1) I was sent this one from TW reader Shawn Keown (thx man!). His buddy Steve Kirkham caught his new PB walleye to the tune of 29.5” and 13 lbs [!] boppin’ a #7 Rapala Jigging Rap in 19’ on the Bay of Quinte:

Huge congrats, man!

I’ve gotta drop another angle of this fish since sometimes a 29.5-incher only weighs about half of that LOL. ???? But here’s the difference:

2) This right here is why you go to Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba! A massive 32" long x 19" girth teenager iced with Bruin Outfitting and Guide Service. What a specimen!

3) Lake Erie doesn't often get fishable ice, so when it does Ross Robertson takes full advantage. This time it was a #5 Rapala Jigging Rap that got taken for a ride!

4) Midwinter can be a tough time to coax walleyes into biting, but Lake of the Woods has continued to kick fish out. Here’s a BIG-shouldered one recently caught by Border View Lodge guest Monica Jackson. ????

And when you’re fishing on Lake of the Woods, you never know when that next state-record burbot might just show itself.... Check out this massive 15-lber iced out of Border View Lodge this January. ????

5) Awesome looking setup here! TW reader Danny Henderson was ice fishing on Lake Sakakawea with his son when his new PB walleye came strolling thru...she taped-out at 32” long x 18-3/8" girth and went 12 lbs!

6) Sheesh did Peight Arlin ever catch himself a wall-mounter in northern PA! ???? Talking 18-inches of slab:

If you’ve never seen or heard of one, they were killer little ice fishing units to pull by hand. Unfortunately discontinued some years back, but they looked like this (stock ????):

Few details:

• Vertical rod holders molded into the base for quick access
• Removable seat cover fits on standard 5 or 6 gallon buckets
• Main compartment for flasher, underwater camera, and other gear
• Rugged roto-molded body and skis stand up to freezing temps

And the folks who still have one absolutely LOVE to modify and trick ‘em out for ice fishing.

Here’s one from Merrik Lofquist with a ski (Smitty Sled style) setup, auger and scoop holder, etc:

Ice-head Tom Dobbins always has the "Attack Machine" ready to rip:

Another sick creation whipped up by Terry R Wicks:

This one’s from Jay Greeney:

And that’s just the start! Every single one I see is so unique and done-up to match the owner’s style and gear needs. Maybe I’ll have to dig up some more modifications and do a bigger breakdown of these bad boys...and I for sure will if we can talk StrikeMaster into bringing ‘em back. ????

I really think there’d be a nice market for ‘em again, especially with folks not wanting to lug their giant (heavy) shuttles around from hole to hole.... They’d be the perfect mobile command center.

Dude utilizes every inch of space to make his Polaris Ranger as fishy as possible. Studded tires, double auger rack, topper, rod holders, GPS, flasher in the dash, you name it. He even punched a hole in the floor so he can drop a Catch Cover Hole Sleeve in 'er and scout/fish from right inside the machine:

...is Humminbird Side Imaging, then we can be friends lol:

I’m no welder, but dude looks like he has skills!

And for those saying they don’t see any fish...are we looking at the same graph?! There’s clearly shadows on both sides of the boat ???? that top-right pod is probably 8 fish itself. ????????

1. Al Lindner hopped on the In-Fisherman Storyline Podcast

This is the second part in an extended series we’re producing to help celebrate 50 years of In-Fisherman. The legendary Al Lindner and his late brother Ron began In-Fisherman back in the 70s, with lots of twists and turns along the way.

Al shares some incredible stories about his early years before In-Fisherman was founded. We learn about what motivated him, how he learned the business and how the Great Northwoods beckoned the two brothers to a new home to begin one of the most influential fishing publications in history. This is the first of several interviews with Al as he recounts his early days and what led them to Hayward.

2. MN: Having a tough time finding shiners? ????‍♂️

Did you know that Minnesota and Maine are the only 2 states in the US of A where live minnows for fishing must be 100% homegrown? Meaning here in MN we can export bait to other states, but we can’t import any when we are short.

Something needs to change....

3. MN: Tony Roach talks Mille Lacs jumbos

This new Dialed In Angling Podcast kicks off chatting with Greg Berg (Mille Lacs Lake Area Fisheries Supervisor) about the lower food web and its impact on the fishery. Lots of very interesting info.

4. Just saw that FishUSA got some Mooch Minnows in stock

Rapala couldn’t keep the new CrushCity Mooch Minnow a secret with all the folks dominating big bass derbies throwing it...and then Duane 'Dewey' Hjelm won the Lake Sakakawea NWT event (winning details) using it as a part of his 1-2 punch.

I was able to get my hands on a pack of "perch" color ones early and can confirm they crush! Caught a pile of fish throwing ‘em on numerous lakes last season (Mille Lacs, Gull, Pelican, North Long, little sloughy bass lakes ????, etc) and my confidence is sky high.

Legit can’t wait to play with some other colors and stock up! I probably could have fished with the same one all year (thx to the TPE material and a dot of super glue) but pike like to engulf ‘em too lol. ✂️

I’ll be dropping a mortgage payment on the new VMC RedLine Tungsten Swimbait Head once I see those available. ????

