Warming, Warming, Warming!!!!

Summer has finally arrived!

The weather has been ‘July Warm’ and the waters of the Big Devil have reflected that turn in air temperatures.  We were seeing morning temps lingering in the low 60’s even as recently as late June.  With the turning of the calendar to July, we are now seeing morning water temperatures in that low 70’s zone.

This is bringing our mid-day and early evening water temperatures into that mid-70’s zone.  Saw a top out temp of 77.2 on Sunday.

This water temperature rise is producing active fish and is also producing more fish holding areas as some of our actively feeding Walleyes are slipping into the deeper shelves.  Early hours we are still getting fish in the shallows, however, as the day goes on we are finding those more active fish a little deeper and even bouncing out to the 20-25 foot shelves to find keeper sized fish.

As our temperatures continue to steadily rise, we will see those deeper arenas become super productive.  Time to start hammering those 1st, 2nd, and even 3rd level old shoreline shelves.  This means bottom bouncers, down riggers, and even getting into that lead core fishing time.

Weed Beds

You will always be able to find fish in and around the weeds.  It is just an area that is packed with forage and some fish on Devils Lake are never going to leave those weeds and weed edges.  As the water warms though, we are going to be finding a lot more ‘cruisers’.  Walleyes and Perch cruising submerged shorelines and elevated flats chasing baitfish.  Weeds aren’t as big of a factor when this occurs.  Still pitch those weed edges, especially in the early morning and late evening hours, but don’t think that your fishing has to be totally connected to weed conditions.

Water Clarity

This time of year, and from here on out, this becomes the major factor over weed beds.  Devils Lake is notorious for a mid-summer pea soup green.  The high salinity and ‘Lemna Effect’ bring about algae blooms as the water warms throughout the summer.  We are starting to see some of these greener areas and flotillas of weedy green spots can be located on some wind blown shorelines.

This is always used as an indicator that it is time to go deeper.  Some of our best fishing days, numbers wise, has been at these times when that algae bloom pushes us out past that 15 foot range and into those 20, 25, 30, and even 35 foot areas.

Pulling heavy bottom bouncers with spinners, and #4 and #5 Rapala Shad Raps, and #4 and #5 Salmo Hornets on lead core are the techniques we turn to.

I love pulling lead on Devils Lake!

The benefits of lead core over down riggers for me makes it the right choice for the types of snaggy shorelines we like to run.  Running #4’s brings the prospect of hooking into some ‘Devils Lake Gold’ to fruition.

In my opinion, there is no better time to be a ‘keeper walleye’ or ‘box fish’ fisherman on the Big Devil than July and August.

Guest Post

We will graciously accept guest postings from industry leaders, fishing authorities, customers, and especially family and friends.  Everyone has a different take on fishing Devils Lake.  Everyone has an opinion on the events occurring on the Big Devil.

How fitting then, that our first guest posting comes from someone that is very dear to me.  She gets to see all the behind the scenes, both positive and negative of bringing to the public Devils Lake Fishing Report.  She has been a rock when it comes to my hill and valley moods.  My outbursts and my elations.

She has shared fishing outings on the boat with us and there are a number of stories she could tell about some of our fishing quircks and tendencies that she just laughs at.

Without further ado, our first guest posting, from Nikki:

As a reader of www.devilslakefishingreport.com you have read many stories, heard many different opinions (You may recall the A-hole post) and facts from Travis’ point of view: Water temperature, Wind and even the moon phases, which at first I thought he was kidding when he wanted me to read off “Waxing gibbous.”

            Writing for DLFR comes astonishingly easy for him…. Maybe astonishingly isn’t the right word, I am not surprised how easy writing about fishing is for him or even writing in general. Most the time when he talks to me it brings me back to a lecture hall at UND and I feel like I should be taking notes, however, there are times he will ask my opinion on how something sounds or what he should write. Although I am learning more than I ever thought I would about fishing I truly don’t know what HE should write, but this is what I would.

            I worked with him for six years at Proz lakeside at the Cove, but then he was ‘Travis the Outdoorsman’ who bartends. I luckily have gotten to know him, and with that I have learned he loves fishing, can’t wait for the lake to freeze OR thaw, has 340 hand warmers, has fishing gear all over the living room just waiting for a cold OR warm front, has records beyond records of the previous years and never thinks it’s “to windy” to go fishing (he’s been wrong). I have also learned he has a true passion for waterfowl hunting.  I can’t recall a time we haven’t had to slow down in the pick up so he can grab the binocs, you know, just to look. One interesting thing I never thought I’d learn is that I do enjoy eating crane. I am not much of a meat eater, but when your freezer is full of fish, duck, goose or crane you’re bound to try them at least once.

            I have been with him for a year and in that year he’s started DLFR. Many of our first real conversations had to do with “ how do I draw an outdoorsman to my idea.” First things first, he needed waypoints. I have lost track on how many times he leaves work from Proz lakeside at the cove at 3 in the morning, goes home, eats, changes clothes, ties spinners and hops on the boat at 5 for the morning bite. If he’s not scheduled to work he’s doing one of these three things: fishing, writing or napping.

            His heart and soul are put into DLFR and I know he can’t thank the readers enough for appreciating what he’s doing. I have seen a child in a candy store and I have seen Travis’ face when purchased waypoints benefit a fisherman, someone bought a membership or an extremely happy customer comments on the site and I have yet to identify the difference.  With that, I too, want to thank every one of you.

Not only is he making his passion become a career he’s making a life for his children and myself.  I see the blood, sweat, and tears that are put into DLFR and seeing something come to life that was once an idea on paper means more to him than I think even I will ever comprehend. 

            There are many different opinions on DLFR and everyone is entitled to their own, but here’s part of mine.

Travis’ son told me when he grows up he would like to build Ironman suits, I am not sure he will ever really be able to, however, If his dream is to build Ironman suits then he should ignore me and build Ironman suits.

            There were and are many risks that came with DLFR but he took every one of them. 

The phrase “a man can dream” became reality, He has ignored the ones who told him DLFR would never work and as stubborn as I am I will admit I am so proud of him for that.

            I can’t necessarily help him write about fishing but the reason I would write this is to tell you to build your Ironman suit for at least you can say you tried.

If you hold on to your rod, you will catch more fish.

Nikki