I realize not everyone is crazy enough to be into the whole ice-fishing thing, and instead are daydreaming of warmer times. Of course it also doesn’t freeze over everywhere – there’s actually some open-water fishin’ fools whackin’ the slush melons as you read this. 👀 Yup, even in the Midwest.

So here’s a few new open-water walleye treats I’m excited to play around with this season – in no particular order...

Berkley Ripfish

Saw that the new Ripfish has landed at Scheels. Few details on what makes it unique:

> The Ripfish fuses fast-dropping lipless crank traits with the wide, erratic action of a walleye glide bait. Its flat-bottom design and FFS-optimized build allow for precision casting, rapid fall rates, and extended time in the strike zone. Whether you’re yo-yoing, gliding, or using a controlled retrieve, the Ripfish delivers crisp vibrations and a high-pitched rattle that stands out in pressured water.

Quick 2¢ from walleye-hammer Korey Sprengel who was playing with ‘em last season:

> “The new Ripfish has been super universal for adapting to the mood of a fish on a single cast. It's basically a lipless/glide bait hybrid. It has a super tight vibration on a straight pull but also darts on a snap like a Finisher. Most of all it has a lot of side flash through all the motions.”

I had the chance to hop in the boat with Korey last summer to learn more about the new Ripfish, and he was putting it to work on plus-sized fish!

Will have more details and a complete breakdown from him here soon.

Kalin’s Worm Walker Spoon

I think this thing is going to be dynamite on pressured fish in clear water!

> ...a fresh new concept to finesse spoon fishing. The Worm Walker Spoon gives anglers extra presentation options for stubborn or pressured fish. Spoon fishing has been a staple for decades. The Worm Walker is the next generation, its unique tail wagging and hovering behavior triggers curious fish into biting. Rigged with a nightcrawler or plastic the Worm Walker’s slow tantalizing action walks back-and-forth on a slow retrieve that fish can't help but eat.

I was already 100% sold on this little number before I found out that Tom Boley's been hiding this secret creation for nearly 2 yrs. 🤫

I’d also be willing to bet they’re gonna sell out by the time we get into the heart of the open-water season...so I'd snag ‘em early. 👀 And I just saw that Scheels has all sizes and colors in stock right now here.

VMC Minnow Shaker Jig

> ...features a unique 45° line tie – the only jighead on the market with this angle – which maximizes the rolling action of the minnow.

Check the underwater "rolling action" in this YouTube vid. 🤯

> [Also] designed to solve a problem...getting the bait to truly stay on the jig. Dual mono keepers lock the bait in place and keep it there, fish after fish after fish.

> Jacob Wheeler: "It's proven. We did our homework. You can catch 15-20 fish on this and never touch your bait."

> Dustin Connell: "No more glue. Your hands ain't gettin' stuck together. I can use a super TPE bait like the Mooch Minnow, and I can also put a Freeloader on easily."

The VMC Minnow Shaker is a brand new jighead that’s just starting to hit the shelves. Will be available from 1/16- up to 3/8-oz and all weights come in 3 hook sizes (2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 options). I just took a look over on Rapala’s site and they have a handful of the sizes in stock – more to come.

Berkley Rawler Jig

We were fortunate enough to spend a couple days testing it out with the Berkley crew last summer and the thing is legit!

First thing I noticed was how streamlined and sleek it was – never had it foul up on the cast which is seriously impressive with this style of baits. 💯 And you can get that ‘crawler to twirl even at suuuuper slow speeds.

The info below comes from Berkley bait designer Kyle Peterson (great guy!) who stuck this absolute unit with the Rawler while we were in the boat. 😮‍💨

> Kyle: "I'm super excited – I've never seen another castable slow-death bait like this. There's ones with blades, search baits, props, but nothing with just the jighead and hook. We patented it...this is Berkley's design – we own that space.

> "There are really three parts working together. First is the head design and balance of the bait. ...the majority of the mass is up by the pull point, then it necks down to the swivel. That was really important on the larger sizes – we tried several designs where a normal jighead with a blade blocked water flow and wasn't activating the hook...the head design is crucial.

