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Devil's Lake thoughts

Dahitman44
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Dahitman44 Grand Master

Dahitman44

Posted
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I have always wanted to go to Devil's Lake and now I am. I will be fishing on Tuesday and Wednesday with a local guide service and will be staying in one of their cabins.

I will be fishing with my pops and I don't think we have done that since I was about 17 and it was salmon fishing in Michigan/Wisconsin. He is not a big fishing guy.

Any thoughts to what the fishing will be like? Any tips?

I can't wait -- I bought a season pass so I can go back in my boat.

Has anyone been up there? Lately? Heard anything?

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Paul Experienced

Paul

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I can tell you one thing. it will be windy, it is allways windy on Devils lake. I would talk your dad in to some dramamine if he is not used to big water. You should catch a ton of really short Fat walleyes. Most walleyes I have caught on Devils lake have been short and Fat. I am bringing my Dad fishing this weekend also, we are heading to the pond called Mille lacs.

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Tim_Anderson Rising Star

Tim_Anderson

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Yep, plan on it being windy.

Devils has a good population of eater walleyes, and some pigs as well. Lots of nice pike too (4-8 pounds), although I think they are being exploited too much and seem to be getting smaller as the years go by. Also tons of white bass, which are really fun when you get into a school of them (watch for wind blown areas along rip-rap which gets them into a feeding frenzy. Big crappies too, if you can find them. There's supposed to be a few muskies as well, although I have never connected with one. Nice perch too.

I have always had the best luck fishing jigs and rapalas in the timber on the shorelines. Try to find areas that are more "timber free", which can be a challenge. Bobber fishing with leeches can be good as well. Plan on getting snagged quite a bit and losing some tackle.

Your guide should know what's going on out there. I will tell you that many of the local boys out there are a "different breed"....just my experience. Don't expect alot of help or good information at the bait store. Many of the locals are not big on people from Minnesota, or "outsiders".

Later in the summer, trolling Rapalas out on the flats can be incredible, but that's more of a July/August thing. Good luck, and one more thought..... You will probably get some more response if you post your question under the North Dakota forum.

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Dahitman44 Grand Master

Dahitman44

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Tim --

Yeah I put a post up on the devils lake site and have had Zero answers.

Thanks for the ofo -- I am excited.

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Dahitman44 Grand Master

Dahitman44

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Paul -- I just called the wife to pick up some dramamine -- I have never had trouble on Lake Michigan or at the Lake of the woods, but you never know. Can't hurt.

How big to those rollers get?

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dlsfinest Rookie

dlsfinest

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They roll pretty good, but there is always someplace to get out of the wind.

The locals have a problem with Minnesota folks because they are leasing all of there hunting lands, leaving the folks who live in town no place to hunt. And then you throw in the lawsuit that Mr. Hatch filed against ND becasue he didnt think they had the right to make their own hunting laws. What an (Contact Us Please).

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Dahitman44 Grand Master

Dahitman44

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Yeah -- People get a little caught up trying to protect their own. The thing is, it is not like it is a small pond that will get fished out -- it is a huge fishery that brings a ton of people to a state that is more or less don the down swing as far as population and things like that.

When people tcome to fish their state they spend money in their state.

How many No-Dakers come to MN -- a TON.

And yes, Hatch is a (contact us).

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Bison9 Rising Star

Bison9

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Yeah, if you're from Wisco, then they really don't like ya!! But, I like catching their fish..:) Yeah, you should get a lot of short, fat ones at this time of year. Actually, the spring fishing for eyes was a little slower than usuall this year. But, how can you complain when you catch 10 walleyes all over 24 inches the day we were up there in April? Oh, I only caught 10 eyes, it must have been slow (that's how good this lake is). Anyways Hitman, your guide should be able to put you on the fish. If you're strugglinbg, ask him about the Golden Highway or Blue Bill point over there by Minnawauken - I've heard Blue Bill is out of control good right now. Hopefully it still will be when you get there. Good luck!

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marine_man Mentor

marine_man

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Quote:

Tim --

Yeah I put a post up on the devils lake site and have had Zero answers.

Quote:

The locals have a problem with Minnesota folks because they are leasing all of there hunting lands, leaving the folks who live in town no place to hunt.

I wouldn't say that these two statements are true for this website. The truth is that there aren't a lot of people that visit the ND forum, and there aren't a lot of people who fish Devils Lake regularily that post regularily on the ND board.

From what I've heard (and read in your thread) is that things have been pretty good.

Unfortunately that's all I have to offer - I haven't fished DL in quite a while.

marine_man

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dlsfinest Rookie

dlsfinest

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I really havent had much problem with the "locals of ND" while fishing and I've fished all over ND and quite often, especially Devils. The thing about Devils is the locals want you to use the guide services and everybody knows everybody, so if they seem tight lipped , they are because they think if you dont know what your doing then pay.

I used to goose hunt up in that area and if you didnt have a place to hunt, all you had to do was get in a cafe around 4 and some farmer would be in asking if you had someplace to go.

On the other hand, the pheasant situation is another story all together. Thats where they get touchy. Some parts I know for a fact your better off being with a friend from Nd in his truck with his ND plates than to be in a truck with MN plates.

But then Ive been doing the ND scene for almost 35 years and I have developed good relationships with lots of good folks all over ND.

Most of the complainers live in Fargo, Bismarck, GForks and need the public land or a friends place to hunt. With out of staters buying up land and not letting anybody used what they may have had access to since the turn of the century. Things get touchy. If your not making money from the out of staters and they are using your hunting places and fishing places they dont look at it as something of economic value. your using thier spots.

But then most of the ones who complain also have cabins on Detroit, Melissa, etc...and then complain about how much their MN fishing license cost them for the whole entire year.

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