Looking Forward to March, April and May

I agree!!! I can barly wait..  Got some serious spring fishing blues going on... Don't forget Spring Snow Goose hunting ...

Almost time to rip some walleye lips.

yuck, my least favorite time of year. I'll take fall and winter anytime. Summer is ok but 90 degrees sucks imho.

3X,

Just exactly where do you live in ND that gets to 90 degrees on a regular basis during March, April, or May?

Now if we are talking July with the regular 90 degree days, yup I am with ya on that.  Those suck, I will take 62-65 degree weather any time!

I hate the mud but here on Montana we got late ice, horn hunting, turkey, and of course spring bear. Guess that makes the mud worth it.

I take june july august - put more fish in my boat 

what does the snowpack look like in the mtns?

SHORTHAIRSRUS Said:
what does the snowpack look like in the mtns?

lame. it was the lowest snotel reading we have ever ridden on when we were in the bighorns and cooke city in january. i think cooke city still only has about 60 inches on the ground. last year this time we rode on over 100 inches.

Right now is the worst time of the year.  Shed hunting is about the only highlight....maybe some day the fishing on the west end of Sak might be fun, but now its pretty sad.

short,

Not as good as it was last year but if you are curious about Sakakawea, we are totally fine.  Corp is expecting 1845.  I'm thinking we'll dip toward that 1847 mark.  Tough for me to accept an 8 foot rise when even during the drought years we'd get 8 and even 10 at times.  Guess we'll see now won't we.  Anyway, the kicker is there is a lot of moisture down south and all the reservoirs down that way are at or near 100% mean pool.  Sakakawea itself is sitting at 99.5% mean.  So, we enter a below average snow pack with much better plains and reservoir conditions.  Of course, this means good things for the spawn and the NDGF will finally be stocking fish.  The rebuilding year is finally upon us.  I wish it would have happened two years to at least one year ago.  Oh well, all I can say is I'm a happy man.  I missed my Sakakawea.

If you want some snow info here you go.  This is a copy and paste from my link page I created for weather and snow pack.

Missouri River Region Mountain Snow Pack 
Missouri River Region Mountain Snow Pack Water Equivalent
Yellowstone (Montana) Region Snow Pack
Yellowstone (Montana) Region Water Equivalent
Montana Snowpack Reports
SNOTEL Missouri Basin Mountain Snow Water Content
NWS Snow Cover Homepage
Interactive Remote Sensing Snow Depth
National Snow Analysis
NRCS Mountain Snow Pack Maps
Satellite Snow Analysis
NWS Hydrological Prediction Service
USGS Missouri River Basin in North Dakota (Home Page)


Now, back on topic, I sure hate the slush and mud.  Quite honestly, I dislike spring time but accept it as a welcomed season change.  I love North Dakota for that.

With that said, it is always a great time when the pike and late walleye action kicks in.  The issue, however, is I think Sakakawea will be more challenging than in the past.  Lots more water, not anymore fish than last year and we'll have a spring run again.  That hinders pike fishing.  But, timing is key so if a guy puts his time in he may be able to get into a couple good outings.  Kinda depends on how the slush and mud makes life.  Last year it made it rather difficult.

All I know is after the KX Sports Show it is nothing but spring fishing for me.  Will be pushing the limit on snowmobile and ice house.  Have a couple places in mind where I'd like to give it a try.  Might even head to Devils Lake for late ice.  Or maybe I should just wait for the open water craziness of Devils Lake spring?

That's the beauty of North Dakota.  For an outdoorsman or woman there simply is not enough time to do all.  Wish I had a bakken well...then I'd have the time .

Sounds good tim - Will they be stocking fish??- - this is the year - all three dl, sak and oahe should be stuffed full of fingerlings.   I would rather see my kid catch a limit of 16inch fish vs. catching a few over 20.  

Well put it this way, if they do not stock fish I am taking all my vacation and picketing the NDGF.  Ha!

Yeah, all indications are pointing that they will be stocking.

I am really hopeing my late march and early april isnt wasted on flood work again this year. 7 weeks last year wasted last year. I would really like to get out on 6 mile before the water heats up this year.

riverview Said:
I am really hopeing my late march and early april isnt wasted on flood work again this year. 7 weeks last year wasted last year. I would really like to get out on 6 mile before the water heats up this year.

