Van Hook Arm

Just wondering how the ice conditions are. Looking to head out this weekend. See if anyone has been catching any fish

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Is that a fish? How about that?

What are those little marks up here? What is all the stuff at the top? The depth finder is most often the topic of conversation throughout the day. I remember the days when I fished as an amateur in some of the Pro-am tourneys asking the same questions.

Today we had limitless opportunity to take some photos of the Lowrance, so I will try to go through these photos and give a quick explanation as to what I think I’m seeing. All the images are from Sakakawea in the Van Hook Arm. Keep in mind different units, even one Lowrance to another, display images of fish differently.

Fish 1  This is a typical fish arc. I like the solid yellow with a hint of red outline. Big Fish.

Fish 2  If looking for fish, I would stop to fish an area that shows marks like this. The black marks above are likely perch or similar sized bait fish.

Fish 3  Very nice clear, clean shot of a fish. I would expect to hook this fish about the time the arc is 2/3 of the way across the screen.

Fish 4  Fish moving up from bottom, likely feeding on a perch. You see these often and sometimes it can be suspended fish, spooking from your boat, heading to the bottom.

Fish 5  Nice clean mark. I need to see the yellow no matter the size of the mark to convince me to stop and fish.

Fish 6  Walleye down pretty tight to the bottom.

Fish 7  We are stopped with no wind, so the boat is moving very slowly. This fish is directly under the transducer and moving with us at approximately the same speed.

Fish 8  Get out the leadcore. I can’t drive past stuff like this without giving it a try.

Fish 9  Far right could be junk or a cluster of fish. Moving left - walleye, maybe two. Above the red marks are normally Skip Jacks, Gold Eye, Shiners. All the same fish with several names.

Believe your depth finder. If you have marks like what we are looking at you have a fish fry in the making. Good Luck fishing.

 

GPS Google Earth Locations, Video and Pictures of this report please visit: www.ndlive.com

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What a fun day.  We went out this morning and didn't really know what to expect.  We fished the southern end of the Hook and didn't need to go looking around to much.  Fish were in about 9-14 ft and they were hitting good.  Caught 2 limits with a few nice 21-23 inchers in the mix. 

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3 fish in as many minutes.

I normally go to the lake with a plan in mind. Usually it is a combination of several factors. Weather, and in particular wind, shapes the end result. We had wind yesterday out of the west at 25 plus so the east shoreline had my attention. I even had it narrowed down to a flat a few miles south of Brendles Bay Resort. Today’s wind was WNW so I’m even more convinced of my reasoning.

The season we are in is also a big part of the strategy. What was working this time last year? A quick look in the mind’s data base normally pulls up some success stories with all the details firmly in place. Location, depth, speed and even number of cranks lost. Really good days will have icons or waypoints on the Lowrance screen.

Fishing reports are a big factor. They come in all shapes and colors with a blend of fiction and nonfiction mixed in for flavoring. Sorting it out can be challenging. Today’s summary of internet info and cell phone conversation is all over the board. Fish in 12, fish in 30. Fish on crawlers in the trees. Fish on cranks, deep on sunken islands. Where do I start?

Last is something I have yet to master and find it difficult to explain. Follow your heart. Geez, I don’t speak the language of the heart let alone have the ears for listening. Is God speaking? Is this just me directing traffic? Sorting out fiction and nonfiction is challenging but sorting out those inner thoughts. Not likely.

Here is why I at least make the attempt. Occasionally it turns out with spectacular results. Me and the neighbor are pulling cranks a few weeks ago. We have 3 or so in the boat and it has slowed down. I keep gett’n these subtle thoughts, “Leadcore.” I’m only in 12 feet so no need for depth. I dismiss the subtle thoughts. Logic rules.

After another half hour of no fish I lift the rod locker and see the leadcore rods buried in the bottom. Too much work pulling out all that equipment just for a very small and quiet inner message. Another half hour of no fish and yep, you guessed it, out comes the lead.

