I guarantee you have NEVER seen a burbot like this…

…because I haven’t, and it’s literally my job to look for them (lol). Pat Brunk shared this pic of a “golden burbot” that his friend caught out of Lake Superior in Michigan:

What an incredible specimen! Sounds like it’s headed for the wall, which will be one heck of a conversation piece. Which also means the dude must not be married hahaha.

The only other person in the world to ever catch a golden burbot was a chocolate-loving kid named Charlie something:

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This walleye swam right past a live minnow to CRUSH my Jigging Rap!

We zipped over to Mille Lacs to set up camp for some shallow-water walleyes during the big cold front. It was a tougher bite this day and wasn’t without some hiccups ???? but hey that’s the reality of ice fishing and I always try to show that in these videos, too.

I hope you enjoy the video:

Now that temps have warmed up, the fish are finally WAY bitey-er ???? heading back out this weekend to put ‘em on camera….

Fish-ink Friday is here. ????

Been awhile since we’ve done a #FishInkFriday, so here we go. Kids – don’t try this at home….

1. This @knoteyetattoo piece looks real enough to automatically put Kev over his limit on Mille Lacs Lake, without even wetting a line….

2. This one is from tattoo artist @bigtattykayne. And it’s just one more reason why artificials live bait…you don’t have to feel bad dropping ’em in front of fish. ????

3. Nice tribute piece from Nick Burns who said:

“My grandpa passed away this last year and I wanted to honor him. He taught me all I know about ice fishing. One of his favorite lures was the Swedish Pimple. The artist overlayed his initials that he had carved into The Fisherman’s Bridge years ago. I could not be happier.”

4. What do you get when you cross a fishing enthusiast and a tattoo artist? You get Joseph Andrews knockin’ this one out…of the park:

5. Never underestimate the power of a curly-tail grub:

“I told them that my Humminbird depth finder was the bomb – not a bomb – apparently they didn’t believe me….”

– That’s Jason Bahr causing a ruckus and holding up the rest of the line ???? in the name of catching more fish hahaha:

New “Top 5” vid coming in hot! ????

We’re back! I just posted episode 65 on our YouTube channel. Hope you dig it ???? and thanks SO much for taking the time to watch and comment!

Big thx to our friends at Sea Foam for making this video series possible!

1. OH: 20 people were rescued from a Lake Erie ice floe…

…a half mile off the coast of Catawba Island State Park in Port Clinton:

Glad everyone made it to shore safely!

2. ND: 6 people rescued from Devils Lake…

…after two vehicles broke through in separate incidents:

Lake Region Search and Rescue and the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office responded to the towers area on Devils Lake for a SnoBear that went through the ice after crossing a pressure ridge. One man was found standing on top of the submerged SnoBear and brought back to shore.

Sheriff Lang says, a short time later, a side-by-side went through the ice after crossing a pressure ridge near the Doc Hagen’s area in Six Mile Bay on Devils Lake. When deputies arrived at the boat ramp, they learned someone had helped about 5 people to safety.

Wet and cold, but no one was injured.

3. ND: 40th-annual DLVFD Ice Fishing Tournament is this weekend..

On Six-Mile Bay. Apparently organizers found 21.5” of ice in the event area. Proceeds from the tourney are used to buy equipment for the Devils Lake Volunteer Fire Dept = awesome.

4. MN: Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza announced…

…a hybrid approach for the 2024 tournament as there wasn’t expected to enough ice in the usual Gull Lake contest area. So now they’ll be…

“…using FishDonkey as the platform, keeping the Feb 3rd date but with extended contest hours. Participants will register for the tournament, uploading a picture of their ticket, which is needed to qualify for the event. This hybrid model extends the tournament across multiple Brainerd Area lakes where participants can still compete and experience the thrill of the Extravaganza from the safety and comfort of their chosen locations.”

I’ll have more info coming soon, but they have been posting lots of updates on their FB in the meantime.

5. MN: Should the DNR extend winter walleye fishing…

… now that better ice is here? ???? Interesting topic brought up by Dennis Anderson in this StarTribune write-up, few excerpts below:

After 28 yrs of owning a resort on Mille Lacs, Kevin McQuoid sold his business a couple of years ago. But he still knows how important ice fishing was on that big lake to his operation’s bottom line.

McQuoid: “About 60% of our annual income on Mille Lacs came from about Christmas until the end of Feb. Once good ice gets on the lake, you really have to push it until the end of the winter season to make the business work.”

The problem this year is that good ice, varying between 8-12”, is just now taking hold on Mille Lacs. By Wed this week, side-by-sides were pulling smaller wheelhouses onto the lake.

McQuoid: “When we owned the resort, we had 35 rental houses, and we took care of about 150 private houses. That’s a lot of work but also a lot of business. With the weather we’ve had and lack of ice, everyone on the lake is about 3 weeks behind.”

The same tale of winter woe is being told and retold to the Canadian border.

Retail sales of ice fishing gear are down, resorts have had multiple cancellations and motels, restaurants and gas stations have lost significant income because ice anglers have been forced to stay on shore – rather than on frozen water, drilling holes and fishing for walleyes.

Thus a question is being asked among anglers and winter tourist operators alike:

Why doesn’t the DNR extend the walleye season a couple of weeks this winter past the Feb 28 scheduled closure (except on MN-CAN border lakes, where the season runs to mid-Apr) to give anglers more opportunities to fish, while also allowing resorts and others businesses to recoup some lost income?