X2!!!!!!!!! But I have to ask. Why drive all the way to DL when you can have just as good if not BETTER walleye/sauger action in your back yard?

Forgot about shed hunting.

March - shed hunting, late ice and tailrace.

April - shed hunting, ice off shorefishing for big pike and walleye.

May - paddlefishing and the "every-other-cast" walleye fishing on DL.

What's not to like about that?!  Especially the Mid to Late May walleye fishing on DL.  I will be spending several May overnights there this year. This is the one I am looking forward to the most...casting countdowns into the grass!  Catching all of your fish in one to five feet of water on a retrieve...wham!  Can't wait to feel the walleye and the white bass smack those lures!  And of course the occaisional 5-15 minute fight with a 10+ pike.  DL is where it is at this year.

Right now I look at Sakakawea as a "gas guzzler."  Alot of time and money spent trying to find the unstable honey hole. The way I see it, until the water level stops changing so much, I am going to give Sakakawea a rest so those stocked fish can grow up and make the big lake what it used to be...the best and most versatile walleye lake in North Dakota.  It sure will be nice when that lake gets stabilized again. The best thing about Sakakawea is that every 20 miles gives you a different lake to fish on with lots of access points.

The bad thing about DL is the access points... not as many because the darn thing just keeps growing!  For years now, boat access has been reduced to dumping the boat into the ditch in many areas. The awesome thing about DL though...is that when you get to your favorite area or honey hole, you will have a good time. Devil's Lake is just plain old consistent and reliable.  The water levels don't rise fast in one year, and the same areas produce fish.  I'm going to talk to my uncle and the landlord about letting me build and put in a removable ramp and boat lift for the summer spot we have rented out on DL.  Should be a great DL Spring and Summer in 2010.  Stizo :)

Jig-em-up-Josh Said:

riverview Said:
I am really hopeing my late march and early april isnt wasted on flood work again this year. 7 weeks last year wasted last year. I would really like to get out on 6 mile before the water heats up this year.

X2!!!!!!!!! But I have to ask. Why drive all the way to DL when you can have just as good if not BETTER walleye/sauger action in your back yard?

Cuz you never invite us to fish with you in "your backyard" ! ; ) 

stizo,

Might have to join you in Devils as I agree!!!!!!!!

Jig-em-up-Josh Said:

riverview Said:
I am really hopeing my late march and early april isnt wasted on flood work again this year. 7 weeks last year wasted last year. I would really like to get out on 6 mile before the water heats up this year.

X2!!!!!!!!! But I have to ask. Why drive all the way to DL when you can have just as good if not BETTER walleye/sauger action in your back yard?

Ahhhhhhh because i cant consistantly catch fish at normal level. I dont have a clue what to do at flood stage and water so muddy you could plow it. How do you fish at flood stage??

Stizostedion vitreum Said:
This is my other favorite time of year!  Late ice Devil's Lake walleyes, Ice off walleyes on Darling, SAK whopper pike fishing, Confluence paddlefishing, those Mid-Late May walleyes on Devil's Lake and don't forget the tailrace!

So many things to do, and so many places to go!  Gotta start planning some trips to and fro!  Stizo :)

Stizo
Good to see you woke up from your Winter Hibernation! : )  Hope to see you on Devils Lake this year!  ; )

Have not been hibernating...just not posting on FBO much.  We have been fishing all winter long.  We started on Audubon, then we tried it out of Centennial on Sakakawea for two or three weeks. We finally ended up on Lake Darling until Last weekend when we brought the icehouse home.

This weekend not much going on other than my kids and I may do some shed hunting tomorrow.  My daughter and I went to the boat show here in Minot today.  I was pleasantly surprised to see Mr. Sandstrom and the Fishingbuddy.com booth.  We stopped and talked to Tim for a few minutes and bought a black $5 FBO t-shirt.  I admired the Prairie Truck 12 foot icehouse and the Hewes boats for a time, and then my daughter climbed the rock wall and took a spin on the mechanical bull.

Looks like I will be selling my enclosed motorcycle trailer, my 12 foot camper and my icehouse this summer and replacing them all with the PT 12 footer.  Looks like a nice unit. I plan on building some retractable beds in it for the overnight trips on and off the ice.  I can use it to haul the motorcycles and the 4 wheeler, camp in it, icefish in it and use it for storage if I need to.