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…

By Seth Owens Winters are tough, especially those that are as long and brutal as this last one was. But it does eventually end, and as the last few snowdrifts melt out from the tree rows in May, spring has finally settled across the North Dakota prairies and it brings a rebirth of color, sounds,…

By Mike Peluso It’s hard for me to believe this is my last Missouri River walleye fishing report until fall as it just never felt like we had much of a spring. With late ice off, muddy water and terrible weather, it just made for a frustrating time. I’m hoping Mother Nature repays us with…

By Nick Simonson Calculating when fish will be where is as much a part of the angling process as threading a plastic on a hook, switching up the blade color on a spinner, or firing up the boat motor.  For most of us, life limits the windows in which we can access our favorite waters,…

By John Bradley Despite the hard winter in North Dakota, North America’s most recent glacial period ended about 10,000 years ago. As the ice sheets decayed, they left thousands of shallow depressions across the northern part of the continent. Today, those potholes and kettles fill with water, either each spring or permanently, and create the…

By Brad Durick We are in the river! The Grand Forks north landing on the Red River is open and clean for those catfishermen looking to get out and scratch the itch. The river level is sitting at 25 feet and some change, which is still fairly high for many anglers. If you are not…

By Doug Leier For many deer hunters the application is automatic. You’ve put in for the same unit, same first tag option forever and don’t plan to change. Others may look to different units with better odds, opting for a doe tag in a unit with less competition and opportunity to secure deer sausage for…

By Mike Peluso These past two weeks on the Missouri River near Bismarck have been a fast-forwarded version of normal spring walleye fishing. Good friend and past Big Muddy Winner Corey Perman had to remind me that the walleyes in this system are like death and taxes. At some point it is inevitable that they…

By Nick Simonson Smallmouth bass in spring stake out premier spawning sites, with the biggest fish getting the best pieces of territory.  Typically, the shallows where they make their beds have many structural elements and knowing what to key in on as these fish make their moves will help connect you with more bass this…

By Nick Simonson Winterkill woes impacted dozens of sport fisheries across the upper Midwest, but the effects of the harshness of the season also extends to those flows where fish don’t freeze out.  While falling water levels and warming temperatures on the Red River along the Minnesota-North Dakota border are setting an ideal scenario for…

By Doug Leier  When it comes to work in the outdoors and natural resources fields, most people understand the role of fisheries and wildlife biologists. Talking to an upland game biologist about the pheasant counts or seeing a fisheries crew stocking pike in spring or checking nets in summer is a pretty frequent occurrence. If…

By Brad Durick Boat ramps around Grand Forks should be opening any day as the Red River has gotten below flood stage. Water levels are still dropping rapidly which is generally not good for catfishing but according to projections they will level off late this week. Water temperatures on the Red are in the low…