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Lake Sakakawea Fishing Reports
Regions Covered: Click on the region name for region report, weather, maps, and more...
Lake Sakakawea | Van Hook Arm | New Town / "River" Area | Beulah / Douglas Bay Area | Tobacco Gardens / White Earth Bay Area | Deepwater / McKenzie Bay Area | Indian Hills / Mahto (Red Butte) Bay Area | Garrison Bay / Pick City Area | East End | Garrison Dam Intake Area | Salmon Report - Lake Sakakawea
Deepwater / McKenzie Bay Area - Friday, September 2, 2011
By:
johnr
on 09/06/2011 3:05 PM
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Fished around the beacon, and the rock flats with most success coming from the flats. Friday was a bit slow with only 3 keepers in the 16-20 inch range. We tried crawlers on spinners, plain beads, and slow death hooks, in 6-25FOW. Sat was windy as heck and the fishing was the same with only 2 keepers. Sun we went to the south side across from the beacon and picked up 7 more in the 17-21 inch size. Of course Mon the day we are coming home is the nicest weather wise and fishing wise. My 7 yr old daughter caught 7 fish 3 keeper wallys, my wife put a couple in the box and I caught the biggest northern pike I have ever seen looked like a gator it was 44 inches and 25 pounds. Not the greatest fishing weekend of the yr but far from the worst.
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Tobacco Gardens / White Earth Bay Area - Wednesday, August 31, 2011 | |
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I couldn't buy a walleye today. Tried jigging mostly from 5-20 feet...nothing but a few northerns and bass. Even swallowed my pride a drug a crank around for awhile. Conditions were about as perfect as a guy could ask for. I must suck.
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Tobacco Gardens / White Earth Bay Area - Saturday, August 27, 2011 | |
Lake Sakakawea - Monday, August 29, 2011 | |
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Fishing was good again this week. Dad and I went out; first time this year for him in the boat. The old man didn't have his sea legs on that day; he was all over the place when were fishing in the waves. Windy on Wednesday but the Smallies were hitting the cranks pretty good. Managed to release 5 walleyes over 22in.
Friday was good in the morning but it died really fast after 11. I tried spinners with crawlers and leeches with only a couple small ones. Released a couple over 22in; caught these fish on cranks again in 7 - 9 foot of water. I moved around alot that day. When I pulled a spot We'd get a couple right away then no hits. Was marking alot of fish but they wouldn't go. Saturday was a little tougher. Lost four good fish right away in the morning; but they could've been northerns of smallies. We never seen the fish on either bite. Wind picked up right away in the morning; so we moved to the south shore. I picked a good mud line and never moved the rest of the day. Just keeped pulling it over and over in 7 to 12 foot of water. Didn't pick up a walleye till 11. managed to catch at least 15 walleyes and a couple hand full of smallies. Lots of goldeyes as well. Didn't mark bait but seen a couple clouds of minnows surface on the edge of the mud line. So something was chasing them around. We'll be busy again next days off. Last call walleye derby outta Dakota Waters Resort. Good luck to the teams that entered the tournment. |
Lake Sakakawea - Monday, August 29, 2011 | |
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there is a crazy amount of baitfish on the west end. a couple northerns were al hat wanted jigs last night. will try spinners next time. or pitch some cranks
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Lake Sakakawea - Monday, August 29, 2011 | |
My cousin and I are heading up to Pick City this weekend, and we have never fished that area. Just wondering what methods people are using, and if they are biting. thanks!
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East End - Monday, August 29, 2011 | |
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Fished the East End Sat. worked some humps 25-30ft. using crawlers with lindy's and spinners. Caught 8 walleye's kept 4 between 19-23in. nice fat fish, also had a few northerns. very nice day on the water.
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Beulah / Douglas Bay Area - Saturday, August 27, 2011 | |
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Fished out of beaver bay all around the points in about 9-18 fow using slow death hooks with a single bead and half a crawler, and spinners with crawlers. We picked up a limit on Sat, and another 6 fish on Sun. The walleye on Sat were in the 19-22 inch range with only a few bass, and small 9 inch walleyes mixed in. On Sun we had a harder time finding any, and when we did they were all in the 14-16 inch size.
Overall a great weekend of fishing was had by all. |
Tobacco Gardens / White Earth Bay Area - Saturday, August 27, 2011 | |
There is some good walleye fishing out of Lunds Landing for those who can find them. They seem to be really hot then not. You find a little spot get 2-3 fish quick even doubles... then nothing for hours. Got 4 nice eyes and some good white bass and northern action. I pulled cranks all day and the one that looked just like a little perch did amazing, all the walleye came off that lure. Some nice fella's at the cleaning station had 10 nice fish and they said it was a moving game and better a little deeper and better on spinners and worms. I got all my walleye in 7-10 feet but i saw them out fishing in at least 16. They would start shallow and head deeper. I got a pretty big northern that bit so hard on my crank it bent the tail and crushed it
I am happy to see some good fishing up this way now that the water has been high for a few years. Hope the core slows down what its letting out as i would like the water level to stay a couple feet higher than it is now. Most of the upper river is drying out good now. flood plain drying out near Williston. |
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Lake Sakakawea - Saturday, August 20, 2011 | |
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fished the slides and independence point areas. fishing was really slow. kept seven. mostly smaller with one 21". lots of perch. If the water holds and the stocking continues were about three years away from some amazing fishing with great size I think.
