Shallow Smash.  Big walleyes can still be found up shallow on Lake Sakakawea, while fish on Devils Lake are relating to weeds and structure. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

There’s a lot to talk about in this week’s fishing report as I fished both Devils Lake and Lake Sakakawea over the last seven days. Also, the National Walleye Trail (NWT) and Casino Cup tournaments were held on Sakakawea and there’s plenty to talk about there.

On Devils Lake, the walleyes are biting. We did have a big bug hatch again up there that had the fish a little off, but they have rebounded pretty well. There are a lot of mixed size walleyes in Devils right now. Like I say in a ton of my reports, pick your presentation and go fishing.

Walleyes on Devils Lake are relating to the weeds, the old shoreline structure, old road beds, stock dams, trees, humps and points. I’m just pulling a variety of spinners, slow death and prop rigs and doing well with crawlers.

Now on to Lake Sakakawea and its walleyes, the best part about Sak right now is the fish are still shallow! Last year at this time so many fish were being caught as deep as 40 to 55 feet. Not this year. I’m still catching fish in up in shallower areas under ten feet. Yes of course you can catch your eater size fish out deeper, but if you are looking for a big fish, there are plenty of them up shallow yet. Yesterday our two biggest came just pulling crawlers up in about ten feet of water.

One hot topic up here right now is forward facing sonar (livescope).  Some of the co-partners in the NWT this week didn’t even pick up a rod. They just watched their partner livescoping the entire time. In their defense, if you don’t use it in the tournaments like the NWT or Casino Cup, you might as well stay home cause you are going to get crushed.

It’s crazy how the game of fishing just keeps evolving and changing. It’s like the quote out of the Movie Moneyball “adapt or die” if you want to be competitive in the tournament game you better be using it and dialing it in. If you are a casual fisherman don’t worry — the old way is just fine and still catches fish.

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