A Long Wait.  Quality walleyes are firing up on Lake Sakakawea as patterns stabilize and warmer water temperatures become the norm. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

The next two weeks after this report will be combo reports for both Devils Lake and Lake Sakakawea. I’ve been on Sakakawea the last 30 days and now my back and forths between the two lakes will begin.

What’s happening on Sakakawea? Well, it finally lit up! The water warmed up and in certain areas of the lake (particularly west and north) things have really caught fire.

I’ve told lots of people this past month do not get married to any certain depth, area, presentation and so on. It’s changing like you change your underwear. Or at least I hope so.

I think the one thing I’m doing differently is that I’m catching a lot of my fish moving slower and fishing shallower. I’m still pulling a mix of plain hooks and crawlers and slow death rigs and crawlers.

I don’t have any availability left in July and only a day or two left in August for trips. I am, however, booking trips already for this fall on the Missouri River near Bismarck from the end of September until it’s too cold! It should be another banner fall on the Mighty Mo. I can’t believe I’m already talking about fall fishing! 

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