Peluso Eye 10.11.22 —  Inching Up.  Walleyes in the 12-to-16-inch range are beginning to show up in the northern reaches of Lake Oahe as autumn conditions take hold. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

I’ve written about the lack of forage the smaller fish may have in Lake Oahe in a few reports as of late. While this is the case downstream on the main body of the flow, I’m not so sure this is the case up here in the river portion of Lake Oahe. The last few days, I’ve been scouting the river. I’ve seen what feels like millions of small baitfish in the river.

While I’m not sure what it is, I am sure it’s a great food source for our smaller walleyes in Lake Oahe. It’s my personal feeling the walleyes down below us haven’t tuned into this new and abundant forage. My hope is the fish make their run up into the river and find this new source of food. Once they discover it, I think things will get a whole lot better.

Reports have been coming in from South Dakota and the lake down there is still holding strong as a trophy fishery with lots of herring and gizzard shad. They are saying just like I have been, is that the smaller fish are struggling to find food. Man, I wish I could herd those walleyes to come up here.

What am I finding for a bite out on the river right now is some action for walleyes in the 12-to-16-inch range. They are scattered around a bit, but rest assured a few are making their way north. Also, I haven’t seen this many white bass in the river in quite some time. Certain areas you can stay very busy catching them. Gar, carp, and catfish are also very abundant due to the river dropping in flows and depth. This pushes all the fish back out into the river.

I really think things should start to get better in a couple of weeks. Water temperatures are still pretty high for this time of year, 58 degrees up to 62 is what I have seen all week. I would like to see it hit the mid-50s, that should get some fish moving.

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