Truck Side View. The author utilizes live sonar to help find fish under the ice on a nicer day in between coaching and weather systems. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso

By Mike Peluso

My time on the ice this winter has been very limited. This is due to a combination of my health, the weather, and getting back to coaching hockey this season. But that does not mean that I have been out of the loop, it’s just not the everyday grind it used to be while guiding ice fishing.

There are a few lakes over in the Jamestown area that have been pretty good. I don’t ever share the names of those small lakes simply because the friends who share that info with me would probably no longer be my friends! Do some searching and online research and odds are you’ll find them.

Devils Lake has definitely come around this winter. Scattered quality perch when found are biting and being caught. The walleye bite has been decent during the early mornings and late evenings.

Lake Sakakawea, to the west and in the Van Hook Arm is also producing. Though reports of some shifting of ice with the recent weather changes has created a few problems out there, so be careful!

It’s hard for me to believe I am almost done with the hockey season. About a month left is all. Once I’m done with that it will be open water guiding for me again as much as possible. With the winter off from guiding, I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to get back. I feel just like I did when I was a kid waiting for the river to open in spring! So with that said I have openings for the Missouri River this spring and some openings in August for Sakakawea. Get ahold of me to book your trips!

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