Late Spring Means Colder Than Average Temperatures!
How To Fish With Present Conditions!
Colder than normal water for this time of year means that one must adjust the way in which one fishes to have a great amount of success. Slowing it way down with Plastics and Slip Bobbers is key right now.
The shallows are warming, they just aren’t where they should be right now, leaving flooded timber and bridge areas as options until we get some warm up. We saw some positive results today in the shallows, so there is hope.
Water Temps!
We were pleasantly surprised to see 54 degrees at the boat launch today and we topped out at 58 degrees in the area where we got our fish. The further west you go, the warmer waters you are going to see. The further off the main body of the lake you go, and the further into the back bays that you go, you are going to find the warmest waters. Pelican is probably the warmest water out there with North 6 not far behind. Those two spots are also the muddiest so that creates a whole separate issue.
We saw a major temperature spike today from 8 a.m. until the time we limited out at 1:30, an almost a 6 degree spike. Yes, the daytime highs are important but those overnight lows are a big factor as well. Keeping the lows above 40 degrees and even higher is key in maintaining our water temperature.
The next 5 days Hi/Low temperatures look like this
Thursday: 75/52
Friday: 79/59
Saturday: 77/59
Sunday: 72/55
Monday: 66/54
That looks like a recipe for some more water temperature spikes and some good fishing for the weekend.
DLFR ‘No-Secrets: Cranking’ Locations and what we have see there:
- Location 2: 55-58 degrees with a lot of Pike and some Walleyes
- Location 3: 56-60 degrees, lots of White Bass and Pike and have hauled in two walleyes here
- Location 9: 57-61 degrees with lots of pike
- Location 10: 58-61 degrees, didn’t catch a fish there
- Location 12: Cold, 51-53 only saw 1 Pike follow up
- Location15: 56-59 degrees lots of Pike and White Bass
- Location 16: 56-59 degrees with White Bass and Pike, have caught 1 Walleye here
Water Clarity!
With SOOOO much new water coming into the main basin, mudded up water is going to continue to be an issue in some areas. The two that come to mind right now that we have seen are Pelican and North 6 Mile. Yes, those are also probably the two warmest areas on the lake so it is a bit of a Catch 22. Getting a little bit away from the strongest current but yet still finding 56+ degree water is the goal. That means south shore back bays to the western aspect of the lake.
The East end always warms up much later than the west and those Eastern areas are going to be even further behind than normal.
Lake Elevation!
Just above 1450.20 as of today!
That is almost exactly 2 feet from this time last year when we were at 1448.25. It is still coming up as well and I am guessing that we are going to see 1451 for sure, maybe a little bit higher. I don’t thing we will go up over 1452 but a lot of that depends on how much more Spring rain we see. It is making getting into some back bays easier.
Weed Growth!
The cattails are still brown and we aren’t seeing much new cattail growth. The grass is just starting to show up and we are obviously going to be quite a ways behind when it comes to weeds as we are experiencing a very late spring.
Check Those Stomachs!!
We always check the stomach of our fish, it can tell us so much. Loaded with leeches? Lots of minnows? Empty?
Today, all but 1 of our Walleyes had empty stomachs. Some of the other Walleyes we have caught (though there haven’t been a ton of them) have been loaded with leeches. Matching your bait selection and colors can have a drastic impact on the number of fish you are seeing.
They Are In DL, We’ve Never Caught One Though!!
This Walleye Obviously Did!
The State Record Bullhead came from Devils Lake, so proof that they are in Devils Lake. We have never caught one nor ever seen one at a cleaning station. The 1 Walleye we managed to land yesterday however, had caught one!! Surprised the heck out of me!!
Good Luck out there!
How much water exits in the Dry, Mikes, Chain Lakes area? Thanks for your reply.
A lot, they are their own little mini-systems. Water up there is very muddy.