Catching Giants In Dirty Water w/ Dylan Nussbaum | JMO Fishing 406
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Dylan Nussbaum, a seasoned NWT pro, reveals how he turned a disastrous Day 1 at Lake Erie—fishing in 6 inches of visibility, battling 30 mph winds, and missing multiple 8+ pounders—into a second-place finish by trusting his pre-fish knowledge and adapting to dirty water conditions. Despite starting 40th, he capitalized on a single, perfect school of pre-spawn walleyes in 18-24 inches of clarity, staying put for hours and catching a 9.5-pound monster and multiple 10-pounders. His secret? Rigging his own boat down to the last bolt for total control, pre-fishing aggressively on Lake Erie’s unique dynamics, and refusing to chase 'ideal' water clarity when fish are clearly holding in chocolate-milk conditions. He also shares a powerful mental discipline: tuning out the competition entirely, knowing he’s only racing against himself. This mindset, combined with relentless preparation and a willingness to fish in the worst conditions, turned a near-collapse into one of the most dominant performances of the season.
Fish in 6 inches of visibility when giant walleyes are concentrated there—dirty water is often the best water for pre-spawn fish.
Pre-fish aggressively on Lake Erie by targeting schools of fish, not just water clarity, and be ready to move fast if big fish aren’t present.
Rig your own boat to know every connection—critical for fixing issues on the water and maintaining tournament-level reliability.
Stay on a hot school for hours, even if it means not moving, because fish in dirty water often hold tight and are less active.
Tune out the competition after Day 1—your only opponent is yourself and the fish.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Dylan Nussbaum Returns: Second Place in Lake Erie
Taylor Michaels welcomes back Dylan Nussbaum, the NWT pro who finished second in the 2026 National Walleye Tour event on Lake Erie, setting the stage for a deep dive into his preparation, boat rigging, and tournament mindset.
The Offseason Hustle: Machine Shop, Renovations, and Boat Build
Dylan reveals his offseason was packed with running a machine shop, renovating a new home, and dedicating 87 hours to rigging his tournament boat in just two weeks—prioritizing control and reliability over convenience.
Lake Erie’s Dirty Water: A Secret Weapon for Giants
“I was actually kind of going into the dirty water for this event and on day one, that probably could have hurt me but I was going into six inches of viz and fishing in there just because there were so many more fish in there.”
Pre-Fishing Strategy: Finding the School, Not the Water
Dylan’s pre-fish wasn’t about depth or structure—it was about finding schools of fish, tracking water temp and clarity, and using wind patterns to hide from bad weather while building a mental map of the lake.
Day One Disaster: 40th Place After Missing Giants
“I was just not in a very good mindset after day one. I was just like beat up. I'm just like, man, I just like blew my chances here.”
“I mean, I could feel it after the nine and a half pounder came in the boat. Like I just instantly got that feeling like, yeah, this is going to be our day.”
“You are truly only fishing against yourself and it's just you and the walleyes out there. Like you can only do as good as you can do.”
“I was actually kind of going into the dirty water for this event and on day one, that probably could have hurt me but I was going into six inches of viz and fishing in there just because there were so many more fish in there.”
Host
Guest
lake erie
other
dylan nussbaum
person
national walleye tour
organization
tki cnc
brand
remington
person
jt outdoor products
brand
chalet on mille lacs
brand
max wilson
person
dewey
person
north dakota outdoors podcast
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