I’ve got a couple different fishing reports to do this week. One for Lake Oahe and also one for Lake Sakakawea. I’ll do the Lake Oahe south of Bismarck/Mandan report first since the Prairie Knights Casino Cup Walleye Tournament is coming up.
The fishing from what I am finding is still pretty good. It’s not like there are fish everywhere though. The fish remain in pockets off the river channel. Once you locate them you’ll find the fishing pretty good! Fish are being caught with all sorts of different tactics. Jigs and minnows and Lindy Rigs on bouncers remain my go to tactic while guiding. I have ran some cranks lately and getting some fish that way also. The fish are full of food ranging from small perch, baby drum, smelt and fatheads. They are extremely healthy looking walleyes right now.
Seems like if you can find a bend in the river channel, and get yourself positioned above it in the flooded stuff, that’s where you will find concentrated fish. My feeling is they are picking off all the baby fry coming out of the flooded vegetation. 12 to 25 foot of water has been best and that always seems to depend on the day.
Watch the water because it is beginning to recede some. When you notice it dropping the mouths of creeks and bays are best.
We are still on the front edge of the migration. The first frost always gets these fish moving so hopefully that happens here soon and we see a push of fish right into the city limits of Bismarck/Mandan.
I’m still booking trips and will continue to do so as long as the weather corporates. Email me to get that last Walleye trip in before I switch gears and start ice fishing guiding. mikepelusooutdoors@gmail.com