I decided to change up the pace this week. With Lake Sakakawea being a bit tougher at the moment, and me not having any trips booked up on Devils Lake, I decided to point the truck south.
South for me was down on Lake Oahe near the Stateline. I’ve heard solid reports just below the border, so I figured I would try my luck in the North Dakota stretch of the Missouri River. I’m happy to report things are looking extremely promising down this way! I’m also very optimistic about what our fall bite is going to be like near Bismarck/Mandan this fall.
The fish are healthy and I saw a few of these fish puking up smelt. I won’t say there are fish everywhere, but it seemed like once you found them on your electronics, you could get the fish to eat. Same tactics as we have been using on Sakakawea, slow death and bouncers worked well and I even got a few to react to the jig raps.
I’m sure if you pulled leadcore and snap weights, and covered some ground, you would do well doing this also. Fish were deep! Seemed to me the smaller fish were up shallow, and the bigger Oahe walleyes were deeper near the old river channel.
I have some dates available! If your coming into North Dakota to hunt this fall, don’t be afraid to mix in a fishing trip with me or two. I think our bite with this higher water will be rockstar! Email me at mikepelusooutdoors@gmail.com