Bismarck Fishing Reports

[Scupper]

I am looking for any information as to the fishing options I have around the Bismarck area.

My mother in law will be chauffeured by myself to a family reunion over the 4th of July in this area and I figured I could get away to the Missouri river somewhere to fish.

I have done a Google search of the area with little luck.

Any suggestions as to who or where I could look?

Thanks...

[marine_man]

What are you looking for? A guide? A shorefishing spot?

marine_man

[Scupper]

Hey there Marine_Man...

A guided outing would be ideal. If I don't find a room around there I won't be coming. I have tried every hotel/motel in the area and apparently there is some sort of convention that weekend as all hotels/motels are booked.

Do you know of any place to stay within an hour of Bismarck?

Thanks...

[LMITOUT]

I'm guessing you tried across the river in Mandan for a hotel also? I wonder what is going on that every room is booked...especially on a holiday weekend at that.

[LMITOUT]

I believe there is a hotel or two north of Bismarck in Washburn. The Scot Wood. That's about 40 miles north of Bismarck on State Highway 83, so that would be a pretty quick trip (all four-lane).

[marine_man]

I would also try Mandan... I don't see anything on the calendar for any really big events... must just be the 4th of July holiday.

marine_man

[Sandmannd]

I would check around the Mandan area as well if you haven't already. I used to fish a lot from shore down on Fox Island on the south end of Bismarck.

[Scupper]

Thanks for all the help fellas'...

Well, as it turns out the Jehovah Witness group has some sort of convention/gathering in Bismarck on the 4th of July weekend thus the reasoning for the lack of available rooms.

I have tried the Mandan area and one person I contacted for lodging was nice enough to try to locate open rooms within an hour of the area to no avail.

Again, thanks for the help...

[pluckem]

If you end up going and are still looking to fish send me an email and I will help point you in the right direction. This is the first summer I am not in Bismarck, Used to live there.

[email protected]

[ranger20]

i will be working out there next week and if i get a bad day i want to do some shore fishing i fished a little last time and got a few woundering if anybody got some different spots i fished fox island and under the bridge in mandan

[LMITOUT]

There are some spots south of town a ways on the Bismarck side such as the Rifle Range or a place called "The Desert" you could try. It's a little further away but it's a scenic drive.

If you want to try for pan fish there is a recreational area called "McDowall Dam" which is just east of Bismarck on highway 10.

[ranger20]

thanks for the info lmit

[ranger20]

we fished the river yesterday and got 7 fish in about 1.5 hrs in the rain but was worth it

[LMITOUT]

Nice! Where did you end up trying? The river fishing has been phenomenal the past few weeks, especially further south near the SD border.

[ranger20]

i ended going way up garraison and the tail runs the guy i build,we ended taking his boat out so at least i didnt have to fish off shore

[NDLive]

We got the day going with a slow drift behind the first sand bar we came to. That was pretty much the pattern for the next 3 locations.

I get all tense and begin to second guess what I’m doing when other boats are putting in fish and I’m not. Several other boats have at least one fish and I’m still waiting for # 1. Spot # 4 before it finally comes together in a slack water area just a couple of miles south of the ramp.

Normally I drift with the current and pitch or vertical jig. It’s how I’ve fished for years and still do but I’m finding that a little different twist has been filling the livewell on tuff days. I hold the boat in the current with the electric. Making very short pitches upstream, 20 to 30 feet. I glue my eyes on the line and wait for touchdown. The second it lands I give a lift and 3 or 4 frantic cranks. Often I only get 3 or 4 lift-drops before I’m back to the boat. Fast fishing!

Maybe it’s the speed, maybe a more natural presentation but whatever it is, it works! Seems the speed triggers the strike. You won’t need a super sensitive feel but extremely fast reflex is essential. Strikes are hard and quick. I vary my cast from directly upstream to just off center where the jigs slips downstream and passes the side of the boat. Once the jig is parallel to the boat I crank in for another cast.

This presentation is a lot of work and it requires constant focus. You make hundreds of short little casts but the reward is nothing short of astounding. Does it work every time out? Not, but the last 4 trips out to the river it has put fish in the boat faster than all of my more traditional approaches. I suspect several savvy fishermen have been doing this for years but it’s brand new to me. Amazing, I’m going to call it Windows 7 and it was my idea!

[spotty]

I am possibly moving to Bismarck this winter and am wondering if there are any lakes in the area that are decent for ice fishing? I am looking for walleye, pan fish, etc. Any help would be great

Thanks

[candiru]

Stop in at Dakota Tackle in Bismarck, on Expressway near the south Wal-Mart. The guy there is pretty helpful. The North Dakota Game and Fish site has a list of lakes with the species and stocking info.

To the South, Lake Oahe gets ice fishing pressure. There are lakes to the east that are good. There are real good Northern numbers in alot of lakes right now due to increasing water levels. Lake Audubon to the North is a popular ice-fishing lake. There are some dams to the west also, some have panfish.

Good Luck. PM sent.

[UMC]

I don't ice fish much, but Audobon seems to be the one I hear most about. It's about 60 miles straight north of Bismarck. There are quite a few small holes within an hour but I'm really not in the loop on which ones produce fish.

[tyrant]

Wade at the tackleshop mentioned above will go out of his way to get anybody on fish.

[marine_man]

Welcome to Hot Spot Outdoors Tyrant!

marine_man

[candiru]

Wade at Dakota Tackle runs a heck of a good business. Like someone stated; he will help you get on fish. He seems very knowledgable and will really work with you to get you what you need.