’t wait to see where all the fish submissions come from. Check out this crazy map from last year’s virtual tourney that was in MN only:
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4. Acme Tackle acquired Reef Runner.
Big move!
> Matt Bichanich, vp of sales/marketing at Acme Tackle: “I am very excited to add Reef Runner to our portfolio of brands. Reef Runner is an iconic brand and crankbaits is a product category we weren’t in. Now we can provide our customers with one of the best fish catching crankbaits available. I have been using their lures for a long time and I am looking forward to introducing Reef Runner to more anglers.”
> Robin Hancock, prez of Acme Tackle: “Acme has built a reputation on quality, innovation and producing lures that actually work. We are eager to bring our capabilities to Reef Runner and our team is already hard at work designing new products for the brand.”
> Scott Stecher, founder and owner of Reef Runner: “Betsy and I are looking forward to working with the entire Hard & Soft fishing team family. I’m particularly excited about the introduction of new colors and designs, as well as being part of Acme research and development. We are so blessed to be part of this new adventure!”
Congrats all!
5. First-ever virtual “Clam Trap Attack” happenin’ this weekend.
Multi-species derby (costs just $10 to enter) that can be fished by any ice angler in the USA or Canada thru the FishDonkey app. There’s a pile of different ways to win a chunk of the thousands of $$$ in Clam goodies up for grabs, plus you know one of these gems would lok striking in the (wo)man cave!
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Ice fishing for bottom-transition walleyes.
This video is specifically talking about Mille Lacs Lake in central MN…but the same tricks can apply to finding those hard-to-soft bottom transitions (aka “deer trails” on the bottom of the lake) on your local waters too:
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Looks like we finally have some decent weather coming up this weekend, before dipping back into that nasty sub-zero stuff again. Guess it could be worse? 🤷♂️
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Hahaha! That’s Josh Clawson committing to hole-hopping on a day that started out at a balmy -38°F. 😳🥶⛄️🤣 Saw that pic and immediately had to meme-ify it. Those temps didn’t stop him and the Fish Addictions crew from getting the job done on some hefty MN crappies – can check their YouTube video right here. |
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Man, I don’t even know where to start 🤯 so I’m just gonna let your brain try to decipher all that’s going on with this 8-striped blue perch @jthooker.outdoors caught in SD. #sheesh! |
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Sign up another fish-head!
If you’re forwarding Target Walleye to a friend who loves to walleye-fish or want your fishing buddies to get these emails, just send us their email addresses and we’ll take care of it! (We won’t sell the addresses, use them for spam, etc.)
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Friends of Target Walleye
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Who is Target Walleye
Target Walleye – walleye during open water and all species during hardwater – is brought to you by Al Lindner, Jim Kalkofen, Jay Kumar, 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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