I have expressed the importance on here about variables in fishing.
- Barometer
- Weather
- Water Temperature
- ETC
To me these things are vital in our successes. Figuring our what the best strategy is due to the conditions can make or break a trip.
Usually, we want wind, not a lot, but some. Wind gets things going usually when we are talking about fishing. The baitfish get all churned up, the shrimp get scattered and disorientated. The pickings get easier for the bigger fish and they get turned on into a feeding frenzy,
Except for Perch
Those buggers are easiest to get after when it is calm. Glass calm is the best, a little ripple is ok. Any chop and it gets really tough. Sunday morning we had dead calm and we were ready to get after them. We wanted to go directly to our last big perch school location and relocate and start popping some Devils Lake Gold.
Our first hour told us we had made the right decision, due to variables out of our control, it would not last long. More on that later.
MWC Devils Lake- Troy Morris and Cory Heiser, Come on down!
Congratulations Troy and Cory on your MWC Devils Lake Title. Artifishalleyes has the Big Devil figured out. Thirty pounds on day one is a stud bag, then to sweat it out the second day and hold off two of Devils Lake’s premier Walleye fishermen is a feat in itself.
Congrats to Trana and Darling also, nothing wrong with coming in 2nd to the two guys in front of you.
Kill Tourney’s- Fileting Big Walleyes
Now, for the not so warm and fuzzy side of this fishing tournament. I have said before that I don’t fish them but do not have a problem with them. That is, until I find out that this is a kill tournament due to the fact that it is after August 1st and I guess we can’t have a catch and release tournament in North Dakota after that date.
When I found this out, it really irritated me. This tournament had a field of really good fishermen in it. There were some just straight up PIG walleyes caught, and they were all cut to my understanding. I don’t agree with this. This fishery can’t, and will not remain ‘world class’ if this is a repeated practice.
I know there are huge weights later in the Summer on Devils Lake and the tournament sponsors love to see those big numbers, but at what expense? I know, there are millions of walleyes in Devils Lake but we must be conservationists and not gluttons.
I realize that not all fish released after sitting in a live well for hours survive, but at least they have a chance. Zero fish will survive the cutting board and filet knife. I think these tournament directors and companies need to look at their scheduling when they decide to come to the Big Devil, post-August 1 dates should just be avoided in my opinion, what do you think? Tell us in the comments section; show me that I am wrong, if you can!
Fishing Transitions Within the Day
It has happened to all of us, we get on the water and from the moment our lure hits the water we are pulling in fish, one after another. We can do nothing wrong, everything works. Every color and every lure we throw at them hooks in to a fish. They are “jumping in the boat”. These are the days we cherish, if they stay that way.
Sometimes, these master angler bites go as quickly as they come. Some of is has to do with a variety of variables that we a may or may not recognize. Sunday morning was one such incident.
The moment my partner and I hit the water we could do nothing wrong, we were on fire. The fish were jumping in the boat and we were fighting them off. The spinners and worms were being attack with veracity and we were like two giddy schoolgirls tromping through the tulips.
We had gone back to a little bay that had a couple of pinch points and hourglasses that I had talked about the last couple weeks. The fish finder told us the perch were stacked, and these weren’t your run of the mill summer perch. These were more like middle winter Super Mega Jumbos.
Green and Chartreuse with a ¼ worm and we were able to boat 3 of these SMJ’s. Intermixed in this massive perch school were the Walleyes also. Big Walleyes, rod thumper Walleyes. We had a 25” release and a beautiful Big Devil Walleyes limit before 9 o’clock.
At that point, with egos expanded and a cooler full of eyes and 3 Super Mega Jumbos, we turned our attention to attacking that Golden Perch School. They were getting finicky and we were able to boat two that were of the more traditional summer variety 8- 10 inchers. Then it happened.
Like someone hitting the light switch it was over, done, finished. The Perch shut their mouths and everything we tried was to no avail. The only thing that we caught after that was Pike. What changed, what happened?
I’ll tell you what happened; Mother Nature decided we had had enough fun. She slammed the door on the makings of an epic Sunday. The wind at 6 a.m. was zero; the wind at 10 a.m. was 13-17. Just that water ripple was enough to slam the mine shut.
You wouldn’t think that in 23 feet of water, the wind would have that much affect, that wind only factors in on shorelines and when pitch and trolling shallow. I am here to tell you, it matters deep too. That wind shift was enough to get the big predators super active and scattered our Perch school. Most times we pray for wind, sometimes we pray for no wind, but there is no happy medium up here on the northern tier.
We attempted one shallower ledge, but with ½ of our goal achieved and the other half unattainable, we headed for the cleaning station and after, the restaurant for the World’s Greatest Philly Sandwich!!
Feeder Lakes Still Producing Fish
It has been a while since we had ventured North to one of the feeder lakes. The prospect of the elusive Perch is enough to draw my attention and cause me to become obsessed. I have an OCD and addictive personality. I get a one-track mind, tunnel vision. Certain things will lock me in and I am over focused. Perch are one; Webbed-Feet and feathers are the other.
