Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
A strong bite continues on Lake Sakakawea, with crawlers and leeches dominating the bait choices heading into the back half of July.
This week, the walleyes are still biting across Lake Sakakawea. Some areas like the mid-section or the Van Hook Arm can be better, but that doesn't mean the eastern edge can't be dynamite! Key depths have been 12-to-18 feet. Now, some days with the right winds and water clarity they move up shallower, some days they stay deeper. We are still keying in on the water temperatures, and the lake is fluctuating around 68 to 72 degrees. If you are seeing it in this range, you are good to go!
Crawlers on just about anything are hard to beat right now. Leave the minnow buckets in the trucks. I would, however, have a dozen or two leeches along. This will also trigger a big bite from time to time.
As far as presentation, it's pretty hard to beat a slow death hook with a half a crawler on an 1.5 oz bouncer moving .7 to 1.0 mph, depending on the currents and the wind. Yes, we still have current coming into the lake, so pay close attention to the rotation of your lures. The lake will go through a transition at some point here. Stay tuned and I'll try and do my best to speed up the finding and catching process.
I have a few openings in August up here on Sakakawea if you are interested in a trip. If so, get ahold of me. The fishing has been unreal, and I don't see it letting up!
Mike Peluso is a Dakota Edge Outdoors contributing writer and a licensed ND fishing guide specializing in walleyes on the state's premier waters.