Within the next half hour we are limited out. Seriously, that fast. It was minutes and we had a double. I have more stories like that in the data base so why isn’t listening to the heart first in the priority line?

Today’s first stop is memories. Back bay of Shell Creek in 12 feet to start and then shallow up in 7-9 on the east shore. I still have that “yesterday’s wind blowing from the west” stuck in the mind. No fish, not even a skip jack. Should have know, even the pelicans are missing.

South it is to the flat. This is going to be so easy. We get there and I’m even more convinced. Water is dirty with yesterday’s mud line extending out for half a mile or more! I was planning to start out in 25 feet but with dirty water I drop 4 lines down in 9. It takes a while for reality to resister. No Fish here Schoneck.

After that it is a run and gun. Trees in 7 with jigs. Cranks in 12, cranks in 9, fish must be deep. This is gett’n frustrating. I check in with the heart but no messages. We decide to make a change and move deeper. 17 feet on the top of Props, a sunken island. Nope. Next move is to Moore in 19 feet. Same results. I remember one of the reports talking deep in 28 feet. Out we go.

Fish are everywhere. Easy targets on the screen at least. Bait is scattered in small balls which is what I like to see. Usually means the predators have been working for a meal. Fish are from 25 to 35 feet so I let down in 28-30 with deep diving reef runners followed by bombers out 150 feet. Didn’t set the world on fire but at least there was payback for the effort.

We call it a day and head into Brendles for the night. I have clients in the morning who are eager to experience what everyone is telling them will be unbelievable fishing. Word is out that all you need is a boat. Fish are everywhere. Expectations---Ya, that’s another story.

Bodie, Lori and 13 year old Colby are fired up. Colby more so than mom. Today’s fishing trip is a birthday present Colby is eager to unwrap. I’m not so eager. Yesterday was all work for a few fish and I don’t have much of a plan. A quick check with the heart. No messages.

We kick off with a pull up a narrow lane through the trees on Rodeo. Next play is in 9 feet, move to 12 and then out to 16 all with the same results. Wind is out of the east and picking up fast for this early in the morning. I’m not all that eager to hit the open water and face the rollers of the big water.

Duty calls, people are paying you to do something Schoneck. Out we go to open water on Props in 28 feet. A few waves break over and test the bilge pumps before we even get started. Big lures down and up comes our first fish of the day. Two more pulls for nothing and I’m now on mental “reserve tank” with no good ideas.

We head into the wind; I see Gull Island and think, “Head straight to it, at least it will break the waves.” Finally a reprieve from the NE wind as we settle into 12 feet. I had no plan to fish here but the quiet water looks inviting.

Out comes the jointed 5’s in Firetiger for a pull in 12 feet. The first present to get unwrapped is impressive. Turns out this is one party you don’t want to miss. By the end of the day everyone has had all the fun ND fishing regs allow. Mom, Dad, and Colby all pose for the family photo.

The ending was the most dramatic. I’m ready to leave and Lori has 3 fish to go. Somewhere from inside, maybe the heart, a message comes through. Take it shallow Schoneck. 3 fish in as many minutes. Limited out right on schedule!

So looking back, the battering by the wind drove us to shelter, resulting in a birthday party surpassing even my expectations. Seems like tuff things in life often bring a surprising reward. Ya, you can call it fate. I think hearing the heart was in the playbook. Oh—I should mention a significant item yet to be discussed. My wife, Julie. She has been home praying all day for the team.

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Van Hook was a complete toilet yesterday.  I don't think it was only my boat either....everyone was running each and every other direction looking for fish.  I did win $160 in blackjack on the way home though.

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Another day, same story. Walleye are holding tight to the shore in 7 to 10 ft. Lots of fish were also taken on the island southeast of the west trestle. Water temp this morning was 76 degrees. They must be after insect larvae as stomachs appear to be empty, but they're rolling with fat. I was thinking about last year. When the fish pulled off the shoreline, they really didn't go far. We had exceptional walleye fishing until mid August, by fishing around the edges of standing trees, especially on the corners of the groves in 13 to 17 ft.

