Seeing Stripes. Perch remain a popular pursuit on Devils Lake and sometimes can provide a challenge when locating them. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso

By Mike Peluso

It certainly amazes me how fast word travels these days when it comes to catching fish. Modern technology, without question, is a huge factor in this. Text messages, Snapchat, instant messaging, pin drops, etc., all factor into word of a bite and spots being discovered extremely fast.

We have found this to be the case so far early on here up on Devils Lake. I’m sure some of you slough anglers also find this to be true. It certainly can be a good thing to help each other out especially in my line of work. We have a group of seven guides that share information on a daily basis. All the guides I work with are extremely talented and versatile anglers. I admire each one of them for their talents and each one is skilled in a different way. But let’s face it, breaking a lake down six to eight inches at a time is never an easy task, so having help is a huge benefit.

I’ll use this week as an example. Our group was fishing an area all together with shacks fairly spread apart. After checking on my two shacks, I discovered my they only had two in the bucket, which is never a great feeling as a guide after the first half hour. As I climbed back into my side-by-side, ready to get a search mission underway, one of my buddies pulled up and asked me if I got his text.

I said “not yet”, and he informed me just 100 yards away, that his guys were up to 25 fish already. With that information, I loaded up my crew and set them up a little closer. Boom! An hour later we had a nice couple of buckets of fish going and some extremely happy clients!

As far as the bite goes, it’s still pretty good on Devils Lake. The fish are grouping up a tad in areas. Not all areas are created equal though. I think each area of the lake is containing a good population of perch. Getting them to bite is the next challenge.

I have a few random openings left for this winter; not many, but if you are looking to get out let me know!

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