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Reminder: If your email program cuts off the bottom of this email, click “View this email in your browser” up top to see the whole thing. Sorry about that – email programs keep changing stuff.
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Dropshots work so well for walleyes…
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…that even the BASS pros can’t keep ‘em off lol.
First we have a rare spotting of BASS Elite pro Seth Feider with a walleye, and it’s a giant one! I believe they were bassin’ on Lake Oahe, and judging by the rod on the floor he caught the tank while dropshotting for smallmouth:
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The last Bassmaster Elite Series event was on Lake St. Clair, MI on July 27-30. Of course they were catching a PILE of fat smallmouth…but I also saw a whole bunch of accidental walleye catches coming on dropshots + plastics.
Luke Palmer (great guy!) was one of those bassin’ pros who I saw catch a number of the toothy critters – he was dropshotting with a “green pumpkin purple flake” YUM Warning Shot. Love his expression when he realizes it wasn’t a 5-lb smallmouth lol:
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Don’t feel too badly for Luke…he ended up getting 2nd place with 90 lbs 6 oz (20 smallies in 4 days = over a 4.5-lb avg!). But I’m still going to pretend that this was his favorite catch of the derby. 😅
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I always find it interesting that we never see a single bass pro opt to take/rent/borrow a deeper-v boat when they hit the big water and it’s blowing. #FreeShowers?
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But it does make for some incredible on-the-water shots. Like these of the eventual winner Joey Cifuentes (91-08) walking on water. 🤯 |
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Obviously these fellas have way better balance than I do 😅 I mean Joey was even able to save a bag of Berkley MaxScent Flat Worms that blew out of the boat all while fighting a fish LOL: |
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And yup, he was catching accidental walleyes while dropshotting with those MaxScent Flat Worms. Even when it’s hard to see it’s a walleye, it’s easy to tell because they focus a lot harder at what they’re doing when taking a fish off that has teeth hahaha:
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“I’d say this walleye has a good side and a very, very bad side.”
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> Eric: “I think it was just a whole bunch of lymphocystis, but I’ve never seen it so unilateral on a fish. Maybe not the most aesthetically pleasing fish to look at, but she seemed healthy otherwise. And I don’t care how lumpy she is…a 29.5″ walleye is still beautiful to me. 😍”
No doubt!
Btw he caught her on a…you guessed it: dropshot 👀 with a “KVD magic” color Strike King KVD Dream Shot on 6-lb test:
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The DH Custom Baits fam is a talented bunch. 💯
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> Dane: “Anyone who thinks I have an ounce of artistic ability needs to see Natalie Jo Heid’s creations!”
– That’s Dane Heid of DH Custom Baits talking about his better-er half kicking out this amazing sidewalk-chalk piece:
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Incredible stuff! 🔥 And cool to see it runs in the family.
But I’ve also got to say that Dane’s “ounce of artistic ability” is actually more like a 5-talent limit of 50+ lbs…and he always backs it up on day 2:
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Dylan Nussbaum’s favorite leadcore-to-leader knot. 🪢
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My go-to “joiner” for fluoro leaders has always been the double-uni knot ‘cuz it’s 1) the easiest to tie and 2) hasn’t failed me yet.
So not really sure why I’ve never used it for my leadcore setups? 🤷♂️
If it’s good enough for Dylan Nussbaum, it’s good enough for me:
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Here’s a little diagrammatic help for those of you rockin’ the “cheaters” aka reading glasses. Of course need to remove the lead from the line first:
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Does your boat dog do this?
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Came across this post from NE walleye-nut Josh Johnson keeping his yellow lab hydrated. Love it! |
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Shoot, I’d drink from the toilet if it meant hopping in the boat with Josh and catch THESE:
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Dogs are funny critters. Remember this throwback video of Brian Bashore’s GSP who legit does his business off the back of the boat?!?! Good boy…very good boy: |
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Seeing stuff like this always reminds me how average my dog (Vexi) is. #AlmostMadeIt 🤣
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1. 2024 MWC schedule is out.
> “Pending permit approvals from the various state and federal agencies.”
- Mar 22-23: Illinois River – Spring Valley, IL
- Apr 26-27: Missouri River – Chamberlain, SD
- May 31-June 1: Lake Winnebago – Oshkosh, WI
- June 28-29: Lake Huron – Au Gres, MI
- July 12-13: Lake Erie – Geneva, OH
- Aug 9-10: Bitter Lake – Webster, SD
- Sept 13-14: Cass Lake – Cass Lake, MN
Qualifying teams from the 2023 MWC tournament season will get to fish the 2024 MWC World Walleye Championship on Lake Huron (Alpena, MI) Sept 26-28..
2. MN: Red Lake Nation moves to reclaim lake shore.
> “Tribe seeks return to tribal borders negotiated in 1889 Treaty. …approx 30% of [Upper Red Lake] is presently excluded for the boundaries of the reservation.”
3. AR: Bull Shoals stocked with 65K walleye fingerling.
Walleye averaging 7 inches. Obviously fingerling take longer to grow and are therefore more expensive, but they have a much better chance of survival.
4. NY: Lake Erie full of “cookie cutter” 5-lbers.
5. WNC has a new rattling blade bait coming.
A blade bait that has a crankbait rattle chamber:
> “2 years in the making, and we’re finally ready to come to market. Coming Feb 2024 the all new RIP~N~RATTLE blade bait!!! Rattles that rival any crankbait and an awesome swirling swim on the way down….”
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Walleye Nation Creations also just added 5 new colors of Custom Colorado Blades (sizes 3, 4, 5, and 6) to their store: |
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6. NE: Free kid’s walleye fishing clinic, Aug 26.