> "Second is the swivel. We needed a high-end swivel connected through the bait – that's the through-wire design you see, though it's not obvious. The pull point connects directly to the swivel inside the bait.

> "The last thing we came up with was the hook. During development, we'd get them to turn, then not turn – it was frustrating. I took a piece of wire, bent it, and put the worm on, and we got it to spin really consistently. It's a very easy slow-death turn hook...but getting that helical shape right was super challenging. If it was off a little, the worm wouldn't turn properly.”

> "We also added the fluorocarbon prong keeper. Those are the best keepers for live bait and Gulp.... It makes a small entry hole and pokes out the side, so no more sliding down the hook."

Another awesome video posted on Outdoor Life’s YouTube channel!

> "Dick Grzywinski (better known as the Griz) learned how to ice fish before modern tip-ups were common, or even legal. His dad taught him how to make a simple tip up out of a willow branch, and the tactic still works just as well today. Here's how to catch fish through the ice the traditional way."

There will never be another Midwestern folk hero quite like the Griz. 🙌 He’s a true pioneer to the walleye world.

In case you’re curious why they call Lake Winnipeg (Manitoba) walleyes “greenbacks,” just look at these amazing shots posted on the @huntfishmb Instagram – WOW!!!

A “greenback” is an emerald/iridescent green walleye people believe is unique to Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba. No matter if they’re big or small...things are absolutely gorgeous!

Their B-E-A-utiful greenish coloration apparently comes from the limestone-rich waters of the northern basin of Lake Winnipeg. Some say the greener the fish, the “fresher” they are to the south basin. Eventually the green will fade/blend into a more white-ish look. So...

And either way they’re cool to look at and an absolute BLAST to catch!

Oh, and in case you’re unfamiliar....

Yup! I’m talking they can get BIG big:

Really folks catch ‘em all season long, but Lake Winnipeg is ultra-famous for what folks call “March madness.” 👀 An annual migration where walleyes that are getting ready to spawn start making a push towards the south end where the Red River dumps in. Can help congregate fish that would otherwise be roaming in the basin-y no-man’s land on that massive body of water.

There’s a whole lot of season left and the bite will only get better and better – time to plan a roadtrip!

The ice fishing season is still in full swing here in central Minnesota. BUT unfortunately our (inland) walleye season is now closed 😭 so we opted to track down schools of crappies that were roaming an expansive basin.

This was a high-abundance lake that's loaded with lots of smaller fish...so we busted out a few tricks that can help you to catch the biggest fish out of the school.

1. OH: Drought threatens Maumee River's walleye run

> When the water temperature in the Maumee River hits between 40-45 degrees in the spring, it triggers a spawning effect for the walleye in Lake Erie. The process brings over 1 million fish to the region.

> They swim upstream from Lake Erie, seeking the natural river bottom of the Perrysburg and Maumee area to lay their eggs.

> ...the region is still dealing with the repercussions of an extreme drought that began in the fall of last year. ...less water in the river causes it to heat up faster.

> "The quicker the spawn is over with and the fish head out to Lake Erie to the colder waters," Campos said. He noted that fishing has been difficult over the last couple of years because of the heat and lack of water.

2. MI: Detroit River walleye run expected to be great 📈

> Fish surveys indicate there are 80 million walleye in Lake Erie this year, Francis said. Approximately 10-15% of those will travel up the Detroit River on the way to Lake St. Clair or even as far as Saginaw Bay.

3. MN: Tom Huynh 🏆 is speaking at the next TCWU meeting

Happening Thurs, Mar 5 at the Bloomington Event Center.

Everyone is welcome – Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited meetings are open to the public. And man what a fascinating brain to get to pick. 🔨

4. IA: Closed walleye season is a 150-yr tradition

> ...Big Spirit Lake, West Lake Okoboji and East Lake Okoboji have a closed season for walleye (from Feb 15 thru May 1). In fact, they are the only 3 lakes in Iowa where walleye have to be released this time of year.

5. NY: Lots of proposed walleye reg changes

> ...that will help protect fish while spawning, increase the reproductive capacity of walleye in Lake Ontario’s eastern basin, and eliminate unnecessary special regulations. 

