Just wanna say THANK YOU to everyone taking time out of their day to read these emails every Wed/Fri, and for showing our YouTube channel love. Can’t express how grateful we are! Also a big thank you to all the companies and folks that support TW – literally none of this craziness would be possible without you.

We hope you and yours have a blessed Christmas and start to 2024. And if you don’t celebrate Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Happy Holidays to you and your fam. ????

Now let’s get after it…

Btw – I also love this comment from Matt Karlsson under the original Ice fishing Minnesota post:

“Honestly it speaks volumes on how pike bigger than this are vital to keep 4-5” sunnies in check and allow the 7-8” sunfish to grow to 9-10”. Lakes that have big pike gone usually have stunted sunfish populations.”

No doubt! The predator-prey relationship can be fickle.

These secondary basins can often range from 15’ to 40’. Details on how to use the Lowrance Active Target Forward Facing Sonar are explained for finding fish but we also show the advantages of hole-hopping with the more portable Vexilar to catch fish. A deadly 1-2 punch for finding and catching suspended panfish.

We show the methodology and advantage of using larger search baits like the new Clam Tikka Flash to lift fish in the water column and trigger the bigger fish in the school.

We also share observations on barotrauma. Fishing these types of locations does carry a responsibility. We released fish that were caught higher in the water column and didn’t display signs of barotrauma but kept fish that did show signs of barotrauma which often includes bulging eyes and expanded air bladder. These deeper panfish patterns are often a catch-and-keep situation particularly when you are catching fish that are deeper than thirty feet. Catch your limit of panfish or whatever you need for a meal and then leave.

Now here’s the video:

“During the fishing off season take a minute to pull the prop off of your trolling motor and check for fishing line. If left unchecked, this bit of line can completely destroy the lower unit of this motor.“

During 7 of the past 9 yrs beginning in 2015, the walleye hatch has held above the long-term average, a few years well above. This year’s walleye hatch measured as the 4th-most prolific during the 9-yr span.

In fact, the 5 top hatches during the period have occurred in the past 6 yrs.

“Based on these results, anglers can continue to expect many years of remarkable walleye fishing.”

…walleye…have a huge presence in Lake Erie after the string of successful hatches…is a species that can live for 20 yrs…a few walleyes hatched in 2023 will still be around in 2043

2. MN: Some deets on the new litter-on-ice law.

…makes it easier for conservation officers and other law enforcement personnel to take enforcement action against people who leave trash and waste on the ice.

…the new law requires people to secure their trash in a container such as a bucket, garbage bag or trash bin, and makes clear that depositing sewage – whether from animals or humans – on the ice is prohibited. The latter, particularly as it relates to human waste, has been an increasing problem in recent years, with some owners of deluxe fish houses (also known as wheelhouses) dumping their holding tanks on the ice before heading for shore.

The new statute reads: “A person using a shelter, a motor vehicle, or any other conveyance on the ice of state waters may not deposit garbage, rubbish, cigarette filters, debris from fireworks, offal, the body of a dead animal, litter, sewage, or any other waste outside the shelter, motor vehicle, or conveyance, unless the material is: Placed in a container that is secured to the shelter, motor vehicle, or conveyance, and not placed directly on the ice or in state waters. For the purposes of this section, ‘sewage’ means excrementitious or other discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals, together with such other water as may be present.”

With all the questions surrounding the whole “discharge from the bodies of human beings or animals” part…maybe we’ll be seeing more fish-house designs like this one posted by Jeremy Barnett in the “Trick your trap” Facebook group. ????

3. Some important NWT registration dates.

…priority registration for pro anglers entering all four 2024 NWT events at once will be open Mon, Feb 5 at 9 am CT thru Fri, Feb 16 at 4 pm CT. Pro anglers who complete their registration and pay for all events during this period will receive priority status though the 2024 season, gaining entry into events before single-registry participants.

General registration for pro anglers entering single events will open on Mon, Feb 19 at 9 am CT.

Priority co-angler registration will be open Mon, Feb 19 at 9 am CT thru Fri, Feb 23 at 4 pm CT for co-anglers wishing to enter all four events at once.

General registration for single-entry co-anglers will open Mon, Feb 26 at 9 am CT.

And here’s the 2024 NWT schedule:

April 18-19: Port Clinton, OH – Lake Erie

May 23-24: Red Wing, MN – Mississippi River

June 20-21: Oconto, WI – Bay of Green Bay

Aug 1-2: Garrison, ND – Lake Sakakawea

Sept 4-6: (Championship) Oscoda, MI – Lake Huron

4. ND: Where/how Korey Sprengel ????s Devils Lake jumbos.

5. UT: DWR stocked more than 10 mil fish in 2023.

I looked thru a species/lake breakdown of data on DWR’s site and approx 2.1 mil of those were walleyes, about 95% of which went into Willard Bay Reservoir last Apr.

Which had me curious as to what the state record situation was looking like…

Catch and keep record (1991):

Jeffery Tanner’s 15-lb 9-oz walleye (31.75” long x 20.75” girth) from Provo River. Pretty sure no pics or additional info exists anywhere on the internet.

Catch and release length record (2022):

Jon Torrence’s 33-incher from Utah Lake. Can’t find any other details, but here’s a pic.

Shane Andersen’s 13-lb 3-oz walleye (31.5” long x 20” girth) from Deer Creek Reservoir.

6. ND: Free ice fishing weekend, Dec 30-31.

Resident anglers may fish those 2 days without a license, tho there’s not many NoDakians that don’t already have one.

Random factoid: As of 2022…26.8% of ND residents were paid fishing license holders, which is #5 on the list of states with the most registered anglers per capita.

7. MN: Minneapolis Boat Show, Jan 18-21.

At the Minneapolis Convention Center. That’s 400,000 sq ft of boats, pontoons, docks and lifts, and marine accessories.

8 ON’s 2024 fishing regs are out.

Can download the PDF at that link if you want.

Video from early-ice a few years back where Tom shows how he sets up his Beaver Dam Tip-Ups, or as he likes to call ’em – “day-savers” – when things get tough:

Sounds like target practice AND bacon is going to become much more plentiful.