New Town / "River" Area - Monday, August 1, 2011

I am about to Ron Burgundy Lake Sakakawea.

First off, yes the Van Hook Arm has fish.  If that place doesn't the world is about to end.  So those of you catching in the Arm, don't tell me the lake is back (had a stranger at the gas station tell me it is back).  It is just a bowl and fish factory of the big lake.  I hear catches are possible but not everyone is teeing off.  Which is odd for Van Hook...as I said, she'd be the king of Sakakawea.

Second, the fish have started a migration (which backs up the word on Van Hook) toward Deepwater and into Indian Hills.  About three weeks late but oh well, at least some fish are being presented for folks further down the lake than the "bowl."  Couple friends had decent to good success being able to get just their limit or surpass it by a little.  A sigh of relief!  But bad news for us up north.  Why are they migrating?  Tis natural but I think the smelt are on the move.  Good news is there is enough spots and perch to keep them from all packing bags.

Me.  Well, I'm enjoying my boat anyway.  She runs pretty darn good after $750 bucks in repair.  So that's the good news.  Bad news?  Fishing tough in the river portion.  Did a lot of drive time in the east portion fo the river area searching the depths and the shallows with the depth finder.  She was naked!  Not even balls of smelt anywhere from 4 to 50 feet.  It seemed what I did find was still a stronghold of spots in the shallows.  When I did fish I caught two and they were shallow.  But uffda it sure wasn't hot and heavy.  Last time I checked two fish in about six hours ain't too Sakakawea rebound supporting.  My brother and uncle were out and got six.  Their lines hardly left the water so they had a legit six hours of fishing time.

On the first day of the Skunk Bay cabin owners tourney one team came in with ten fish (you could weigh ten each day).  I think the stringer went about 20 pounds.  Which is basically staying true to the 2005 year class.  The next closest team was I think either six or 7 fish for around 9 pounds.  I don't know what happened day two but I suspect similar results.

On Sunday I had my lines in the water a little longer.  Managed to slam four walleyes!  Victory!  Three were "tourney grade."  I then did some drive time to scour looking for signs fish are moving deeper.  No smelt or bait doesn't make me feel they did.  But who knows, I have been in a slump and it appears to be continuing.  I think I saw a total of ten boats in two days.  Not good.

Water is clearing and dropping.  Could have some to do with the catching but I guess come on Tim, you've wrote several times why the lake the way it is.  Three years baby!  Until then oh boy is patience required!  Ha ha, oh well, makes a guy fish hard and learn!  And as it always goes, someone is always catching something!  I think I best head to the bowl and get in on the buffet!  But I can't...

Stay Classy Sakakawea...

Tags: fish, lake, river, area, monday, 0, new, august, town, van

Region: New Town / "River" Area

Categories: Fishing