It was a night-ops walleye mission for Pro Guide Mike as he set out in search of the big girls. Mike hit the water around 5 p.m., and by 6:30 the rods were already bending. The fish showed up, the bites were solid, and a handful of beautiful trophy-class walleye were caught and released.

This is the time of year when we at FCO flip the switch and start targeting true giants—those once-in-a-lifetime fish and the potential next state record. Cold nights, quiet water, and big shadows on the graph… that’s trophy season.

Mike put in the work, the fish cooperated, and the night ended with exactly what we chase this time of year: big bites, big fish, and big smiles.