Timed Right.  While water temperatures on Sakakawea have struggled to warm, and conditions are more like June, that has kept walleyes on the bite. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact it’s almost the Fourth of July, because the water temperatures just haven’t really risen yet like in years past.  I feel like we are two weeks behind the average when it comes to fishing walleyes on Lake Sakakawea. 

Now I am not complaining about us being behind schedule weather wise, as those fish are still in early June mode chasing bait up shallow and I’m all for that! 

I’ve been up here on Sakakawea these past couple weeks and guiding every day.  When you are on the water daily like that you notice a lot of changes. The biggest of which is that the water has come up a few feet since I’ve started.  

The water temperatures up here remain the key to your success.  The water is moving and that’s another obstacle to pay attention to. That movement is why the water temperature fluctuates daily in areas of Sakakawea as well. 

Another major shift is that we are finally producing good catches on nightcrawlers pulled behind bottom bouncers.  This makes it easier for me to guide, and it allows us to cover some ground.  

The bulk of the eater sized fish are in the 8 to 14 foot of water.  Though I am still catching them shallower and deeper depending on the day and conditions.  For me if I’m seeing the smelt up super shallow it tells me the cool water is sweeping into shore. This is not necessarily the surface temperature but the temperature down towards the bottom. I typically will move out of these areas. 

I have a couple open days here coming up in July on Sakakawea due to a group rescheduling for September.  Get ahold of me if you want to get on the water!

Mike Peluso is a Dakota Edge Outdoors contributing writer and a licensed ND fishing guide specializing in walleyes on the state’s premier waters.