Rare walleye disease, How Tony Roach raps, Blue jumbo iced 🥶

> Although Sandy Flesh disease is not believed to be transmittable to humans, CPW recommends no one consume a walleye they suspect is infected. Instead, the agency asks the angler to report it and turn photos so they can be analyzed at CPW’s Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory.

> This is the first time Sandy Flesh disease has been found in CO. Typically it occurs in the Midwest, particularly in ND, SD, MN, WI and NE. But it has spread to the west including in UT, ID, WY and now CO.

News to me. 🤨

> Sandy Flesh disease has been known to exist for decades and typically impacts a small number of fish in various states. The cause of Sandy Flesh and means of transmission are unknown.

> Sandy Flesh disease primarily affects older walleye, although there have been a few cases of infected yellow perch.

> Fish with Sandy Flesh disease look normal on the outside. The disease can only be found when a fish is cleaned. Areas of the filet will look semi-translucent, or yellowish brown, with knotted muscle fibers. The tissue can resemble meat with freezer burn. The disease may look granular with mineral deposits, or even opaque.

> “It’s not a shock that it has reached Colorado since it occurs in so many neighboring states, but it is unfortunate We don’t expect it to have a big impact because it typically only shows up in a small number of older walleye.

> “But it’s important that walleye anglers be aware and carefully inspect their catch when they are cleaning them. We urge anyone who finds Sandy Flesh in a fish to report it to CPW immediately and provide good, high-resolution photographs.”

> Anglers who discover Sandy Flesh in a fish should not discard the entrails back into the lake. Dispose of them with household waste or bury them.

🤢 Yikes! Or how about:

Hear about folks on the Great Lakes catching walleyes on Rapala Rippin’ Raps all the time, but it’s definitely something that can catch fish on “normal” lakes too.

Last year during MN’s fishing opener weekend, a buddy and I went out trolling cranks after dark on a heavily-pressured local lake that rhymes with "skull” 😅. We picked up a few fish doing that until my trolling motor batteries died (it was time for new ones, again, swear I can never get more than 1.5 seasons out of a cheap set) and so then we were sort of forced to Talon down on the tip of a little gravel point where we had graphed fish while trolling...and started chucking #6 Rapala Rippin’ Raps in just 5-7′.

We ended up adding 7 more fish to our tally that were all 23-25” while pitching around in the middle of the night! Glass calm, bright moon, and no one else on the whole lake – it was one of THE coolest walleye-fishing experiences I’ve had on a local lake.

The key for us was doing slow rips. Not the big hook-set looking ones you’d do with a Jigging Rap, but instead slower 2′ to 3′ pulls, letting it hit bottom before slowly sweeping again. “Moldy fruit” was by far the hottest color.

I’ve caught plenty of fish on Rippin’ Raps before, but this night was a huuuuge confidence booster for me. Just couldn’t get bit on anything else in that spot. So now I will ALWAYS have one tied-on in the spring.

Now let’s hear from someone who’s committed far more time to Rippin’ and Rappin’ spring walleyes in central MN...

> “There’s a lot of things that make a Rippin’ Rap absolutely deadly. It’s got a really loud thump, unlike any other bait. It also falls at just the right rate. And it has this really tight wobble as you rip it. This thing has the right action to catch a lot of fish. And you can fish these baits a lot of different ways.

> “I compare it a little to the deadly Jigging Rap, but it falls slower and has more subtle action, which is ideal in spring. ...works best when water temps are 50-55°F.

> “Rippin’ Raps fall nose-first...a natural-looking posture for walleye prey. We fish the #5, #6, and #7 models, but the #6 (2.5” and 1/2-oz) gets most play in spring.”

Quick look at some of the newer color patterns released over the past couple seasons:

> “Work the lure along the deep side of rock ridges and over depressions where walleyes often hold that time of year. Bottom transitions from sand-to-rock are also key locations....

> “The retrieve is very important and it takes a little getting used to, as you learn the correct cadence. It’s not a fast ripping retrieve...the lure actually moves forward at a moderate pace, but with a lot of up-and-down motion. Walleyes typically bite either on the fall or when the lure first hits bottom, so you want to maximize those situations.

> “As soon as the lure hits bottom after a cast, raise it up off bottom so it can fall again. It should contact bottom for only a split second before rising. After a few hours of doing this you’ll have this cadence down and you won’t have to think much about it.

> “Long casts help you cover a lot of water.... I fish them on thin braided line (6- to 10-lb test) with a fluoro leader of 10- or even 12-lb test. Without a leader, the back hooks of the Rap sometimes snag the braid on a cast, wasting time.

