Mother Lode. Bigger walleyes are in the mix on Lake Sakakawea as a solid bite develops with the onset of summer. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

What a week of walleye angling it has been on Lake Sakakawea!  Between good fishing, up and down weather with wind, minor boat repairs, and great clients, it’s been memorable. 

The fish on Sakakawea right now are extremely healthy!  I’m surprised we are actually able to get them to eat, as there is a lot of forage swimming around for these walleyes.  

We have caught fish as shallow as three feet and as deep as 20.  They do seem to move up and down depending on the weather.  For us it’s been a mix of old school Lindy rigs and slow death rigs with crawlers. 

We are watching the water temperatures closely.  It seems if you can find the warmer water, you find success a whole lot faster. With lower water levels this year, it’s really concentrated the fish in certain areas. 

The average size of walleyes that we are seeing are the perfect guide-size fish with some bigger fish going back into the lake for the future, and 16-to-20-inch fish have been plentiful.  Lots of other species of fish are joining in on the fun! 

I don’t see things slowing down anytime soon! So, if you want to book a trip I have some August dates available; get ahold me!

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