Found One!  Ice fishing has been tough at the mid-winter point, with difficult weather and pressure changes impacting walleyes and perch on Devils Lake. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso

By Mike Peluso

The ice fishing on Devils Lake continues to be a grind-it-out affair for both perch and walleyes, but that doesn’t mean we are not catching fish.  However, we are definitely earning every single bite we get right now.  

Just like we’ve said in most of the reports so far this winter, a person needs to stay mobile.  We are drilling more holes than I want to even count to track fish down this season. 

And it’s not that these fish aren’t there.  They seem to be moving more than normal, and they seem very gun shy of noise, electronics, etc.  Are these fish in North Dakota turning into conditioned fish?  I’m not sure but they seem to be doing something different. 

It seems if the weather stabilizes, then the bite responds.  If we get a drastic change the fish are responding to that also, just not in the way a guide would like.  

We are still catching some walleyes on main lake structures in the morning using rattle baits and minnow heads.  The perch have been all over the map.  No one structure or pattern or bait has been the magical thing.  Just when they decide to eat, they eat; and when they don’t, they don’t. 

I still have a few scattered dates remaining on the ice if you want to challenge yourself to see if you have the magic touch on getting them to bite.  Get ahold of me! 

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