Loads for Late Season. The fall fishing has produced 100-fish days for the author as an influx of walleyes have inundated the Missouri River in and around Bismarck.
By Mike Peluso
What a month it has been! After grinding it out through September and for half of October, these past 30 plus days have been something special when it comes to fishing walleyes on the Missouri River in Bismarck!
When I hear people say: “we must have caught a hundred,” for the most part I think that’s a good fishing story. However, I’ve had many days this fall where we did catch between 85 to 100 walleyes – sometimes more! The only way I know this to be true is because I hit my clicker keeping track on each outing.
Jigs and minnows pitched out has been my go to presentation. It’s so hard to beat that telltale thump on a jig! Another promising thing is the health of the fish that have come upstream into the river. There are tons of 16-to-18-inch walleyes that are extremely fat. So, the system is in really good shape.
It is a tad bit depressing that it’s most likely coming to an end here unfortunately. The 10 day forecast shows some snow and really cold weather ahead. I really can’t complain though, it’s been a heck of a good open water season!
For me this off season will be a little bit different. I will not be guiding any ice fishing trips this winter. I have transitioned back to coaching hockey. I will be over in Mandan this winter working with the Mandan youth hockey club.
This doesn’t mean I won’t be ice fishing. It just means I won’t be guiding. I do plan to have a spear shack or two out on Sakakawea for rent. So if you want to darkhouse spear you can get ahold of me!
I’m also booking up pretty fast for next open water season! I will start on April 1 again on the Missouri River near Bismarck and I will run trips here until mid-May. From then until mid-June I will be guiding up on Devils Lake. Then, from mid-June through July you will find me on Lake Sakakawea. August I will be on both Sakakawea and Devils Lake. September until freeze up I’m back on the river.
So again, pick your body of water and get ahold of me to reserve a day or two or three or four of fishing before I’m completely booked up!
Mike Peluso is a Dakota Edge Outdoors contributing writer and licensed ND fishing guide specializing in walleyes on the state’s premier waters.