Another cool catch and catch again story!

A few weeks ago we shared a pic of a giant 29.75-incher that a client caught while fishing with northern-MN guide Jason Durham of Go Fish! Guide Service:

That was its good side – the fish would be much more recognizable from the right where you could see its wonky eye:

They released that fish to get even more bigger-er. ????

Fast forward to the 4th of July and a client who was fishing with Chaz Dobias of First City Guide Service caught the same one-eyed walleye, and this time she taped-out at 30.25”:

I always find it so dang cool to see hard proof that catch and release works! Now who’s gonna catch her when she’s a 31-incher? ????

I was sent this cool pic from pro Johnnie Candle (thx man!) who was out filming with Lindner Media, catching walleyes, when one puked up a dragonfly larvae in the boat. Ended up cleaning that particular fish and it was chock-full of dragonfly larvae!

Johnnie: “This will create a very good bite over the mud bottom bays where these larvae rise from the mud to hatch on the surface. Nature's clues are just as good as any other tip you can get.”

No doubt!

I cropped ‘er in a bit to get a closer look at the larvae – some of them are quite a bit larger than I would’ve guessed!

Also gives me a strong urge to throw a little Ned rig....

- That’s Jason Przekurat talking about a 22.5” walleye he caught the day before the Green Bay NWT that weighed 6 lbs 12oz!!! ???? I legit cannot even imagine. #STACKED

Also one of the few times ever those catch-record-release conversion charts would be way off in the wrong direction LOL.

...what a scuba diver (Kyle Peterson from Wired2Fish) would look like on Humminbird MEGA Side Imaging and MEGA 360, well here ya go! ????????????

I love that. ????

Of course if you ever see that type of shadow pop up on your unit when there’s no Kyle Petersons around, you should probably call the local authorities.

Some insight from the ???? himself, Al Lindner, on some of the key differences between the original Rapala Jigging Rap vs Jigging Shadow Rap vs Jigging Rap Magnum. All 3 of these baits do a killer job of catching walleyes, but knowing which to tie on when will for sure help you to catch more (and bigger!) fish:

1. OH: Fisherman missing, 14 others rescued...

...from Lake Erie over holiday weekend. ???? Incredibly sad deal.

2. OH: Great (Lakes) read on walleye tagging.

Lots of cool behind-the-scenes pics in that write-up too.

3. MN towns see success replacing aging dams with rock rapids.

Like the one just up the road from me in Pine River – it’s Maisie approved. ❤️

"In some communities, old dams have been removed and replaced with a series of boulders known as rock arch rapids or riffles. They’re designed to allow the river to flow more freely and fish to swim upstream. They also help avoid costly dam repairs – or worse, a collapse."

Btw Scott Mackenthun may not be as cute as my daughter Maisie (lol) but he is someone whose opinion I greatly value when it comes to all things outdoors – here’s his quick comment on the rock rapids:

“Human and community safety and health, connectivity and passage for organisms and debris, natural functionality, and no age out and sedimentation concerns make these a no-brainer....”

4. Little background on what ICAST is.

The 67th-annual fishing biz trade show that’s coming up July 16-19 in Orlando, FL:

ICAST, or the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, is fishing’s largest trade show. This year, it takes place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from July 16-19. Inside the exhibit hall, and the ponds outside it, manufacturers from across the globe will be showing off the latest in fishing gear, tackle, and electronics. Last year, the 2.1 million square feet of exhibit space was home to some 13,346 attendees, and 2024 is shaping up to be even bigger.

Attendance is limited to members of the fishing industry, including manufacturers’ reps, custom tackle builders, retailers, industry representatives, pro-staff, and members of the media. For many, ICAST serves as a homecoming of sorts. I look forward to the event every year as much for the camaraderie as the new gear. It gives members of the fishing industry a chance to meet face to face with old friends, and make some new ones.

It’s coming up fast!

5. MN: DNR certifies 9 new record fish.

6. Tom Huynh's Vexus is up for sale. ????

2024 Vexus DVX22 w/ a Suzuki 350hp, lithium batteries, Power-Poles, AquaTraction, a handful of Garmin units, and about every other thing you can think of!

Btw it's been confirmed his Vexus catches magnum 'merp' walleyes. ????

7. MN: Ever done a summer Rainy River run?

Insanely popular destination in the early spring and even fall, but there’s plenty of walleyes (and sturgeon, which opened back up July 1) to be had in the river all summer long – especially on a high-water year.

8. Future Angler Foundation merged with Wildlife Forever.

9. Mark Copley new marketing man for Xpress Boats.

10. Interesting read on largemouth bass vision. ????

From a recent In-Fisherman write-up:

A bass can see at about 1/10 the amount of light we need to see.

Lower a white object (a spinnerbait or a jig will work) until it disappears. ...multiply by 4 to estimate the depth at which a bass can effectively use vision for feeding.

And obviously walleyes have got to be better at seeing in low light than bass...would love to know more on their range of vision.

How Scott Ulrich trolls sharp breaks.

And I’m talking SHARP ????‍♂️ lol. But you don’t need to be trolling legit cliffs (like he is) to snag a few quick tips from this video:

I’ve gotta say, the crew at Walleye Nation Creations have really been posting a TON of fishy walleye content on their FB page – and the stuff catches ’em – definitely worth a follow.

“I’ve been watching too many Final Destination movies ‘cuz that’s all I can see in these pictures!”

- Same, Kristi.... ???? Same. Relatable comment under this FB post of another wild towing setup spotted in Duluth, MN:

Apparently there’s a lift inside the bed of the truck that’s specifically made for this application. Would be pretty dang cool to see it in action!

The dirtiest of 30s! ???? Dodging boats and storms all weekend paid off BIG. I’ll have a little more info on this day coming soon....

Thx SO much for reading! ????

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026