Good All Over.  Sakakawea is producing a sustained walleye bite with fish being caught from 12 to 35 feet deep utilizing slow death and propeller rigs tipped with crawlers. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

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 boats. Simply find a point, hump, or inside turn along the shoreline and graph everything from 12 feet deep out to 35. You’ll find a pod of fish somewhere.

As presentations go, I’m still keeping things simple for me and my clients. We are pulling all sorts of different versions of slow death and prop rigs behind bottom bouncers and baited with crawlers. There is still a lot of current, so pay attention to that while fishing. While traveling, be on the lookout for floating logs. There are a couple of career enders out there floating around on Lake Sakakawea.

At this point in the season, as things warm up, I do need to talk about catching fish deep. Please respect the resource. Catch and keep your walleyes from the depths, especially if fishing water deeper than 25 feet. I’ve seen way too many floating fish already this season. I understand it happens, but once you have enough, move up shallow and chase bass and other species. I expect the bite to remain solid. As we continue towards the end of July and August, the fish will be heading out even deeper, so keep this in mind. 

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