Author: James Skinner

Fishing for bass

~ James Skinner

Went out to Kota-Ray for some post spawn bass. As expected they were hanging under the cattail shelf that surrounds that lake.  Did well using a Texas rig firetiger colored soft plastic crawfish.  Also tried to catch some perch.  Marked a bunch over the main lake flats but all I could catch were less than 6 inches.  They may be eating mayfly hatches since they seem to be avoiding structure.  Next time I will have to try minnows for the bigger ones.  Have a minnow colored gulp bait a try, got a few hits but wasn’t able to hook one.  I was using a surf style rig with the weight on the bottom and 2 hooks off the main line.  Water temp was upper 60s but not crazy warm. 

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McLeod

~ James Skinner

Took the yak out to ray to fish McLeod for a first.  Lake is real shallow north of the bridge but the south side is like one big pit that maxes out near 30.  Water was warm at 70.  Caught about a dozen 2 foot or less pike using a jig head and gulp minnow bait.  Was looking for perch and walleye and marked a bunch at 9-10 feet right at the edge of the weeds. Only managed one bitter though on a slip bobber and worm but it was a huge perch.  13 inches long, if I could get a mess of them that would be great.  It was bright and sunny and very calm, may have better luck on a cloudy day. 

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Hunting the perch.

~ James Skinner

Took the yak out for the first time this year to Kota-Ray.  Was targeting yellow perch but only brought worms.  Managed to find some at about 10 to 15 foot of water on the main lake point but couldn’t seem to catch any of any size.  Trout were all over the surface but none caught. I also didn’t get any bass but didn’t really try.  Weather was warm, in the 70s and sunny.

Whopper catfish

~ James Skinner

So this spring I went out to west spring lake park because I heard they stocked eater sized trout and catfish in there.  Low and behold on nothing but bobber and earthworm I catch a 15 lb 34.5 inch catfish! I bet this monster has been lurking for some time. Date was May 6th on an overcast and cool day.

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Spring update

~ James Skinner

So far this spring came early. I have heard reports of smelt starting to run on the lake by lunds landing.  Walleye by Newtown have been good but on this end its been real slow. Not a lot of reports but last weekend I went out and got a few pike, one being 12 lbs but I think was half spawned out. Also caught a ling, all in about 10-15 ft of water.  Temp have been solid for about a week now so water temp should be up, I’ll check this weekend if I go out. No melt yet from the river so lake levels are  real low.

Monster pike

~ James Skinner

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Forgot to post this when I caught it, last ice fishing of the year, March 9th.  It was 45 degrees and sunny, I was fishing in 9 to 15 ft of water with tipups and smelt. Caught 5 fish, a 10 lbder and this monster! 40 inches long and probably my biggest pike! What a day!!

Early spring fishing

~ James Skinner

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We have had an exceptional early thaw this year. The river opened one week ago and today I am fishing open water at lunds landing and Lewis and Clark. It would seem the walleye are prespawning on the river and people have been doing really well at the pumphouse.  Today I fished for pike on sakakawea.  Lunds had really low water, I couldn’t find a spot deeper than 5 ft. Managed a small pike slow rolling a minnow but was otherwise dead. It may be to shallow to early.  Lewis and Clark however was a different matter. There is still ice on the boat ramp where barley 3 weeks before I caught a 40 in fish through the ice.  On the inlet though the water was open and the pike were trolling. I got an ok pike and the guy across from me got a beauty of a fish.  Oddly I also caught a large catfish in deep water on a minnow. Weather has been in the 40s and wind was light with mostly sunny skies giving way to clouds.

Mid-Winter Fishing

~ James Skinner

Went out fishing at Sakakawea yesterday with some friends. It has been really cold with highs in the negatives some days but we warmed up this weekend with yesterday at 36. Still fishing was slow. We tried out by Lunds Landing, some submerged islands off in the main body at about 17 to 30 feet of water and got nothing. We then went over to the south side kind of by Tobacco Gardens but a little bit further east at the opening of this bay. We were fishing at 12 to 9 feet of water and managed one yellow perch, one pike, and one 21.5 in walleye! Saw a few other fish on the finder and had a few tipups go but to no result. Caught the fish on a yellow darting lure.

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Posted from Williston, North Dakota, United States.

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Crappie galore

~ James Skinner

Got to do some ice fishing on Trenton the past two weeks. First ice of the year and really managed to slam them, probably caught 40 fish over three trips. Some walleye and pike too.  Also a 2.3 lbder was caught by some guy.  All on minnows with basic jig heads or spinner jigs.  Artifical seems to do nothing.  Bite is real good from sunrise till about noon, then picks back up around 3. 

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