So, if you have been keeping up on all the walleye tours and circuits in the last 5 or 6 years, you will notice that Tommy Skarlis, the 2008 FLW Walleye Champion, had been fishing the now defunct PWT In-Fisherman tour. Look for more anglers from the former Minnesota based tour to come over to the FLW next year.
So what did everyone pick up from the show? Like most of these fishing events they are made for television, lots of good stuff usually is cut out for the sake of building suspense for the final weigh-in.
Most obvious was the Tip of the Day that discussed the proper method to net a fish. Not bad really because it taught folks not to panic while missing an eye on the first attempt. Don’t lunge at a fish that is just out of reach, patience is a virtues here. Get it on the second attempt. Come front in front and under the fish, by leading the fish with the rod over the net and scoop. In addition, they said play the fish to make it easier to net. The term “green” that was used refers to the amount of fight left in the walleye as it comes towards the boat.
Here is my “Did you notice” section of the review. No matter what the species or type of event being televised, there is something on screen that is not discussed during the show. So did you notice that in several of the boats during the final two days, there were coolers? If you noticed, you might have asked yourself why would a tournament pro with a 50 grand boat need a cooler with the aerator systems already onboard? The answer is ice, which serves three purposes for a tourney angler. As you catch fish during the day, the water in your livewell will start to warm up, regardless of the circulation of the pumps. Ice cools the water back down to the lake or river temps, thus not putting fish into shock. Live fish is a must at weigh-in. Ice also adds extra oxygen to the livewell as it melts, always a plus. When added at the appropriate times, ice also maintains the level of a fishes activity. A cold fish, even a coldwater species like walleyes, will reduce the stress level in colder temps.
Finally, what did you notice for types of baits being used during the show. Primarily I saw crankbaits and jig rigs. If you noticed the lengths of the rods being used, most were of the 7 and 1/2 or 8 foot medium light variety. On a soft bite like those witnessed, these softer actions are a key to fishing jigs. Jigs are often overlooked while fishing Erie, but they do have their time and place all season long on the big water.
Jigs can be drifted on the bottom, using the long line technique or trolled slowing with an electric trolling motor. A combination works well, using the wind with or without a drift sock, then heading back with the electric. I still like using short single hook harnesses for this method, but the jigs I use have a little extra flash available like Northland’s Thumper Jig, with its small blade flashing under the jig, and the Whistler Jig with the prop turning between the lead and the bait.
As always, I like using 3-way rigs with jigs for my weight, and a crawler harness dragging above that jig. Trolled or drifted under the right conditions, it can be a deadly combination of two effective baits out on Erie.
Ok, thats what I got out of the hour long program. Plus a little extra for Lake Erie applications. Hope it helps.