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Fishing at Van Hook has been great for the last week. Last Saturday was the best day of fishing in years for many anglers. Walleye were in 8 to 12 FOW and being taken on most everything. My choice was the lindy and crawler. We had limits both Saturday and Sunday before noon. Monday things changed. Fish pulled out of the shallows and headed for island tops. We're finding lots of really nice walleye on and around the islands in 16 to 20 FOW, still on lindys and half a crawler. Fish are on nearly every piece of structure in that 16 to 20 foot range and possibly many other areas.

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My brother and I fished the Hook Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday:
Wind forecast to get a little stiff so was on the water by 6:15 am.  Started out good leaving the Arm boat ramp when my oil alarm started chirping.  My brother got everything ready but forgot to grab some extra oil.  Good news is they make the alarms go off well in advance so had plenty to get into Brendle's Bay.  Plus, with the high water, only a short job to the bait shop!

So on the water at 6:15 but fishing at about 7:15.  Oh well!!!!!!

Started in way back bay in grass.  Nothing but perch after perch so went to east side.  By this time the boats were piling in on certain areas.  I have a fetish so avoided those areas and hit a small sunken point with four trees sticking out.  I didn't know it was a point but after a couple passes with the boat figured it out.  Got a nice walleye on the second pass and kept on working it.  Was NOT fast and furious by any means but after a few passes we had I think 4 fish.

Wind came up and I tried to start my big motor to backtroll and wouldn't ya know it, no motor.  Day getting better!  Instead of panicking I knew I was S.O.L. and with stiff wind out of west no sense even asking anyone to tow me.  Kept fishing with Vantage and by gosh the fishing got better and we got our 10 fish by 10:00 a.m.

Limped over to shore and broke the rules by docking on Lake Sakakawea shoreline (after getting my uncle to bring pickup and boat trailer around to the other side of the lake.  Good times!!!!!!!

Sunday:
Got off the water too darn early on Saturday and had a few cool beverages.  End result was didn't get up early enough!!!

We went to the west end of the Arm and started fishing around 12:30 or maybe it was 1 pm.  I forget.  Anyway, the goal today was to show my brother the ins and outs of cranking.  Rumor had it the crank bite was smoking hot.  The other rumor was it was a very strict morning bite on Van Hook.  Well, that was true!

I had a goal of cranking in 8 feet but with the shoreline, etc I couldn't find good pockets of snag free water.  So I had to put up with cranking on the outside edge of the trees.  This edge was 16 foot of water.  Got all that setup and off we started.  We actually fished next to the zoo of boats and thought maybe it would work out since we cranked on the outside edge of them but very few nets flying around (none for first hour actually) and we just kept on trolling by.  Finally, we marked a couple and the rods banged.  Tanner got to catch his first crank fish in his newly reconditioned Yar-Craft.

It was slow and we quite shortly after 3 pm with just four keepers.  Nice keepers but of course all from the 2005 year class.  The goal was met though with Tanner getting the ins and outs of cranking, no lost crankbaits and a couple fish for the frying pan.  Maybe could have cranked up more if we took the time to do some reconnaissance work to find the appropriate water and structure.  And of course, get up and get on the water when a guy should!

I know many were getting fish in the Hook but like last year, I fear a decline in the bite shortly.  It isn't good when it is so morning dominated.  That means deeper fish that come into the shallows at night to feed are getting picked off by fishermen and/or retreating to the depths.  Just a clear cut sign not enough catchable fish and too much food available.  I think in about a week it will be difficult to catch fish even in the fish capital of Sakakawea.  Maybe I will be wrong and I'd be happy to be wrong.  Guess we'll see.

Until then, enjoy about the only place consistent fish can be caught on Sakakawea.  Heck, wasn't even consistent for me this weekend but I think getting on the water at 1 pm and leaving at 3 pm is not exactly smart fishing hours!  Ha ha.  Oh well, it was fun the night before .

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