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Deepwater / McKenzie Bay Area - Sunday, August 21, 2011 | |
finding 20 - 24" eyes scattered under schools of white bass minnows and on the deep side of perch schools. Still running lindys with double hooks, crawlers or minnows worked equally as well.
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Indian Hills / Mahto (Red Butte) Bay Area - Saturday, August 20, 2011 | |
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Saturday 8-20-11 - Weather was in the higher 70s with light winds (5mph or less). Fished in the Bite Me Invite at Indian Hills Resort on the west End of Lake Sakakawea. No we didn't win the tourny, lol. We did come in with 8 walleye, 3 bass, 3 northerns, and 2 decent perch. We had two walleye over 4 lbs with 2 just a tick over 15 inches (these 4 were what we weighed), and the remianing 4 were 14 inchers. We fished crawlers on spinners with 2 hook harness and 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz bouncers. Fished beacon point with no success, moved to the south side of the lake with spotty success throughout the entire south shore. Nothing real consistant, we'd catch a couple and then it would die. We'd move and repeat untill weighin at 3:00 pm. Fished depths of 12-25 ft with our best luck coming in 18 feet running between .9 and 1.2 mph with the electric. Caught and released quite a few small walleye (6-12 inchers) which was good to see although between the small ones and the perch we went through about 5 dozen worms! Found a nice rock shoal loaded with small mounth, must of caught ten and kept the largest three however if we wouldn't have been tourny fishing I would have loved to have stayed for some fun as they were stacked in there from shore out to about 20 ft of water. Also manage a 3.5 lb cat which I thought was the fish that was going to put us close to some money, unfortunately it came up growling at me, ha ha. Overall it was a great day to be on the water and we had a good time trying to be competitive. Also met a fellow FBOr fishing the tourny however we didn't stick around afterwards so I only talked to a couple of guys standing around the scale.
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Beulah / Douglas Bay Area - Friday, August 19, 2011 | |
Heading to Beaver Bay saturday.Anybody got any helpful hints on depths to try.First time fishing this area.Thanks
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Deepwater / McKenzie Bay Area - Saturday, August 13, 2011 | |
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They Must Be Biting Somewhere.................Saturday: Beautiful day on the water. Wind was light and steady. Noticed the water coming out of the bay was really green with chunks of algae floating. Some the color of actual blue. Water temps still hanging in the 73 degree range. First spot was last weekends 3 fish in 5 minutes spot......Cranks down in 12 ft.....Today, nothing except a small 13" walleye. Moved out a little deeper to 17 feet and picked up a couple pike. No big deal, loaded up and headed to the next destination. Gonna try some lead core in 20-25 ft. Graph is showing some promise but nothing seems to want to bite....Few boats working the area but nothing being brought in to show...Picked up a couple small 10-13" walleyes. Then, big swing on the rod and the weight of a dandy fish. Not much fight to it just like a big ole walleye staying down...I will admit, the nerves were going as I had it just about to the boat....Still no sight until the drag takes off and with it, all my hopes for the elusive "wall hanger" walleye....Once in the net, a 35" pike is what is to show. Qualifies for C&R but pales far in comparison to what a 10lb walleye would have brought. Decided to head out to another favorite spot but once again, a 13.999999" walleye is all to show....Lucky it wasn't 14 or I would have kept it as it had some good girth....My son was getting a little tired and hungry so headed back in to drop them off and have some lunch. Did head back out on my own but to make a long story short, caught a few more pike and a couple more small walleyes. Did manage a nice 15" sauger out of 20 ft but released it and called it quits for the day. Some people did manage to get some fish but overall the action seems to be slowing a little compared to the previous 3 weekends. Didn't try any live bait Saturday so may have screwed up there. Water was downright gross around Deepwater but as I headed south, it cleared up.Sunday: We decided to make a quick trip out for a couple hours. Wind blowing a bit more out of the SE today. Gonna just put down some lindy's and spinners on an old trusty spot. Within minutes, had my first walleye but at 14", I let it go. We worked the area a bit in 8 to 15 ft but only picked up a couple northerns. The wind started to pick up and being on the main part of the lake with the little guy, decided to retreat back into the bay where the water was more friendly. Plus, my wife gets back sea sickness and didn't feel like seeing vomit fly from the boat...Hit a nice looking spot in 15 ft along the trees but all we had to show were some perch. Made a little pass through 6 ft and finally wacked a good one. Nice 24" walleye on a spinner and leech. Made a few more passes but could only pull a couple pike so we decided to call it a day and head in. Water temps back in the bay were at around 73 degrees. |
Lake Sakakawea - Monday, August 15, 2011 | |
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Mid section of the lake is on fire. I fished wind blown points; really shallow. Cranks are the bite that I'm after as of now; seems that the crank bite is the best I've had in a couple years. I've been able to pull a point a few times over, and over and still manage to get the walleyes to keep biting. Seeing fish being caught on live bait but they are small.
Was out thursday all my big fish came in 5-7 feet. Yesterday caught them in 7-10. Not as many big fish as on thursday but did manage a few. Gotta move, then move some more. After we find them its been one right after the other. But the main lake points is were we've been getting them. Haven't tried deep but I've hadn't had to go there. Water is dropping fast; wad down 2 feet as of a couple weeks ago. Heard the corps is down to 100,000 cfs as of today. |
