It’s been a little tricky getting these reports out this week. One, my travels between Devils Lake and Lake Sakakawea, two the limited cell service once I’m at Indian Hills. Luckily my partner Jason Feldner has a booster, so I can hook up with my hotspot to try and get these out to you.
Let’s start with Devils Lake. I’m going to combine two reports into one here. Devils Lake is still doing well. The fish are spreading out finally, and you can catch fish all over the lake. This makes it a little easier for folks to choose a landing to try and avoid the wind. My lure of choice right now is Lindy Spinners and quick swap bouncers. Structure like humps, roads, old shorelines etc seem to be where a majority of fish are concentrating right now. Casting on the windy days, and bobbers on structure with leeches are working well. We did see one fish over 10 pounds and a couple fish close to 10 pounds caught in the Guide boats this week, so Devils Lake is still a player as a top Walleye fishery! Depths range by day, but I would say 12 to 14 foot has been average. Water temps range from the mid 60’s to 70’s in spots, so the fish are getting more active!
Lake Sakakawea is part 2 of this report. I would normally separate these, but again @, I’m on a limited cell service here so making due. The big lake of Sakakawea in my mind is still a couple weeks maybe a month behind yet. The water temps with this runoff coming in is funky. You see goofy water temps all over the lake and the fish can be funky also. The Van Hook Arm area seems to be the most consistent. The River section which is usually kinda out of my Guide reach is for sure the best. We are also seeing a pretty good bite in the middle section of the lake. We are stationed out of Indian Hills right now, and the bite is picking up around here. Depths are ranging and changing daily as are the fish. Weather and wind is playing a huge role in this. Another major factor is the lake has a lot of current right now. The current is pushing fish into areas if you pay attention to it. Lindy Rigs and crawlers are the best moving really really slow. Mark fish on your electronics and grind on them. Don’t leave biting fish right now to find more. Sometimes those fish you are catching, are the only ones that are firing at that moment. Again, lots happening with the rising water. Fish are also going to continue to be caught back in the bays.
I remain on Lake Sakakawea here for the next two weeks, so I will continue to keep tabs as best as I can with the service I have. I have a few, not many openings for July, but August and September I have plenty of openings and with the Lake being behind this year, this is a really good thing for you, if your looking to book a trip. If you have a large group and need lodging let us know we can accommodate this for you. Email me for details at mikepelusooutdoors@gmail.com