Minor Moves.  Cold and shifty weather has locked fish down on Devils Lake, and it comes down to being in the right place at the right time to catch the water’s perch and walleyes. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

The past week has been a roller coaster for ice fishing up here on Devils Lake.  This weather we have been experiencing has been absolutely insane.

If it’s not extreme cold, it’s extreme wind with major ups and downs with the pressure changes putting the lake’s perch and walleyes in lockdown mode at times.  

Part of the problem with this extreme weather is that the fish don’t want to move a whole bunch.  This makes them hard to find on our electronics.  Not being able to see them in turn puts a lot of pressure on us as guides.

It does seem however that the fish have small little windows where they get moving a little.  When they move, you better be in the right place at the right time.  If you miss the movement, you completely miss the bite.  When you are either fortunate to find that magic hole or you are sitting in the right place at the right time you can grind out some fish.  

Obviously, there are two ways of going about it right now.  You either drill a million holes and keep trying to get in the path of their movement, or you wait it out, and hope you are on the path of their movement when they get going. 

I see we still have about five days of extreme cold remaining.  Hopefully once this is over and things level out, the fish will respond.  Only time will tell! 

I do have a few openings dates left in March if you want to get it.  The long range forecast is definitely in our favor once March gets here. 

I also am booking up for the openwater starting April 1 on the Missouri River near Bismarck.  All indications right now show we are going to have a banner spring bite. Get ahold of me to book your trip.

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