6. MN: How the DNR will spend nearly $150M in one-time funding.

Nearly $150 million in one-time state funding will go towards improving MN’s public lands, fisheries, camp sites, boat launches and more, according to a new spending plan unveiled by the MN DNR.

Few fishy highlights:

The largest share of the funding ($60 mil) will go towards enhancing fisheries and fishing infrastructure. These investments include $24 mil for the aging Waterville Hatchery and $19 mil for the Crystal Springs Hatchery.

The $35 million investment for boat access will support 40-60 large-scale projects and 75-125 small-scale projects.

7. MI: DNR stocked 15.5 tons of fish in 2023.

…6 different species totaling 1,076,204 fish and 14.5 tons at 103 locations throughout the state….

8. IL: Walleye anglers + fisheries biologists = teaming up…

…for Midwest Walleye Challenge, Mar 30 – Jun 30:

IL DNR has teamed up with other states, provinces, and developers and researchers at Anglers Atlas to launch this year’s competition.

Information gathered through the competition will assist Illinois in providing anglers with important data and add to biologists’ knowledge of various waterbodies

More info/rules/register here.

9. How did Minn Kota get its name?

“Our Mankato headquarters is right down from Fargo, North Dakota, where O.G. Schmidt invented the first gear-driven electric trolling motor in 1934. The idea took off with anglers looking for more boat control, and Schmidt named his growing company for the land he called home. In the heart of fishing country, on the MINNesota and North DaKOTA border, Minn Kota was born.”

Things have sure come a long ways!

I finally got to hop in a boat with Minn Kota’s new QUEST Series (this one was the Ultrex) and it was incredible. It’s WAY quieter and more powerful. In case you haven’t seen ‘em yet, here’s a few other things that make the QUEST model different:

QUEST gives anglers everything they love about Ultrex with a more robust and powerful brushless motor capable of enduring the most punishing environments.

30% longer runtime and 50% greater torque (torque = more control, sheds weeds better)

Improved battery life with a real-time battery monitoring system, option to enter a power-saving “eco mode” when batteries get to 20%.

Enhanced GPS Suite Including Drift Mode [you can program a drift, like making your own current and]…combats current and wind by automatically adjusting speed and direction to keep the boat on a true drift. Drift Mode acts as a gps drift sock….

For the 36v motor, you can go from 36v to 24v if a battery goes down.

Redesigned and upgraded mount NOT for weight but because of the torque increase.

New lift assist makes dropping in and pulling out easier.

Carbon fiber-infused shaft that is NOT round – helps with transducer brackets staying true.

Out of the box connection to Humminbird via the One-Boat Network by including all necessary adapters required for networking without additional need for setup.

One app for everything [no longer multiple apps] – The One-Boat Network App can control everything on the boat from the trolling motor and shallow water anchors to the Humminbird head units.

Enhanced Built-in 2D Sonar with Dual Spectrum CHIRP adds Humminbird’s sonar clarity to every Minn Kota motor.

Bunch more info, videos, etc here.

10. Oh snap! ???? Do you remember that…

…sexxy Tuned Up Custom Rods Commander I shared last week? It was a one-of-a-kind custom (power walleye rod) with Gold REC Recoil Ice Guides and a carbon-fiber handle:

Well ???? TUCR just dropped a LIMITED run of these Target Walleye Signature Edition Commanders and have them available right now on their website – ready to ship! (while supplies last)

I absolutely love the sensitivity and power of the Commander when fishing medium rattlebaits, glide baits, and big spoons for walleyes! The Gold REC Recoil Ice Guides are a super classy + sharp touch. The CF handle doesn’t get dirty like cork, has a flat bottom for mounting/keeping reels straight, is light, sensitive and looks awesome. TUCR nailed it!

11. If you have an 8” StrikeMaster Lite-Flite…

…these Magnetic Snap Covers are the deal! I’ve yet to have one fall of – even when running “highway speeds” ???? on the snowmobile. Easy on, easy off. So dang slick.

12. MN: Zippel Bay Resort’s “Igloo Bar” is open for biz.

Up at Lake of the Woods – they set it up ON THE ICE each year. Big screen TV, full bar, food menu…and the answer is “yes,” they even catch fish out of it.

13. ON: Dude fined $5.75K for overfishing walleye.

Pleaded guilty to having 19 walleye over the legal limit.

14. WI: DNR to co-host free kid’s ice fishing clinics.

In Milwaukee County.

15. Brunswick begins 2024 with 15 new product launches.

16. Walleye tourney cheater’s deer-poaching charges dropped.

17. FL company is turning Asian carp skin into leather goods…

…along with other invasives. I guess they’re calling Asian carp leather “dragonfin leather” lol.

18. Don’t forget to hit up our Garmin LiveScope Plus giveaway!

Hawthorne’s slick water pump hack for wheelhouses.

A cheap $20 battery-powered water pump is all it takes to make wheelhouse life way much easier. Snag fresh lake water for your minnows, scrubbing dishes, cleaning fish, whatever you need it for:

Meme of the Day

Love it or hate it, FFS (LiveScope, MEGA Live, Active Target) is here to stay.

It absolutely can help you to find more fish, and make perfect casts at them…but that also doesn’t mean they’re going to bite…. Unless you’re fishing for bass. ????

Today’s ‘Eye Candy

Ummmm…do you think this one wanted the new Berkley Finisher, or what?! ????

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great + safe weekend!