5. MN: DNR launching new licensing system this spring

6. MN: Might wanna bring ice cleats to the Extravaganza

It’s pretty slick out on Gull Lake.

7. Free onX Fish class Feb 4 at 6:30pm cst

...an introductory tutorial on how to get the most out of the onX Fish App. Enjoy a live Q&A throughout the class, enter giveaways for free gear, and walk away with a better knowledge of how to use the Fish App to its full potential both on the water and on the ice. Attendance is limited, so register today!

I sat in on the last one they did and it was a great walkthrough. ????

8. Yamaha’s ‘Power Pay’ program expands

Walleye anglers can look forward to expanded opportunities in the Michigan Walleye Tour, with payouts across four events and a championship. Current payouts will also continue for AIM Walleye, NWT, MWC, the Minnesota Tournament Trail, the Sunset Bay Walleye Shootout and the Wyoming Walleye Stampede.

9. Chance to nominate a ‘Retail Associate Of The Year’

From Fishing Tackle Retailer:

We had been throwing around a few ideas on how to get retailers more involved and put a spotlight on some of the unsung heroes of the retail space. We figured that if retailers are the driving force behind the fishing tackle industry, then those on the front line, the ones who interact on a daily basis with the consumers, are its lifeblood. It’s about time you got your opportunity to shine!

10. MN: Jason Mitchell hit up Leech Lake...

...on a search and destroy mission for jumbo perch:

The big moves find fish but the small moves catch fish. The hunt for jumbo perch on MN’s Leech Lake. We drilled a lot of holes and moved through the day to find and stay on these fish. Jumbo perch on Leech Lake seem to constantly be on the move. We joined guide, Chuck Hasse of Leech Lake Fish House Rentals. Chuck shares a lot of knowledge on how and where to find jumbo perch on Leech Lake.

We explain the details for the overall strategy of targeting the bigger perch in the school by making short moves through a school of fish, fishing high in the water column and fishing aggressively with spoons without any live bait.

Leech Lake in northern Minnesota is traditionally one of the top perch lakes in the state but populations cycle. Rusty crayfish have changed many of the weed beds and chara grass flats that once held fish shallow. The biggest change over the past decade concerning perch on Leech Lake has been the fact that many fish are getting caught now over the deeper mud.

11. Jon Thelen’s mid-winter walleye tips (video)

Talks tactics to catch 'em when the bite is off.

12. Ever chased kitties thru the ice? (video)

James Lindner, Jake Wallace, and Hays Baldwin share some of their ice-fishing tactics for catfish in central MN. Looks like a blast!

13. Doug Wegner’s MEGA Live 2 settings (video)

A bunch more lake trout catches in this vid and Doug goes over his Humminbird MEGA Live 2 settings and color pallets.

14. Megabass enters strategic partnership with L Catterton

Megabass, a Japan-headquartered premium fishing gear manufacturer, today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with L Catterton, a leading global consumer-focused investment firm. The partnership positions Megabass for further expansion by leveraging L Catterton’s operating capabilities and industry network on the back of rising demand for its products.

15. Wired2fish Coffee now has 2- and 5-lb bags

Wired2fish Coffee has made a name for itself in the faith and fishing communities. It delivers exceptional flavor profiles while prioritizing giving back 25% of net profit to clean water, conservation, and Christian missions and initiatives.

So, what makes a leader a leader?

Of course it's possible to use any line as a leader, but what makes actual leader line different? Interesting nuggets from Seaguar’s gm Gerry Benedicto:

...specialized leader materials are designed to withstand shock in short pieces while maintaining strength and abrasion resistance. Longer lengths of fluorocarbon were developed as mainlines – to be spooled onto a reel to make casts which requires a softer feel for better manageability. ...unique formulations of different resins allow Seaguar to develop fluoro lines with characteristics that work well in short pieces....

"In general, fluorocarbon lines, made for use as a leader, have a stiffer body and are less supple than mainline fluorocarbon lines. These characteristics translate into better overall knot strength and better sensitivity.”

Line stretch is another difference. “Often, leader lines will have less stretch than a mainline fluorocarbon. Less stretch can be a big positive in that it enhances feel and quick reaction hooksets.” Leader lengths are shorter so there’s also less material which reduces line stretch.

The general trade-off with leader lines that are stiffer with less stretch is more line memory. "There can be more coiling. This is why we use shorter lengths of leader material and a leader spool with a shallower arbor than our mainlines. More wraps will cause memory issues, even when taking it off a leader spool."

“Seeing fish and I don’t even have the Humminbird on! It’s a good day!!”

- That’s Walleyedan graphing a couple of fish that for sure aren't Whoppers. ????

Don’t worry, he’s been seeing plenty of fish when the unit is on too:

Gabriel (@thetinycaster) is just 9 yrs old, but man does he ever catch the snot out of all species of fish! I’m a little biased, so it makes my heart extra happy to see him grinning over a walleye – way to go, buddy! And props to his dad @sylvesterdylone on raising up the little hammer who will probably take my job one day lol:

Thx so much for reading! ???? Hope you have a great + safe weekend!!

National Professional Anglers Assoc.

MN-FISH

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

 (218) 824 5026