> “The heavier fluoro cuts down on the number of [zebra mussel] break-offs due to its abrasion-resistance. Moreover, a lot of pike are up shallow in spring, and it gives a bit more protection to have a 12-lb leader. And walleyes don’t mind a bit.

> “To fish this way, rod selection is important. I favor a medium-light rod from 6’ 8” to 7’ 2”. And I like rods with an extra-fast tip section, since you often have to set hooks solidly from a distance. The softer action and length allow you to sweep the lure off bottom cleanly and keep the cadence right.”

Of course not all lakes have a ton of hard-bottom areas (rocks/sand) to work with, so:

> Another good way to catch early-season walleyes on Rippin’ Raps is to swim them over and through the tops of new vegetation. With your boat in deeper water, fancast across spawning flats, making contact with the submerged vegetation. When your Rippin’ Rap hits grass on the retrieve, pop it free to trigger bites.

As with anything, you’ve gotta get a confidence-building day under your belt to stick with it, but then you won’t wanna put it down.

1. MI: Ton of info on the Detroit River walleye run.

> In the spring, the Detroit River sees the biggest walleye migration in the world. Millions upon millions of Lake Erie walleye push up the Detroit River to spawn. Since Lake Erie is easily the most prolific walleye lake in the world it is no surprise that such an astonishing number of walleyes push into Lake Erie’s biggest water inflow, the Detroit River.

> The Detroit River provides Lake Erie with nearly 90% of its water. This extreme flow coming from the Detroit River serves as a major attractor to these fish which are programmed to swim up current in the springtime to spawn.

> The DNR estimated that more than 5 mil walleyes make their way into the river with some estimates claiming that the true number of fish is more than 20 mil walleye. Either way, it is fair to say that the river is packed with fish! The walleye migration begins once the ice is off the lakes with some fish even pulling into the river before all the ice is gone. The majority of the fish seem to make the movement when the water is between 40-44°F.

2. MN: Lake Vermilion walleye #s still on the rise. 📈

> “Recently, walleye recruitment in Lake Vermilion has been higher than expected. From 2010 to 2019, Lake Vermilion produced 9 moderate-to-strong walleye year-classes and only 1 weak year-class.” Walleye numbers are typically determined by the strength of those year classes, so the recent trend has allowed the walleye population to remain solid even with increasing fishing pressure.

> ...the very strong 2018-year class continues to dominate Vermilion’s walleye fishery and that means “exceptionally high” numbers of walleye in the 16-20” range… Vermilion’s protected slot limit of 20-26” will allow anglers to keep most fish in that size range.

> For years, the eastern basin [had] maintained a substantially larger walleye population [but now]...the latest survey...shows virtually identical walleye numbers across the sprawling lake. The catch rate in the eastern basin averaged 16.9 walleye per net, compared to 16.1 in the west, which ranked as the 2nd highest catch rate on record in the western portion of the lake.

3. IA: Walleye netting season starts for DNR fish hatcheries.

> The late night, annual walleye collection has begun at Clear Lake, Rathbun Reservoir, and Storm Lake with collection efforts soon to follow at the Iowa Great Lakes.

> Crews with the IA DNR Fisheries Bureau will set gillnets at night in traditional areas looking for walleyes that are ready to spawn. ...hatcheries operate into the wee hours of the morning as local staff bring in the nightly haul well past midnight.

> As fish “ripen,” the eggs are removed from the walleyes and the fish are returned to the lake where they were caught to make room for the next night’s catch. The goal is to collect enough fish to hatch 162 mil walleye fry that will supply IA lakes and fish hatcheries.

> The Clear Lake, Rathbun, Spirit Lake, and Storm Lake fish hatcheries are open and ready for visitors. Contact the individual hatchery you intend to visit for visitor hours.

4. KS will stock walleyes in 24 waterbodies.

Thx to KDWP’s walleye breeding program and annual walleye egg collection efforts at Hillsdale Reservoir.

5. PA: Lake Erie walleye + perch limits are remaining…

...30 per day for perch and the creel limit for walleye will stay at 6 per day.

6. GA: DNR names Matt Elliott new Wildlife Conservation Chief.

And yes...GA is Georgia. 👀 Did you know there’s walleyes there? Good ones at that!

The state record was broken not all that long ago (Feb 19, 2016) when Wes Carlton caught this 14-lb 2-oz (31.5”) walleye out of Lake Rabun:

Little insight from GA DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division:

> “GA’s warm climate allows walleye to grow faster than anywhere else in the world. On the flip side, this same climate causes GA walleye to die sooner than anywhere else in the world. It would probably take 14-16 yrs for a female GA walleye to reach a weight of 18 lbs, which may exceed their life expectancy in our state. Although some southern-strain TN walleye have been reported to live for 20 yrs, it is extremely rare. 14-18 lb is probably the maximum growth a female walleye could attain in Georgia. Therefore, as far as breaking the state record goes, the odds may be stacked against it, but yes it’s possible!”

