By Mike Peluso

The past week has definitely been a curveball up here on Sakakawea when it comes to the walleye fishing. East winds, more east winds and goofy weather have made move around more than in weeks past. 

Sometimes you land on the bite right away. Other days it takes a little while to track down the fish that I’m looking for. Right now, I’m looking for less bait and more marks on my sonar, which is completely contradicting what a lot of anglers say. 

I personally don’t like to compete with all the forage, maybe if I was strictly using livescope for a tournament I might take a different approach.  The name of the game is bites when you are guiding.  

I tell my clients everyday it’s a wonder these walleyes even eat a crawler.  I say they are eating at an all you can eat prime rib buffet and we are trying to give them hot dogs. 

The fish are still relatively shallow, especially for this time of year.  As for the bigger walleyes, they are either really shallow or really deep, there doesn’t seem to be much in between.  Shallow weeds and deep rocks are holding these so-called tournament fish. 

The eater sized walleyes are roaming around chasing the water temperatures.  Slow death rigs and small hooks with a small chunk of crawler has been the ticket for me.  On certain days the prop rigs are also working well.

I have a 3-day block that opened up for Sakakawea if you are interested in getting out.  I also have a couple of scattered one day trips open on Devils Lake.  Last but not least, remember I’m now taking bookings for the fall fishing trips on the Missouri River near Bismarck, and this autumn should be good! 

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: Reflections of the Weather.  It’s been a chase to find walleyes as recent conditions have brought instability into the equation, with bigger fish going to extremes when it comes to depths – either shallow or deep. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.