6. Check out this fish-sexxy new walleye hat! 🥵

It’s called the Night STOCKER Walleye Rope Hat from our friends at STOCK Fishing Gear, and it’s “Built for those who chase 30s after dark.”

Bonus points: Each hat purchase funds the stocking of 3 walleye in your state or province.

The STOCK crew has been absolutely crushing it with sick new designs. Of course they’ve got the walleye crowd’s 👊 but did you know they would never leave you slimy, burboteers hanging?!

Keep crushing it, fellas! 💪

7. OH: LEWT ice shootout cancelled

> “Due to the increased temps, rain, and unstable ice conditions [at Lake Erie].”

8. SD: Dept of Health has new fish consumption advisories

Based on the mercury concentrations they found in fish samples.

• Limit consumption of walleye over 24” in Enemy Swim Lake
• Limit consumption of walleye over 18” in Goose Lake
• Limit consumption of walleye over 25” in Lake Alice

Should probably be letting those big girls go anyway. 😏

9. Summit Fishing Equip has an auger rack coming...

...for the Otter Sonar Sled. 💯 Slick design!

10. Sick of your jigging spoons getting wrecked? 😩

A company called FishMore makes these killer, customizable jigging spoon boxes that keep the hooks from tangling, and more importantly keep your jigging spoons from banging around in the sled = so they don't chip the paint or break the rattle!

If this is your first time hearing of FishMore, they also make a TON of incredible bait-specific boxes.

Example 1a: Their T3 Pro Rapala Jigging Rap box. 🔥

11. MN: Shelter removal deadlines coming up

12. MN: Big news for bass-heads 📢

The DNR has officially changed the rules...catch-and-release bass fishing is now allowed year-round in MN.

And to clear up a little confusion I’ve been seeing:

> The harvest season dates for bass remain the same. Now, though, anglers are able to catch-and-release bass starting Feb 23. The rules that allow for the new catch-and-release bass season were adopted in Jan. While the DNR usually has new regulations go into effect Mar 1, the continuous bass season will begin as soon as the current season closes. Bass seasons will alternate between harvest seasons and catch-and-release seasons with no fishing closures.

13. Has anyone tried this solar-powered bait cooler?

It's called the Whisker Seeker Solar-Powered Bait Cooler. I love the idea. And others did too ‘cuz it won best of category for 'Fishing Accessory' at ICAST last summer. Can run up to 10 days on a single charge when there’s no sun [!] and “under sufficient sunlight, air pumps can run continuously." 🤯

14. MI: Fish "sorting" structure being built in Traverse City

> The fish will run a gauntlet that sorts them based on how they respond to light, sound, velocity and other stimuli. Desirable species can continue upstream while harmful invaders are sequestered.

15. VT bill would allow towns to regulate some lake activities

> Under current law, the state manages fishing and recreation on VT's navigable waters. S.224 would allow municipalities to regulate surface water activities on reservoirs they own – but only in specific circumstances.

> The delegation authority applies exclusively to drinking water sources where the municipality already owns or controls all surrounding land.

Tip from a crappie guy on not spooking fish

OK's Les Standstipher won the Lake D'Arbonne, LA Crappie Masters recently fishing "Han" solo. 😁 The crappie on that lake are highly pressured so.... 🧃 From the Target Crappie email:

> "When you pitched out, you didn't want your jig to splash on the water, even though the fish were 30' down. If it splashed and they heard it, they would get in those balls of baitfish and hide from you.

> "Once [the bait] got about 6-8' over the top of them, I started slowing the drop down, waiting to see which direction that they would push, and I would just point the rod over.

> "I was moving the bait to where they were going, not where they were.

> "Once you got [the bait] in front of them, you could just deadstick it – you may have to hold your bait on that fish for 20-30 seconds before it finally reacts. It was just a really subtle deadstick where you didn't move the bait at all."

Interesting stuff. 👀 Have definitely noticed suspended walleyes spooking when I get too aggressive with the splash, and usually try to lay it down softly past them for that reason.

BUT there are some days and lakes where for whatever reason they seemed to like the splash...and immediately shot up and pounced on the bait. Always gotta play around with those little nuances!

Any big fishing plans in the morning?

Good luck + BE SAFE this weekend if you’re getting out! 👊

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026