The Deep Freeze.  Cold and windy conditions have limited mobile angling on the ice of Devils Lake, and fish are in a funk from the shifting weather, making last week a double-whammy on the big water. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

When it comes to ice fishing, this has been the week from hell. Maybe that’s how Devils Lake got its name?

The conditions up here have been absolutely brutal. We have had zero consistency as far as the weather goes. Along with the temperatures being way into the negatives, we have had some massive wind events as well. 

Not only does this unstable weather put the fish into a bad mood, we have had troubles with visibility creating situations where we just can’t be as mobile as we like.

With our guide group we do not run Sno Bears. So as soon as we get our clients set up to fish, we head back out and start looking for fish to move our clients on. That has been next to impossible this past week.

However, we have been scratching out some fish this week, even in survival mode. I honestly can’t give you a real good fishing report due to all the changing conditions this week.

Instead, I’ll issue one of our other guide phrases coined this week: “we are fishing guides, not God.” Some things we can control like keeping our clients safe and warm. We can park our shacks on top of fish, but we can’t make them bite unfortunately.

I do have scattered dates open in February and March. Things are going to get better and a little more settled in here. I feel like we will be rewarded for this turbulent week we have experienced. So get ahold of me if you want to get out on the ice.

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