Devils Lake

[Guest]

Ice is starting to form here. I would suspect that the wind and warmer conditions may screw it up.

Pelican has benniced over for a coule of weeks. The West Bay is totally froze over. I don't know about the Main Bay and East Bay. We usually freeze West to East.

No one is nuts enough to go out yet that I am aware of.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

I'll do my best to keep everyone informed and up to date on the action on Devils Lake. I don't fish anything but Devils Lake. So don't ask me about Sakakawea or Darling or (fill in the blank)

I did catch a rumor that some brave souls or complete idiots (you choose) ventured out onto the Main Bay.

I don't plan to fish it until I can have 6 inches of hard ice under my feet. There is one decomposing body out here already dressed as a waterfowler. I don't want to have one out here dressed as me!!!

I plan to post weekly report here as I did in the past.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[This message has been edited by kevin neve (edited 11-22-2002).]

[Perchpapa]

Kevin, this weather doesn't look good. I was looking forward to fishing some smaller lakes Thanksgiving weekend but I am loosing hope.
I am a new forum participant but have enjoyed reading everyones posts for sometime now. I can't wait to let everyone know and hear how everyone else is doing this ice season.

Perchpapa

[Rick]

Welcome aboard Perchpapa.

We're looking forward to hearing from you.

[Guest]

I took a little drive around the lake. It starting to break up. Pressure cracks have opened again. The Main Bay is wide open. The ice has been pushed up on to the rocks.

Pelican, West Bay and Black Tiger were all still iced over.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Perchpapa]

We are almost there! A cold spell is supposed to roll in this weekend and next week. I plan on jiggin perch someplace next weekend.

Perchpapa

[Chad711]

Hey fellas, I just found this site. I use to fish DL all the time with my dad when I lived in ND, I went to school in Leeds until I moved to washington in 1986..Anyway, Im in Minnesota now, back to Ice fishing, I missed it..
I was wondering about that annual tourney they have every year there around new years, can I still get tickets and where, thanks Chad

[Guest]

Hey Kevin do you fish the flats or do you fish some of the old lake. I havent had much luck on dl since it got so big and deep. I have a buddy that fishes the flats alot and does really well in the summer I used to fish out of woodlands alot and know that area but like i said i havent had much luck in the past couple of years any tips would be appreaciated

[Guest]

Fishing activity has increased significantly over the past week since the cold snap. I would say it is good. Access is walking or via ATV's. I found 10 inch ice were I fished. If the cold weather had stayed we might have been driving on it this weekend.

The best bite appears to be a 10 to 1 o'clocker. Of course I was going for the later bite. I did however catch some nice eater walleyes. I saw several fisherman with some quality perch. Most activity is in the 12 to 16 foot range. Minnows or parts there off on jigging spoons works best. I used buckshot rattles and Agitators.

I'll be hitting it harder this weekend, giving the Otters a workout, since I will be out of the area for two weeks over the holidays. I don't get too excited about ice fishing until
after New Years.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

Grousehunter, The best perch fishing will be in the deeper 36 foot plus water as winter wears on. Use good quality equipment of a power that most walleye fisherman use on other lakes. Don't use the typical panfish stuff that bends at the handle. For example...I use Cabelas XML medium. Big walleyes and Northerns will be mixed in with the perch at those depths too. A wimpy rod will "bottom out" and have no cushion for fighting the fish from those depths.

When the light goes down head for the nearest timber line and fish just on the outside edge to within the wood for walleyes. About 10- 12 foot deep.

Expect the perch to bite really light. If you have a wimpy rod, the feel for the bite is lost. I stiff rod is a sensitive rod. Keep the bait still when you mark fish on your electronics. Jigging spooks Devils Lake perch.

Lastly keep mobile. I get many requests to rent out fish houses. It is a waste of time if you truly want to catch fish. Fish in a spot for no mare than 5 minutes. If you do not nark a fish move. If you mark some and they do not bite right away, switch lures. If that doesn't work, make a short move anbd see if you can find some biters in the scholl. Make a couple of more smaller moves in a pattern of some sort and see if this particular school will go. If not GPS em and come back later.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice kevin. I fish with med action rods i use a otter and atv or snowmobile and i move alot but the depth of dl just blows me away the advice of fishing in the timber is soomething i havent tried. the last few years i have been hitting low hard but dl is closer for me. but i got really bummed 2 years ago when i had marks all over my vex and couldsnt get anything to bite. are the fresh water shrimp populations going down on dl. Im going to low this weekend but im going to have to try dl again soon thanks again

[This message has been edited by grousehunter (edited 12-10-2002).]

[Guest]

Things will be pretty much the same here.

My best lure last year was a glow orange buckshot rattle with a 3 inch dropper and either spikes or a perch eye. I bounced the rod tip to activate the rattle and quit moving it as soon as I marked a fish and held it. After a minute or so, I'd raise the bait by just moving the rod tip. If the tip bent I'd set the hook. If the fish rose with the bait I'd raise it a foot and play the waiting game. It can drive you nuts. After you have had your "fun" and if they wouldn't bite, sometimes a move the lenght of the vehicle found biters.

