Fishing Report For Devils Lake, ND

Current Report: Good

Devils Lake has become a white bass factory. Good spawns, and ideal water conditions, are turning out lots of fat white bass.

WINTER. Winter for white bass is a continuation of Fall patterns, except slightly deeper, around 10 to 25 feet. In Winter they have biting very aggressively when ice fishing for several years now. Currently, and while ice fishing shortly, they are caught on spoons, jigs, and live minnows, but most are caught using a slower presentation. They often concentrate in the main lake basin, around drop offs, points and humps. Good reports come from anglers fishing around Minnewaukan Flats and drop-offs along the Main Bay channel edges.

SPRING. The Spring run, when white bass move into the river sections of the lake, inflowing creeks, or along windy points where they stay for several weeks. to spawn. This makes it easier to locate schools in 3 to 15 feet of water. Live minnows on a bobber, underspins, small swimbaits and small crankbaits all work for white bass in the shallows. Some proven spawning areas include protected, shallow flats and points in the mouths of smaller inlets on Main Bay and East Bay, Channel A, and Six-Mile Bay and West Bay. White bass start their spawn run once the water temperature reaches the mid 50's. Early Spring is a prime time to fill the livewells with some fat white bass. Spinnerbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, small crankbaits, small jerkbaits, and most any lure that resembles baitfish, will catch these feeding whites. As the water temperatures continues warming, they move out of spawning areas, into slightly deeper water. Look for them following schools baitfish in 15 to 25 feet deep. Also, watch for feeding frenzies when they chase schools of bait to the surface, and the fishing can be spectacular.

SUMMER. Summer finds white bass congregating in the main lake area, following and feeding on baitfish. They tend to stay in 30 to 40 feet of water, moving up and down the water column with the baitfish. Often they will chase baitfish up into as shallow as 5 feet deep, for short periods. They are being caught on slow-rolled spinnerbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, spoons, blade baits and small crankbaits, depending on the depth of the baitfish. Middle of the lake channel edges, points and deeper flats hold both bait and white bass in the warmest months. Popular areas include wind-blown points, flats and channel edges around Grahams Island, Pelican Point, Main Bay and West Bay.

FALL. Early Fall finds white bass following baitfish into shallow coves and bays, into 10 to 30 feet of water. Spoons, jigs, underspins and minnows are catching good numbers of whites. Later, once the shallows cool considerably from chilly Fall temperatures, schools of white bass and baitfish, move even deeper. They will relate to most any structure, which includes drops, humps, timber, and creek channels.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

WINTER. Last Winter, fishing for walleye was quite good through the ice, as it has been for the last few years. This year should hold to tradition. Before, during and after the ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 10 to 30 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. Popular areas include flats and deeper basin edges around Pelican Point, Minnewaukan Flats, Creel Bay, Main Bay and West Bay. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. After ice-out blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling or drifting.

SPRING. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. In Spring work shallow points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges,and flats adjacent to deeper water. Close to these areas, once the water warms to the mid to high 40's, walleye move into in 6 to 18 feet of water to spawn. When they are in the shallows, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 10 to 20 feet deep around creek inlets, shallow rock reefs, windblown rocky points and flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore. They often stay in close proximity to their spawning locations. Main lake drop offs are producing nice fish.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can keep your bait deep enough. Good areas to explore include flats and drop offs in the Main Basin, Pelican Point and Grahams Island areas. Early in the day, and again at dusk, walleye tend to concentrate in 15 to 20 feet of water. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, 25 to 40 feet deep , preferring the cooler temperatures. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically attract bites.

FALL. Fall brings cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish back into the shallows. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and structure off shore. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Early and late in the day finds them in 6 to 18 feet of water, mid day they hold 15 to 30 feet deep. Later in Fall, they may move deeper. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs is catching walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

Current Report: Good

Northern pike are stocked here, primarily to keep the growth of perch and sunfish under control.

WINTER. For the past several Winters, ice fishing for northern pike has been very good. Pike remain active in Winter, often congregating in or near remaining weedbeds, especially along the edges. Popular areas include shallow flats and basin edges around Six-Mile Bay, Minnewaukan Flats and Main Bay. Other structure options include long points, reefs, ledge drop-offs, and rocky humps, ideally nearby deeper water. Look for them in 5 to 20 feet of water before ice over. Ice fishing should be good again this year. At times, when oxygen is depleted in deeper water, northerns suspend directly under the ice, where maximum oxygen is available. Other times they hold on structure in 10 to 12 feet of water, sometimes deeper.

SPRING. Once the ice melts, anglers report catching northern pike in the shallows on flashy lures. For many decades the Johnson Spoon has been a deadly bait for northerns, especially when tipped with a white, or bright colored trailer. Jerkbaits, big spinners, swimbaits are all catching northerns here. As the water warms, noisy topwater baits like the Whopper Flopper are a good choice. Once water temperatures reach around 40 degrees, they move into even shallower areas with vegetation, to spawn. Ideal depths range from 2 to 8 feet. Big pike may stage deeper on points, shallow flats and inside coves, especially in creek channels on Main Bay and East Bay. After spawning they linger in the shallow bays for a short period. Once water temperatures rise into the 50's, they move to deeper weedbeds and shallow structures adjacent to even deeper water.

SUMMER. Northern pike scatter all around the lake, rather than gather in groups. This makes them difficult to locate. During the day they are holding shallow around weed beds, 3 to 15 feet deep on shallow ledges, reefs, rock piles, islands and channel edges. Some of the larger specimens are suspending in open water, just outside shallow feeding areas. Trolling or drift fishing produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners, cut bait, and deep diving crankbaits. Early and late in the day, they move shallow to feed and can be caught around most weedy shorelines, in 3 to 8 feet of water. Good options include weedbeds near Pelican Point and Minnewaukan Flats. Spinnerbaits, noisy topwater lures, and Johnson spoons with curly-tail grubs, are catching nice pike shallow.

FALL. As the weather starts turning cold, water temperatures cool fastest in the shallows. This brings schools of shad into shallower water, and northerns follow this food source. Transition edges between the Main Basin and adjacent flats are popular in Fall. They hang around weedbed edges, main-lake points, reefs, and rocky shorelines to ambush prey in 5 to 20 feet of water. This is a prime feeding time, as they prepare for winter. It is also a good time to catch a trophy pike.