By Mike Peluso

Mother Nature you need to go home, you’ve had a couple too many. With these abnormal temperatures at the end of January and February you are giving us ice fishing guides extreme stress and anxiety.

Yes, we have ice. Yes, we have safe ice. However, you need to really be on your game and be diligent in making sure everything is okay and everyone is safe. There is a lot of movement around the pressure ridges and plenty of water on top of the ice here on Devils Lake.

Our biggest concern is the access areas. These areas are getting destroyed by mud and water. Each day they seem to be getting worse and worse. Again, go slow and watch out in front.

As far as fishing goes, that might be Mother Nature’s meanest trick right now. You’d think with these warmer temperatures the bite would be all fired up, but it isn’t. I have no idea exactly why, but it’s been a grind.

The walleyes will come out and play, but it’s short lived. You absolutely need to capitalize on the bites early and late in the day to have success. If you miss that window, you very easily can be in for a long day.

The perch are as hit and miss as the weather. They are not bunched up and they are spread out everywhere feeding on freshwater shrimp. When they are feeding on those it’s a guess as to where you will find them as the shrimp are everywhere, from one foot of water to 50 feet of water, making finding the perch difficult. It is even more difficult to stay on the perch because they are traveling around in small groups.

If you do catch perch right now, it’s quality over quantity. I’m hoping they start to bunch up in the near future to help relieve a little of the stress to catch them.

It’s fancy when you catch fish right now. Smaller rattle spoons with minnow heads seem to be best for both the perch and walleyes.

I am reminding folks if you are wanting to fish with me this year on the Missouri River, Devils Lake and Sakakawea during the open water season that now is the time to book a trip. The last few years have been unreal, and the rebooking is probably over 90 percent, leaving a limited amount of dates. That doesn’t mean we can’t figure out something for you. So again, don’t drag your feet!

Mike Peluso is a Dakota Edge Outdoors contributing writer and a licensed ND fishing guide specializing in walleyes on the state’s premier waters.

Featured Photo: Early & Late.  Big walleyes bite with dawn and dusk conditions right now on Devils Lake, as the warm weather has made them a bit fickle the rest of the day. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.