7. IA DNR hatchery raises northern pike?

Always thought they were born 18-20” and already all over the place. 😅 Kidding! Sorta....

8. MB: $23K in fines for netted fish left to rot .

> A Winnipeg man has ben fined $5,000 and ordered to pay more than $18,000 in restitution after hundreds of fish died and rotted in nets last summer on Lake Winnipeg.

> Conservation officers were checking fishing nets on the lake June 17, when they found a set of three nets west of the Balsam Bay harbour.

> The officers found almost 500 rotten fish (including 355 walleye and sauger) caught in the nets, with only 30 walleye and sauger still alive to be released back into the lake.

9. Hey industry folks: Don’t forget to get registered for ICAST.

The world's largest sportfishing trade show – happening July 11-14 in Orlando, FL.

10. Chris Russell new VP/GM of Duckett Fishing.

Replaces Larry Rencken who is retiring:

> [Chris] was Director of Marketing and Product Development at Eagle Claw for 12 yrs before moving to Shimano as Senior Marketing Manager. 4 yrs later he became Marketing Director Fishing at Pure Fishing brand Plano, where he stayed another 4 yrs....”

I had the chance to meet Chris down at ICAST and he seemed like a great guy!

11. NWT has a fresh new website.

12. Impulse Marine is making an electric jack plate.

> “The VOLTIX is an electromechanical jack plate that is cleaner, greener, and smarter than its hydraulic competitors.”

> Wireless remote gauge with programmable favorite position buttons. External programmable TRAILER button for automatically moving the plate to your desired trailering position. High-torque electromechanical actuator will lift at all speeds.

13. This new Furuno Full-Circle Scanning Sonar for saltwater...

...allows folks to see 360 degrees and 5,000 feet [!] around their boat. And it only costs $80K plus an additional $30K to $50K for installation. 😅🤑😳

14. For all you folks that lose fish close to the boat...

Did you know that Clam Fortis Nets now come with the option of a 110” (over 9′) handle.

Multiple sizes to choose from and this year they also have a couple different color options:

16. NY/WT: Lake Champlain lake trout stocking cut in half.

Comes after growing research that wild lake trout are sustaining the population:

> Recent studies have found wild populations ranging up to nearly 10 yrs old, after decades of limited success. “This isn’t just a flash in the pan...this is sustained natural recruitment.”

> “...higher adult survival rates and greater longevity than previously estimated” among the wild populations and an “upwards shifting age structure.”

> By cutting the number of hatchery fish released into the ecosystem, the wild populations will have less competition for the lake’s food and habitat resources. “We are allowing the wild fish the space and habitat needed for continued success, while continuing to support the recreational fishery....”

The newest threat:

> Managers and conservationists are eyeing the invasive round goby as a next potential threat to the Lake Champlain ecosystem. In other places, the quickly-reproducing gobies gather in huge swarms and feed on the eggs of fish like trout.

But also:

> ...the dynamics of a growing and aging lake trout population could benefit from another food source.

17. FishUSA has some great sales running TODAY only.

They have 20% off all Rapala lures...15% off all Keitech soft plastics...and buy 1 get 1 free on Northland Tungsten Short Shank Jig Heads:

> “Walleyes typically spawn once water temps reach the mid-40s. The exact number will vary from lake to lake, but it’s generally 44-48 F.

> “Walleyes tend to go back to their old spawning grounds year after year, so once you figure out where they’re dumping their eggs, you’ll have some valuable info you can rely on for years to come.

> “Depending where you’re fishing, walleyes will either spawn on main-lake shorelines, or in feeder rivers/creeks. This tends to be on some form of shallow rock or gravel in 3-6′.

> “Look for shallow-water structure between those spawning grounds and some of your favorite main-lake summertime spots.”

They didn’t forget about you river rats either:

Brett McComas is the main man for Target Walleye He was discovered in Brainerd, MN after years of wondering how in the heck people break into the fishing biz. He's in it now, but still can't answer that question.... Brett is one of those guys who majored in marketing, only because there was no such thing as a "fishing degree" at the time.... Get him at brett@targetwalleye.com

To send us walleye pics, ice shots or whatever, just respond to this email or click here to email us. Or post it on the Target Walleye Facebook page.

Target Walleye LLC

422 Laurel Street

P.O. BOX 541

Brainerd, MN 56401

(218) 824 5026

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