The decision was made to venture, on Wednesday, to one of the feeder lakes and that decision would not disappoint. The schools was concentrated, but once found the Walleye Limit was academic. Spinners with worms or cranks trolled in 8-10 feet of water, it made no difference which one. The Walleyes were very cooperative. Sure, there are a lot more weeds but if you can establish a clean and fish inhabited line you will be successful. We can help you with that by the way.
Boat Mishaps- What Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong, and Sometimes Twice
Things go wrong on the water. Equipment breaks or just doesn’t function correctly. Tempers flare and brains don’t always function correctly. This event occurred to us on Sunday. Our trolling motor rope broke and the latch was obstructed. It would no longer keep the bow mount locked and in place.
We contemplated attempting a couple drifts but frustrated minds and a lock of appropriate repair materials ended our day on the water.
What’s my point? Always, Always have 2 of everything along with WD40 and Duct Tape. The old saying “If it moves and it shouldn’t-Duct Tape, if it doesn’t move and it should- WD40”, is painfully true. A roll of Duct Tape would have had us fishing for at least another hour or two.
Make sure you have the repair kit stashed right next to the spinner box!!
Buy the Waypoints from this Report
The Great Migration
As the days get shorter and the kidlets venture back to school, the crops come off and the leaves turn a paler green, the word migration starts to make its way into my vocabulary, A LOT. In fact, migrations of some form another will occupy my mind for the next 3 months.
There are two migrations that have my mind right now, fins and feathers. It is going to become REALLY hard to balance the two. The Perch bite right now is EPIC, the Walleye bite right now is EPIC, and the Honkers are starting to bunch up. My inability to focus on anything else is DOUBLE EPIC.
We are trying to balance the fins and the feathers. We sacrificed a day on the water Saturday for a day in the field as we had a good honker feed. As usual, a large part of the flock landed short and honked at us, but 8 unlucky Canada’s will not make the migration south and as we speak they are dehydrating into the best jerky you don’t have to buy.
We here at Devils Lake Fishing Report will, however, make it our mission to keep bringing you reports from the fins side of the Big Devil. There may be some hunting stories and photos that sneak through but I am quite confident you won’t mind. The school saying goes, “All squares are rectangles, but all rectangles aren’t necessarily squares”. Well, most fishermen are hunters but not all hunters are necessarily fishermen, or is it the other way around, I can never remember, my concentration is on those darn feathers and fins.
Ice Fishing- When Is It Too Early To Start Preparing?????
A little blip before we go for the week, as I start to envision flocks of Mallards and Widgeon bombarding our spread my mind jumps also to the prospect of early ice and the Hard Water.
When is it too early to start to think about and prepare for ice fishing? The correct answer is NEVER. Boat fishing is a hobby of mine, Ice Fishing is an addiction. We will be presenting to you very soon, MYDLNDWaypoints packages exclusively for the Hard Water season so you can start to prepare a game plan for early ice.
SPECIFIC BAYS and LOCALES: The nights are starting to cool off even though many daytime temps are in the 80’s. The fish migration is starting and right now on the Big Devil you can find fish at EVERY depth level. Pick your favorite way to fish and you will catch Walleyes on Devils Lake right now. Most of the MWC field was either trolling, snap jigging, or pitching. The spinner bite is unbeatable right now. Get into 23-28 feet on any Devils Lake ledge and you will find fish. Humps are really starting to gather fish also. Rocky Pt., Military Pt., Doc Hagens, Six Mile Bay, Patience Pt, The Golden Highway all are producing fish. The feeder lakes (Dry Lake, Mike’s Lake, Chain Lake) are stupid crazy good right now. Find clean, weedless troll lines like the one available with this report and you will be rewarded. Lead core out east seems to be the ticket as you wander to the Far eastern part of the lake. Don’t ask me why but that is just what is getting it done out there.
I agree on the schedule of not having a tournament after those dates there. All good things come to an end when not taken care of. It’s not just the tournaments , guides , and every day fisherman, it’s everybody who needs to do there part, practice catch and release, keep what your going to eat, but try and keep the right fish. Even if it’s not your limit. I see all the time guides keep there five fish every time there out for the customer. When is enough fish enough were you can have fun after you get the right fish. What I’m getting at is it takes all groups to maintain a great fishery.
We spent a week on Devils Lake the 2nd week of September in 2015. This happened to correspond with the Cabela’s National Walleye Tour final Tournament. The fish were all well cared for and were released as long as they were still alive. Local volunteers were on-hand after weigh-ins to clean any fish that didn’t make it and donate to the local food pantry. Everything I saw showed they were doing the best they could to have as little adverse effect on the lake as possible.
Hoping to make it back up again this year, that is unless the Lake Michigan salmon bite doesn’t keep us away. That has been pretty EPIC this year 🙂
Agree 100% with your point on catch and release tournaments. Please protect the resource – perhaps a slot might even be considered. Your reports are awesome! Was out to Devil’s twice this summer and hope to make it back once more before hard water. Stayed at Woodlands and was privileged to meet you! Keep up the great effort!