Presented by Yamaha Motor Corp USA and Warrior Boats LLC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2017
Contact: Denny Fox, 920-505-0122
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™)
It’s A Mud Bite On Green Bay For Full Field, Say Teams
Entered in Sunday’s AWWS Nitro Boats Open
Wanna play in the mud? If you’re in one of the 100 boats headed to the Bay of Green Bay for Sunday’s final AIM Weekend Walleye Series Nitro Boats Wisconsin Division qualifier, chances are you’ll be doing just that.
Unless, of course, you go for broke and risk it all by heading north to Door County and Michigan Waters to look for the big bruisers that are traditionally there this time of the summer—except this summer.
Seems they’re still south playing in the mud too, says Jeff Nuechterlein, who with partner Ryan Foster, sit atop the Yamaha Team Of The Year standings, with 99 other teams gunning for them Sunday.
Nuechterlein, who guides on Green Bay and the Winnebago system, gave us all a synopsis of why the mud basin may be the place to be.
“There’s no secret here. The lower bay, the mud basin, is definitely active with fish. Quality fish are there. They’re biting multiple presentations, crawler harnesses and crank baits. The problem with that is, there’s no secret that they’re there,” he laughed.
“Everybody’s trying to seek alternate options up north in Door County and Michigan waters of the bay which is where we typically go to win tournaments this time of year. We’ve all been up there and sampled the waters and it’s too inconsistent,” he explained.
Constant wind shifts don’t help things, either. “It doesn’t help set things up. Most of the areas we fish north are structure related and the winds are predicted to be light, almost dead flat.
“My prediction is that after Saturday you’ll see the lion’s share of the field somewhere within the mud basin from Oconto to Green Bay proper,” Nuechterlein said.
Those going for the high-risk, high-reward run north, well… “If they dial it in where they can catch five good fish there, congratulations,” he added.
The “X factor” in all this, he said, is that the fish caught in the lower bay are consistent, size-wise, with the fish usually hooked up north. Water temperatures may be that “X.” It’s been a cool spring, meaning the bay has been slow to warm. It’s just getting to pop into the low 70s right now, and up north, where you’d like to see the low to mi-70s, he said. The lower bay is around 75-77 at the surface, and those fish, he said are throttled up to full feed ahead.
They’re also proving to be finicky regarding colors. They’re day-specific. One day, they like one, and the next, you don’t get a bite. “Friday I’m going back to where I caught some significant size fish and we’ll see if they’re going to target the same colors.” That color, which shall remain nameless, he said, was good, because it’s an odd one. And it was the one they wanted.
“So your staples for this tournament are going to be crawler harnesses, and cranks like Flicker Minnows, Husky Jerks and Rippin’ Raps.
Now, if you’re a gambler, that northern water could start turning on any day, too. Do you go there, or do you go muddin’? That’s the choice for Sunday, he said.
Nuechterlein and Foster have about a 35-point lead in T-O-Y standings. “So, we’d like to finish in the top eight. That would give us a pretty good chance of winning. That’s the goal. But, you’ve got to catch the fish first.”
That’s something Heath Hagedorn would also like to turn around. He’s fishing both the Wisconsin and Minnesota divisions, and will be busy about every weekend for the next six weeks with AIM events. He’s currently out of the running for T-O-Y, and characterizes the bite as “a little tough. The wind will play a huge factor and also the chance of rain”(currently at 40 percent for Sunday).
“Looking towards Sunday, the wind is predicted to be west-northwest at 10 to 15 so that will make things a little bumpy,” said Hagedorn, who’s locally sponsored by the North Chase Bar and Grill, near Little Suamico, WI. And, he agrees with Nuechterlein: it’ll be a mud basin party all the way.
“It all depends on where in the water column they’re going to be. I’ve caught them pre-fishing in the top six feet in 30 feet of water, and caught fish in 45 feet on the bottom. They’re scattered.”
“I personally think there will be people fishing the Menominee to stay out of the wind if they can make it that far and as far south as Geano Beach, south of Oconto.” He likes snap-weighting crank baits. “That’s about the only specifics I’m going to give,” he said.
It’ll all come down to Sunday’s throwdown. Team registration and meeting will take place starting at 5 p.m. Saturday at The Dockside in Oconto. Boats launch in two waves starting at 7 a.m. from Oconto’s Breakwater Park, and the first wave must be back by 3 p.m. Awards will be presented at The Dockside starting at 5 p.m. Follow all the action at AIM’s Facebook page and at ProChattrr.
Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM™) is a unique tournament organization created and owned by many of the most accomplished and recognizable professional walleye anglers, along with others who share the mission of advancing competitive walleye fishing and making it sustainable into the future. AIM is committed to marketing excellence on behalf of its tournament competitors, the tournament host communities, and the brands that partner with it. AIM is also committed to maintaining healthy fisheries across the nation by the development of the exclusive AIM Catch-Record-Release™ format, which is integral to its dynamic events and unparalleled consumer engagement. For more information about AIM™, AIM Pro Walleye Series™, AIM Weekend Walleye Series, AIM sponsors and AIM anglers, visit www.aimfishing.com.
AIM Presenting Sponsors: Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A. and Warrior Boats, LLC.
AIM Supporting Sponsors: Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Navionics, Garmin, Power Pole, Worldwide Marine Insurance, AirWave Pedestals, Off Shore Tackle, Vibrations Tackle, Pro Chattrr, National Fleet Graphics, Gemini Sport Marketing, Warrior Boat Center.