ND Live Fishing Reports

Fishing reports are updated every Friday and follow the ND Live radio program heard throughout North Dakota

Greg Schoneck

Fish Bite Better in the Rain

Last week Thursday I left Minot headed west to Williston in pursuit of the Paddlefish. 20 miles out the wipers went to work. Today I’m headed south to Washburn and, yep you guessed it. 20 miles out the wipers turn on. Normally, if I’m guiding, about this time some overly excited client pipes up. “At least the fish bite better in the rain.” NOT! How did that get started? I got nothing against a good rain. It’s just that it’s 40 degrees.

The ND section of the Missouri river for the most part begins at the tailrace in Pick City where turbines churn up the water and everything else that goes through. The other stuff being churned is mostly smelt which are the forage base in Sakakawea. By the time it winds through south Bismarck it is back to lake. Here it is defined by submerged live trees due to recent high water. Ideal nursery habitat. I expect the river to only get better.

Washburn area is primarily sandbars, a few rocks and a lot of submerged old growth cottonwoods. It is also one impressive walleye fishing area. The secret to Washburn is current breaks created by the sandbars. Then finding where the fish are in relation to the break. Shallow or deep, up at the head or downstream.

Due to daily changing water levels, the result of the turbines, current breaks are in constant flux. It will help if you keep a sharp eye on the ups and downs as you fish. I start the day pitching a jig-minnow into 7 to 9 feet but it doesn’t feel right. Fact is, the harder the east wind blows the driving rain, the less anything feels right. Eventually I get first fish but more effort is left unrewarded.

Spawn is history by a few weeks even though water is only 43 degrees. Nice late April weather had water temps up close to 50. Today we are down about 7 degrees. Weather is suppose to straighten out for the weekend and fishing will be hot and only get better as we move into June.

I forgot my wool gloves in the truck and in this case it was a good thing. How did America every get settled without a good truck heater. I’m twice the man when I can feel my fingers and talk without slurring due to numb lips! Bring it on, I’ve got my gloves, I’m warmed up and ready.

Back out with a new strategy to go deeper and drop downstream into slower water. Don’t take me long to figure out this is cold front conditions. I can the pitching idea and adopt the slower vertical jigging mode. First drift in 12 feet and finally I feel like I’m on to something. Couple more drifts and I’m smiling my way to a limit.

About 3 years ago I started trying to listen to my heart, not something I do well. Stay with me here, this ain’t gonna get messy.  This has to do with catching fish. Anyway this idea of following my heart is tuff to explain but easy to see. I catch more walleyes with less effort. Way more.

Today the heart was saying; “Take it deep Schoneck, slow it down”. OK I’ll admit it, I ask for help first and then listen. Don’t have it figured out, don’t always listen and don’t always ask, but when I do, seems fish bite better. Kind of like they do when it’s raining.

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Remember fishing is a learned sport. More you practice the better you get, so better get fishing!

Greg Schoneck for ND Live