ND Trout & Salmon

[MattL]

Anyone get after them much? I was reading an article online from the local newspaper regarding salmon stocking on Sakakawea and the wheels started spinning. I have never caught either, but I would be interested in giving them a shot. I have a couple leadcore setups and a box full of walleye cranks. If anyone has any insight on open water salmon or trout in the rivers/reservoirs please feel free to post it here. I may do some scanning with my sonar on Sak in the next couple weeks and see what I can stir up.

[LMITOUT]

We used to fish for salmon near the dam once in a while for something different, trolling the face of the dam with deep running cranks. When I was younger I would go with my uncle and he used downriggers with flashers along the old river channel just up from the dam.

[candiru]

It is pretty much a downrigger game till Sept. rolls around. Then and into Oct you should be able to get them along the face of the dam with cranks. There are also trout and salmon in the tailrace below the dam. PM also sent.

[fishgutz77]

Anybody chasing salmon out there?

Please post something.

[candiru]

I have not heard much at all. I did drive over the dam late afternoon on Sat. It looked like there were 3 boats that looked like they were salmon fishing. I also ask at the bait shop in Pick City, he said they were getting "a few".

I did see where the Game and Fish was a little worried about the salmon fishing this year because these were the fish stocked during the flood year of 2011. During that year there were salmon caught in SD that went through 2 dams.

[fishgutz77]

Thanks,

any info really helps.

[candiru]

Drove over the dam this morning about 830. There were about a dozen boats near government bay and 2 by the pumphouse. Drove back over at about 2pm, about a dozen that I could see then. Those numbers are probably a little lower than normal.

[candiru]

I was near there this morning and had time so I stopped and talked to a guy on a salmon boat that was heading out. He said it was "poor". A few caught but not many. Some people think that the fish are behind schedule with the late spring and cool summer and aren't gathered near the dam yet.

[fishgutz77]

Thanks, we may have to widen our search when we start.

Did he say what they were caught on?

[candiru]

He didn't say. Probably the most popular presentation out here is an 11" flasher and a squid. Some people also use Herring.

[fishgutz77]

I'll have to pick up some meat rigs, the flasher stuff I got lots of.

Thanks, guys really appreciate it.

[candiru]

The bait shop in Pick City on the west end of the dam sells Herring.

[fishgutz77]

Thanks, that's saves bringing them out.

That will be out first stop.

[candiru]

How did it go?

[fishgutz77]

Candi, sorry for the delay but have been up north fishing steady for sometime now.

We struggled as did many others during the derby, and decided to turn our efforts to walleyes. The salmon just hadn't made it down due to cool water temps and smelt migration.

In two days we only saw 3 fish caught but some people did better derby day.

I'll be back! to do it again someday.

[candiru]

There were 47 fish caught in the derby. They showed up just in time. I have not heard any current reports. Shore fisherman should show up soon.

I did catch about a 6 lb. Salmon in the tailrace area today on the jigging rod while fishing walleyes. A great fight solo in the boat on light tackle. It was a male that was starting to show signs of spawning soon.