ND Live Fishing Reports

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

Greg Schoneck

Downstream Disaster

Geez, downstream? You got to be kidding. You can do that if you want Schoneck, they’re your cranks.

The Missouri River is one remarkable walleye fishery that has a short beginning in ND west of Williston. The Sakakawea dam holds her back for the next 170 miles and then off she goes heading south to the SD border. Washburn is one of many great places but this time of year it is THE place in my opinion.

Heavy rain has been forecast for the day along with winds in the 20’s and gusts to 28. Leaving the house this morning we had both. By the time the 80 mile trip was ending the rain was all but stopped leaving only the wind to contend with.

The original plan was to put Gulp and live bait to the test vertical jigging. Two missed hits on live bait and one small walleye on Gulp before I called that plan quits. Too windy for me, the electric was on 5 just to keep me going downstream. Plus, I didn’t like the 40 degree wind in my face.

After a cautious trip upriver, didn’t hit a single sandbar, an accomplishment for me, we settled into one of my favorite Washburn locations. I still had jigs on the brain but that cleared out after a couple of guys in a Lund put on a seminar using cranks. Let the games begin!

First down was a jointed 5 in Firetiger with a Wonderbread Red Rip Shad next door.First fish, jointed 5 but that was when the Rip Shad took over. Before long the Shad Rap is being changed out for a Firetiger Rip Shad. They are hard to tune but I have no other lure I would place ahead of Rip Shads.

We are fishing a section of sand dunes running into a current break with a flat bottom. Depths average 8 to 9 feet. Current is pretty strong at the lower section but with the dunes to rest in the fish seem to be concentrated at the lower end. This would be an ideal setup for leadcore and it crossed my mind but we just didn’t need it to get fish.

I’ve done this before, I think Pepin in Red Wing was the first place. Smoking downstream with cranks can be a sure way of cleaning out the tackle boxes. It can also put fish, big fish in the livewell. I’m pretty safe here in the sand and get away with it today. I’ll admit I’m not always so lucky. If you have some old rusty cranks give it a try sometime.

By mid-afternoon winds died down and I went back to jigs for a vertical drift down to where I start back upstream with the cranks. Normally I can catch walleyes faster with cranks but jigs were quickly overtaking the crank catch. Nothing fancy, just a ¼ ounce jig and fathead minnow. Using the electric to match the current speed it’s a fun way to fish.

The river will likely stay good for another several weeks. The general theme is as summer progresses fish size and numbers begin to die down. We have had some unusually cool weather so perhaps the great fishing will continue longer that normal.  For the few who really understand the river there is a lot of season left, regardless of the summer heat. I still have some cranks left. See ya on the river.

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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