> The Nebraska Walleye Association will hold a free kids’ fishing clinic on Sat, Aug. 26, in conjunction with the Kevin J Murray Memorial & the NWA Walleye Tournaments being held that weekend.
> The clinic will take place at the Lewis & Clark SRA-Weigand Marina. Registration and check-in will begin at 4:15 pm with the clinic running from 4:45-5:45 pm.
7. Foundation Outdoor Group acquires…
…Mud Hole Custom Tackle and American Tackle Company.
> “This strategic move positions the company as the industry’s largest supplier of fishing rod components, supplies, equipment, and rod building instruction.”
8. Eric Naig = new VP of business development for Tall Pines.
> Naig brings decades of experience to his new role. A fishing industry veteran and diehard multi-species angler, Naig spent 6 yrs with Pure Fishing managing field services, public relations, marketing, and product development. He spent the next 14 yrs in executive sales, marketing, and product development roles at Northland Fishing Tackle.
> An accomplished angler, Naig competed for 11 yrs as a professional walleye angler on the PWT, NAWA, and FLW walleye circuits.
> Tall Pines Tackle Inc is the leading custom manufacturer of OEM and private-label fishing equipment in the western hemisphere.
9. Marcus Parker is Rather’s new senior VP of sales.
Rather Outdoors = Lew’s and Strike King.
10. AFTCO owner says a recession is coming.
11. Johnson Outdoors announces new group VP of fishing.
> Bill Kirchner…will report to Helen Johnson-Leipold, CEO, Johnson Outdoors and be a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. In this role, he is responsible for providing the strategic direction and oversight, as well as driving innovative growth, for the Fishing segment.
12. 2023 mid-year boating market update.
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> “Early indicators like days on the market, number of listings and overall boat value are contributing factors to understanding the health of the boating industry, and what we are seeing is a very positive trajectory. Consumers have continued to show a high level of interest in boating, creating a favorable position for brokers and dealers as inventory levels ramp up.”
13. Johnson Outdoors Q3 basically flat in fishing.
> Fishing sales increased by approximately 1%, driven primarily by product price increases.
14. Mustad/LiveTarget/Tuf-Line adds exec staff.
15. St Croix CEO says they added the SEVIIN reel brand…
…to be a bigger player in the bass-fishing market.
> “We were discussing our strategy to be a bigger player in the bass market. We are doing okay but not making the headway that we wanted. We asked ourselves the question: ‘Is not having reels holding up the opportunity to grow our rods sales.’ The idea accelerated from there.
> “We are not going to compete with Daiwa and Shimano, but the rest of the brands are our competitors. A 2% share is enough to achieve our targets. But we want that to be 20% over time.”
16. MA dam removals allow return of river herring…
…and other migratory fish to have “access to 36 miles of high-quality spawning habitat along Monatiquot River for the first time in nearly 200 years.”
17. MN: DNR wants input on proposed special regz.
Mostly sunfish, crappie and pike changes on a handful of lakes. The lone walleye reg tweak would be for Big Sand Lake in Hubbard County:
> “The walleye population in Big Sand Lake has not responded to various special regulations, including the current slot limit. This proposal would repeal the special regulation and apply the statewide regulation, which is not expected to impact the existing walleye fishery.”
18. Garmin to acquire JL Audio.
> JL Audio, a privately-held U.S. company that designs and manufactures audio solutions for marine, aftermarket automotive, powersports, home and RV customers.
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Which type of weight when?!
Busting this one out of the Target Walleye archives because 1) it’s timely info, 2) we have a bunch of new subscribers each week that maybe missed it, and 3) there’s a zillion different weights on the market and each has its own time and place…so it can be tough to choose!
So this video has MN guide Brad Hawthorne talkin’ his favorites and when he uses each.
BONUS rigging tip at the end of the vid shows how Brad uses a Quick-Change Weight Clevis and Loop Snap at the same time to swap out most any weight:
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“Stocking a lake is a little like planting a field….”
– I like this analogy by Doug Leier of ND Game and Fish:
> “I’ve loosely compared some of our fisheries division work to farming. Planting, stocking and growing fish is parallel to farmers planting crops. You need the right soil, right conditions and weather to grow the crop. Wheat or walleyes. It’s not too far off when you think about it.
> So, this spring when farmers were battling snow, ice and cold, the same conditions giving farmers fits were frustrating for fisheries biologists and managers. Simply having soil doesn’t equate to a bumper crop of wheat and the right water is needed to grow fish to stock.
> “In terms of stocking new waters, biologists will typically assess the size of the lake and measure depth and oxygen levels to see if it can support fish over winter. In some instances, they may set nets to determine what kind of fish, if any, are already present.
> “Then, like that farmer planning which crops to plant, they use the information gathered to select fish best suited for the lake. While anglers may want walleye or perch, the limiting factors on the water body may bode well for some other species instead.”
How’s the saying go? Walleyes should be knee-high by the 4th of July?? 😜🌽
Btw Doug says that ND is “living in the good old days” of fishing right now, and how right now in ND is “what we’re gonna be talking about when generations are telling their kids and their grandkids about how great the fishing was back in the good old days.”
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“You ever wonder what one of the most watched and most loved professional motorsports competitors and action sport athletes in the world does to relax? Turns out Travis Pastrana unwinds on his Premier pontoon. Hmm, wonder if he’s taken it off any sweet jumps?”
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Someone pleeeease tell me that Travis Pastrana fishes too?!
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Sign up another fish-head!
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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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