So what did I learn this past week and a half on Lake Sakakawea? Lots!! The fish are there and they are healthy! Do they always bite? No, but it’s what keeps us coming back for more. I swore after the first day of this last tournament I’m done fishing tournaments.
I talked a lot about the long boat ride we endured in the Casino Cup in my last report. I swore I wasn’t going to make a run like that in the Big 10 l, and that probably cost us going to some areas further away where we caught fish in practice. Although we did weigh a decent bag of fish staying pretty close to the launch site on day 2. Heading out that morning we made the decision to fish the closest spot we caught a quality fish in practice.
Anyway, my partner Jason Feldner and I talked long and hard about how our fishing in tournaments has changed over the years because of our guiding. Here’s a guy who has won a PWT and an RCL, and I had a bunch of top finishes in the same circuits, along with at least 10 that I can recall 1st place finishes over the years. We talked how it’s hard for us to get out I’d guide mode and turn to tournament mode.
The way Sakakawea has been all year it was even tougher for us to adjust. The teams that did well in the Big 10 did just that! The fish were shallow chasing fresh young of the year smelt. The water was dirtier and with it being dirtier in this section of the lake, it made it the perfect combination. We however stayed with pulling bait and cranks in the 18 to 25 foot range. We caught plenty of fish this way. It’s just some of the bigger fish slid up shallow and were chasing the bait.
I took this same way of thinking back to the lower end of Sakakawea guiding and it too paid off! Lots of folks were out deeper and we decided to probe a bit shallower.
Jigs and minnows, lindys with minnows, and jig raps pitched all worked. It was funny this past week and a half how much it got me to thinking about walleyes and the moods they can get in. It has also inspired me to write another article which I’ll begin working on.
I know we have a major storm bearing down on us. I’m hoping it comes and goes since I still have trips booked until the end of October. If things go well I will still bring you a Sakakawea or two reports and for sure some local Missouri River reports.
With the colder weather coming in it’s also not going to be long before we are on the hard and frozen stuff. I’m taking bookings for perch, walleye and pike on Devils Lake. I have lodging available to book packages up on Devils Lake. I’ll also be offering spearing on Devils Lake and Lake Sakakawea. Don’t wait to book your trips! mikepelusooutdoors.com@gmail.com yo reserve your spot!