These perch can get under your skin. I take it as a personal challenge to get them to go when the bite gets finicky.

If a person expects to come here and catch an easy limit of perch by using "traditional" perch fishing tactics they will be sorry. I have watched several folks agressivly jig in the deep water and not catch a cold. Then they bad mouth the lake. What do you do?

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

Kevin, how is it going out there? Enjoying the nice weather? Getting out fishing at all yet? Scott Steil

[Guest]

Perch fishing was very good this weekend. My best action was on spikes and buckshot rattles. I tried minnow heads but they didn't work.

The bite was somewhat light. I went from a treble dropper to a single hook and missed less. They might have been able to suck it further in or it was a better visual presentation. It was best to rattle them in. I caught 5 times as many on the rattle versus a mammasooka, even when I had both in my hand.

I fished 36 foot deep. The ice was beginning to open up in a few places, but with the colder temps this week, it should be fine again.

As for locatioon, people were fishing all their usual favorite spots using ATV's. It is not safe for trucks yet.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Chad711]

Can anyone give me some info on the tourney at DL every year, I think in Jan. I am in Minnesota and cannot find any info. I am talking about the BIG one every year, they give away new trucks, all kinds of stuff in the drawing too..Thanks Chad

[Guest]

I believe that all of the tickets are sold for the "tournament" / derby.

[Chad711]

Ahhh well...... Next year !

[Guest]

The ice depth varies greatly on the lake and can change thickness quickly. I have not found ice over 14 inches yet people are driving on it, a lot of people are. I was fishing on 11 inches and had dozens of vehicles pass close enough to me that I could see their faces clearly through the plastice windows of my Otter. This is warning...STAY THE HECK AWAY FROM ME WITH THOSE PICK-UPS.

The ice is deteriorating and is soft. I'm using a hand auger. We haven't made ice in weeks and tommorrow we may see record highs.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

I have been forgetting to give my reports. I attended the Marketplace of Ideas show in Grand Forks last week with West Bay Resort in Minnewaukan and Buffalo Wood Products from Jameston and spent the week getting ready.

I think we are entering the typical mid-winter period. The bite varies from day to day. I would consider Saturday the worst day I have ever had on this lake for perch. I had a fish on the FL-18 90% of the time but they would not go. I caught only three in four hours and gave up. I think all the driving on the ice had a little to do with it.

Today I took home 18 of various sizes. I released at least that many small ones. I saw several of them go back down all the way to the bottom on the Vexilar.

I had one report from a very reliable source that one day last week, Kurt from Minnewaukan caught 22 perch that filled a 5 gallon bucket. They averaged almost 2 pounds per. Also several of the guides had good days last week but had their spots over run by weekend anglers and the bite died. If you want to catch fish, fish during the week.

I had a party move in and drill holes 50 feet from me today. You might be thinking that is no big deal but there was no one within 1 mile of me.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

Not much has changed. Same old same old.

I fished 45 feet of water using 1/26th oz or less marmooskas. The biggest fish just hang on to the jig.

I had several perch rise up and hit the jig on the way down and hold in place for 30 seconds to a minute before they moved. If color matter to you white was the best but that was what I was using.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

Nothing has changed.

You can still get around on the ice with 4x4 pick-ups if you have any skill in driving.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

A real nice perch bite has been developing from 2 to 4:30. The usual tactics prevail. If I had hooked half yhe strikes I had I would have limited in an hour.

I have been using #25 Halis a lot lately. I prefer the glow patterns.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

The passage of several fronts, one everyother day the past few weeks has toughend things up. You will catch perch but they seem to travel in waves, grazing on the bottom. It is a tough decision as to move or not. Moves the wrong way get you in trouble.

Patience does pay off and you will get some on each pass. It seems that they can travel a foot off the bottom. You still need to read the bottom red. An FL-18 fishes the hell out of an 8 when they are tight to the bottom.

Experiment with color of the main lure and the dropper jig. Yellow seems to be a good dropper jig color. Use fresh spikes too. If the bedding is getting oily toss em.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[This message has been edited by kevin neve (edited 03-07-2003).]

[Guest]

The perch fishing was fantastic on Saturday and very puzzling on Sunday. We had them coming up 4 feet off bottom to smack the bait Saturday but on Sunday they had lock-jaw. They'd sniff and drop down.

A lot of fair weather fisherman were on the ice. Areas off access points, community holes and such attracted big packs and lots of activity. Staying away from the crowds helps. The bite must not have been that good in the large packs because they did not re-form in the same places Sunday west of the city of Devils Lake (Creel Bay). There has been perch at the mouth of Creel all winter and it became a community hole. This is a big lake, I haven't heard about the activity (crowds) yet on Black Tiger and Swansons.

I got a mild sunburn... laying down a base coat for summer. I'm finally letting myself believe that spring is near.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

Ice ciondtions are going downhill.

There is a lot of fisherman activity along places easily accessed from the roads ie walking or ATV's. Some are still venturing out in pick-ups. The next warm, sunny day will end that.

I said "fisherman" activity not "fish" activity. People are congregating like usual around the areas that have access. It doesn't mean that anything is biting. Pick your favorite highway.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND