Devils Lake North Dakota

[steve schmidt]

Heading out to Devil's on the 3rd for four days...first trip. Anyone with current info on the bite, where to go etc. Any help would be appreciated.

Trying to get the "guys" to delay going for a couple weeks due to getting around on the lake. Please touch on ease or difficulty getting around.

I have read the Ed's Bait weekly report, but was hoping for direct info from fisherman that were just there. Thanks

[Jeff Dosch]

Warm weather the last couple of days has helped shrink the snow down but the only problem we have now is the water on the trails. Most areas we have been driving off the trails. The temps are only in the high teens next week and should help the water problems. The perch bite has been hit and miss this week but if we could get some stable weather I think things will realy pick up. Walleye fishing has been excellent the last couple days with a lot of nice eaters and some fish over 5 lbs mixed in. Hope I helped you out some.

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Dosch Guide Service
DoschGuides.com
Phone: 701-662-4659
[email protected]
Devils Lake ND

[steve schmidt]

Thanks Jeff. Guess Sundays weather might impact things too. We are watching things daily via the net etc. We really dont want to travel 750 miles and not be able to move around.

[smalls]

Was on Devils lake today. As Mr. Dosch said, the snow has shrunk making the lake negotiable with 4 wheel drive. Fished on east side of bridge next to Casino and picked up quite a few walleye. Alot of small ones but witnessed a 26 or 27" fish taken. *PLEASE RELEASE THESE FISH*

Our fish were caught in 30' of water, big fish taken in much shallower water in rip rap near road. Walleye liked aggressive presentation, really banging the spoon off the bottom.

Hope this helps. Good fishin'
smalls

[TV BOY]

We are heading out thursday, the forcast for Sat is 27mph winds! is that normal? because I'm debating if I even bring my clam 6800 with or just rent a smaller fishtrap from one of the resorts.

Any word on lake travel? I heard that the conditions were bad today, snow water, slush. Are trucks still out there or is the ice getting too dangerous?

Anyones 2 cents welcome.

[This message has been edited by TV BOY (edited 03-02-2004).]

[TV BOY]

Just got back from devils lake. The conditions only could have been worse if you threw in some more wind and cold. It was impossible to get around much other than the few roads that were plowed. There was a good 2 feet of ice and then the 2 to 8 inches of slush and then add 8 inches of snow. To top that I only caught 3 perch on Fri. and 1 pike on a tip up on Sat.

I know that the conditions limited anyones mobility but I was a little disappointed in the perch patrol. I thought they had a bombadier to move people in those conditions or at least have snowmobiles to move us around. We stayed in a 300 yd area and 5 of us caught less than a dozen perch only one of which was nice.

They get credit for plowing the only road out on the bay but trying to push that $#!t isn't easy.

[smalls]

Sorry to hear about your experience TV. How cold was it this weekend? I know it was supposed to be very windy and that alone can make it absolutely miserable. Your's is the reason that many get frustrated with that lake, it is very big without being able to be very mobile, it can be very hard to find fish (especially perch that are roaming the vastness of the basin).

smalls

[steve schmidt]

I started this thread saying we were going out last Wednesday...we didn't simply because we made some phone calls and based on the info from this site and others that travel was questionable to say the least. Now we are considering leaving this Wednesday but didnt they have a blizzard this weekend which will only make matters worse.

Any info out there? By the way, thanks for your input to my question...it saved us from having a miserable trip...and 7 1/2 hours one way gives you lots of time to be frustrated on the way home...thanks all!

[TV BOY]

They didn't get any more snow this weekend-unless it came today after we left. The weather was very nice on Friday light wind and around 25. Saturday was a bit windy so we went out in front of woodland resort where we stayed. There are flodded trees there and we set tip ups with frozen herring ( live suckers are illegal in ND !!). We caught 2 monster pike on those a 10 plus pounder and one was about 5 -- both very thick. My buddy had a larger one on the line in the house on a perch rod, we couldn't get his head up the hole and needless to say the line snapped.

Snowmobiles are a must have now-- if the fishing sucks there is a ton of snow to cruise around and see the lake. I don't know if anyone rents sleds out there, because they normally don't get this much snow.

The perch patrol was saying that the walleye spots were too wet to get to. That is by truck so a sled may do the job. When we were out on Sat there were a number of snowmobilers out. There were signs of the slush in there tracks but I didn't see any of them getting stuck in it.

I would call before you go out and if anyone from any of the resorts / bait shops says its tough or slow.....BELIEVE them and stay home. We thought it can't be that bad or we've been through some wet stuff before...WRONG. There is a lot of snow and no plowed roads, what was clear has 6-10 inches of water/ slush.

Good luck

I forgot, get or bring some insulated rubber boots.

[This message has been edited by TV BOY (edited 03-07-2004).]

[protiller]

Last weekend we were told there was a giant pressure ridge which made unsafe ice. People were saying the DNR closed all access to the lake and were only allowing travel by foot, ATV or snowmoblile. Any truth to this? Needless to say we didn't make the 7 hour trip. The way it sounds it was a good decision.

[Jeff Dosch]

Travel on the lake is by snowmobile only and yes there are some really bad areas that have a lot of water and slush. The only good thing about the limited travel is that there a lot of areas that haven't been touched this year. There are areas that dont have any water on the ice and are producing some really nice catches of perch. As far as walleyes and northerns most of these areas are close enough to walk from the roads. Some of the best walleye producing areas are only 50 yards off the highway. If you have access to snowmobiles you could get into some of the best perch and walleye fishing of the season. If you have any other questions please give me a call or send me an e-mail. Hope to see you on the ice!

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Dosch Guide Service
DoschGuides.com
Phone: 701-662-4659
[email protected]
Devils Lake ND

[Guest]

How much snow is in the DL area?? I'm talkin bout snow levels "off" the lake.
I'm betting there is going to be some perty good runoff this year.

[Sabaskong]

Jeff Dosch, Hi, I'm going to be working out in North Dakota until about May 1st and was hoping you could help me out a little bit. I planning on bringing my boat out once the lake opens up and was just wondering if there is some decent fishing around the Minnewaukan area. I'm just looking for some c'n'r pike and walleye action. Also I've heard people fish from shore before the ice is out and do OK. I was driving today west of D.L. on #19 and seen open water near a bridge. I'm not looking for anything in detail just a push in the right direction to help pass my time before I come home to LOTW.
Thanks, Ryan