North Dakota guide Johnnie Candle offers up some tips and strategies on how to fish Devils Lake during the spring and early summer.
How to Fish Devils Lake: Spring/ Early Summer
Located in Northeastern North Dakota, Devils Lake is a unique body of water that has had rising water levels each year for the past two decades. Currently sitting at about 160,000 acres of water, Devils Lake is a fantastic fishery that offers world class walleye, jumbo perch, northern pike, white bass, and more!
Due to the rising water levels the lake creates new habitat and structure to explore each year.
Breaking down how to fish Devils Lake in the spring and early summer is fairly simple.
During the spring and early summer expect to find most fish in shallow in less than ten feet of water. During the early parts of spring target shallow, dark bottomed bays and areas with current like creek mouths, culverts, channels, and bridges. Baitfish are naturally drawn into those areas earlier in the year and they are sure spots for hungry walleyes, northern pike, and white bass.
As we progress into early summer those bays and current areas will still hold fish, but a majority of the fish will have moved out onto the main lake structure. Target hard to soft bottom transition areas and wind blown shorelines and points. Expect the fish to still be shallow even in early summer.
Just about every technique imaginable will work on Devils Lake.
Whether you are casting jigs and plastics in the shallow bays, pulling crankabits out across the basins, livebait rigging main lake humps, or fishing flooded road beds with slip bobbers you can catch walleyes, perch, and pike with just about any presentation you’d prefer to fish.
Hopefully this gives you a few tactics and tips on how to fish Devils Lake in the spring and early summer.
