By Mike Peluso

A lot has happened since my last fishing report! I’ve made my way over to Devils Lake for a 22-day push before I head over to Sakakawea.  I’ve also accepted a winter job that will take me away from the winter guiding side of things.  

I won’t be doing the winter guiding full time anymore, but I’ll still be full time guiding in the spring, summer, and fall! It’s going to be a change of pace, which will allow me to be able to spend more time with my kids.  It’s a lateral move for me financially, maybe even a little backwards, but time with loved ones is hard to put a price on.  Plus, I’ll be involved with my other passion, hockey! 

With all that said, what has been happening on Devils Lake this week?  If you love pike, this is the place to be right now!  It’s absolutely wild right now with northern pike. Fifty fish a day is probably an average number you can catch casting just about anything into the water.  

As far as the walleyes go, it’s a waiting game for sure.  You need to keep on trucking looking for warmer and stained water.  With the recent rains water temperatures dropped 10 to 15 degrees putting the walleyes in a very temperamental mood.  When things are right, the window is small.  Casting jigs with paddle tails or casting shallow diving cranks has been best. 

If you are coming up and want your best opportunity to catch those white tips, wait until late evening when the water warms up.  It seems like the evening boats are doing better. I would expect things to continue to get improve as the weather and conditions stabilize.

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:  Coming off the Cool Down.  Walleyes can be found in warmer, stained water on Devils Lake following the recent rains in the area. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.