By Nick Simonson Summertime means working soft plastics for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, and more often than not those lures are offered up on a wide gap worm hook.  While this is often the best way to present plastic options, these hooks require a mastery of both their advantages and their shortcomings.  It’s the…

By Mike Peluso As we turn the corner and head toward the back nine of summer fishing, things continue to be incredibly good up here for walleyes on Lake Sakakawea. The fish are being caught all over this body of water at the moment and there is no need to pile into the packs of…

By Nick Simonson There was almost an air of concern in my mom’s voice as I wandered back in from my morning stroll to the end of the dock to watch the sunrise and inspect the shallows.  A few quick casts of the neon green fly line sporting a beadhead pheasant tail nymph connected with…

By Doug Leier Thanks to modern technology you can register your boat and buy a fishing license from your phone. The internet and mobile technology has made the process quicker, faster and more efficient. But as my friend Alan asks, “Have we traded our patience in for conveience?” After spending two Saturday mornings in a…

By Brad Durick There’s good news from the Red River of the North where conditions for catfishing are quickly improving! It appears that the spawn is at its tail end and the region recently got some rain to kick things into gear. Now that we are in post spawn there will be some skinny but…

By Mike Peluso It’s been a week of changing weather with a little of everything up here on Sakakawea. This report may seem off to some and spot on to others who’ve been out on the lake looking for walleyes and depending on what part of the lake you are on this report may seem…

By Nick Simonson As shifty as the weather has been leading up to the official start of summer, it’s no surprise that recently rough conditions have seemingly targeted each weekend of this past month, throwing a bit of a monkey wrench into many anglers’ plans.  Whether it’s a cold front bringing thunderstorms on a Thursday…

By Brad Durick I hate short bites! It seems like the Red River’s big catfish are nearing the end of the spawn but they are not quite there yet.  This week, the trend has been that they will hit the baits but not take the whole hook. The solution has been to get a bigger…

By Doug Leier  Since 1993 when the wet cycle began, the growing and maintaining aquatic habitat has been … natural. If you are under the age of, say, 35 or 40, you’ve never known the impacts of lower water issues. Sure, we’ve had a few short-term drought interruptions during the wet cycle, but anyone who…

By Nick Simonson With the solstice, we’ve reached the official start of summer, meaning there’s about three months of temperate weather and great fishing for active species that should be gearing up for some solid bites in the coming weeks.  Three of my favorite species to angle for in summer are bass, walleyes and crappies,…

By Mike Peluso This week, I’ve got to give a shout out to the ND Game and Fish Department! For a guide like me to be able to guide the Missouri River, Devils Lake and now Sakakawea and to have the excellent fishing we do, all I can say is we are spoiled. Fishing on…

By Nick Simonson Scattered below the bass tube dragging slowly just beneath the surface of the gin clear water was a herd of fish in every shape and size the small water could offer up.  From my view in the seat of my kayak, I watched the lead bluegills eye up the remaining undulating tentacles…

By Cara Greger Making a living on the ranch is tough. Ranchers are in a constant battle with beef prices, weather, invasive weeds, and the developers who look to carve up large tracts into 40 acres ranchettes. The same pressures that ranchers face impact North Dakota’s grasslands. Preserving our remaining grasslands takes partnerships.  The North…

By Nick Simonson Hot on the heels of a strong report by the North Dakota Game & Fish Department (NDG&F) showing a significant increase in 2022 upland hunter participation and overall success compared to the previous autumn, early indicators attained in the recently-completed rooster pheasant crowing count point to a jump of around 30 percent,…

By Brad Durick On the Red River, I am starting to see post spawn female catfish in our catches once again, so I would say we are somewhere in the middle of the spawn. Numbers seem to be pretty good again this week thanks to smaller catfish in the mix. Fish are coming in mid-river…

By Doug Leier The weekend seemingly lasted forever. Remember last summer? It just wouldn’t end. A couple of phrases rarely uttered across North Dakota. We’re more likely to hear how the weekend flew by and summer never lasts long enough. The reality is where we live, winter is the driving season. It can, and has,…

NDG&F Dept. Release North Dakota’s 2022 pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and Hungarian partridge harvests were up from 2021, according to the state Game and Fish Department. Upland game biologist RJ Gross said the overall harvest was likely a result of more hunters and good production. “We were somewhat surprised that harvest was up despite slight declines…

By Nick Simonson With the heat of summer finally settling into the region, those cold-water loving trout which were stocked in area lakes and reservoirs are seeking out the depths, and aside from some cooler hours in the morning and evening, are a bit tougher to target on the fly rod and likely will remain…

By Nick Simonson The approach of summer means active predators under the water feeding on bait and young panfish, getting their fill while the getting is good.  In response, anglers match the hatch and utilize openwater trolling methods to key in on those aggressive walleyes that are on the feed, and trolling crankbaits is an…

By Brad Durick Currently on the Red River, the water temperature is at 79 degrees and the cotton is falling from the trees surrounding it. This means the spawn for our channel catfish is on a full two weeks early in comparison to previous years. Big cats have been spotty but they are there if…

By Doug Leier  I went to college with Brett Wiedmann at North Dakota State University back in the early 1990s. I’ll be the first to admit he was one of the smart guys. He was a curve buster. I was a curve survivor.  There was no doubt in my mind whatever path Brett chose, success…

By Nick Simonson The change from spring to summer this year was almost instantaneous; in fact, it could be argued the upper Midwest went almost straight from winter to summer with about a week of acclimating in the middle.  While most spring activities are wrapping up, goslings are hatching, pheasants are nesting and fish are…

By Mike Peluso The secret is out! North Dakota fishing right now is absolutely bonkers pretty much everywhere you wet a line. As most of you who follow my reports know, I’m currently up here on Devils Lake, and it’s no secret this water is always a top producer in the world of walleyes, and…

By Nick Simonson I crossed the finish line inside the Fargodome a few weeks back at the start of the first nice day this non-winter season conveniently had offered up and checked the exercise app on my watch which was tracking my effort.  1:41:33 it read as I clicked the End button on the display. …

By Doug Leier No angler or recreational boater wants to get a citation for any violation. In the same line of thinking, game wardens would much rather see compliance with rules and regulations than issue a citation. And remember, “ignorance is not an excuse.” While you may not knowingly violate a law, the future of…

By Brad Durick Things are warming up for catfish on the Red River.  Currently, the water temperature is at 70 degrees, when normally the best fishing of the year should be commencing and there is nothing but heat in the forecast. This may mean that catfish will be going to the nest early this year,…

By Mike Peluso My change of scenery up to Devils Lake hasn’t disappointed. However, I think if folks are fishing any of our major bodies of water like Devils Lake, Lake Sakakawea, the Missouri River, or Lake Oahe, they are going to find unreal fishing right now. It seems for the walleye fishing on Devils…

By Nick Simonson With the rapid warm-up over the past week and the unofficial start to the summer season in the books, it’s tough not to think about longer days, humid evenings and the slow tick-tick-tick of the metal peg on a bottom bouncer dragging along the substrate of a favorite walleye lake.  While normally…

By Nick Simonson For Todd Rettig of West Fargo, N.D., the exploration of various waters for his favorite fish species are adventures on par with his efforts in many angling business niches as well. So, it’s no surprise that this North Dakota businessman and inventor would set his sights on making an impact with a…

By Doug Leier What’s the key to a memorable fishing, camping or boating trip? Before you finish your thought, I’d like to suggest that safety should top the list. Period. No discussion. If it isn’t, let’s make it. My argument is if you don’t have a safe fishing, boating or outdoor outing, it doesn’t matter…