ND Live Fishing Reports

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

Greg Schoneck

Father’s Day Miracle

One simple text and a return phone call set in motion a two day adventure.

Nathan and I don’t fish much together anymore. Things in his life have changed and not necessarily for the good. I was hoping he would say yes but it was an effort even to ask. He has turned me down so many times it was gett’n hard to face another rejection. Surprised? Ya, you could say that but even more so delighted.

Breakfast was planned at my house the next morning. With hot coffee and eggs we were off to Lake Darling. Word is out about the Grano bite and I would guess that for every 20 boats launching, 19 were at Grano. We opted to stay closer to the ramp.

Cranks in 12 were good for a walleye or two in x small and a few northern. We moved inside the weeds next. I figured any decent walleye will be shallow. Wrong! The northern kept us busy non-stop. By the time one was unhooked another was on. I suggested we make a change to perch.

The old road bed gave up a couple but most were small. 3 stops with the anchor out and I was ready for new territory. We moved down the shoreline till we got to the old buoy line and decided to go back to cranks.

A light wind picked up and just like that we were into walleyes. Jointed 5’s in Firetiger were best but Nate picked up a few on a RS-4 in Sunfire. We had been talking about the smallmouth and how I never seem to catch any at Darling. Just then Nate got hit and sure enough an x large smally.

With two limits in the cooler we quit while I still had enough gas. Turns out it was a good call. Less than a quart when we got back. Perfect weather, perfect fishing. Thanks Nate.

Father’s Day today and the boys are at an Appleseed shoot. They have gotten into precision shooting and a day at the range is big stuff. I’m left with the prospect of what to do with yesterday’s adventure pulling at my heart. Sunny, light winds out of the south, temps in the low 70’s.

I was happy to go alone and just get some time by myself but I asked Guibber just in case. She don’t particularly like fishing. I’m a bit intense at times. With a little direction from mom we are off on a Father’s Day Special to Darling.

We give yesterday’s hot spot a try and it is loaded up with northern. Two more passes and we are making a move. It’s hard to leave what was a great spot but I know it has to be done. We tried shallow, medium and deep; northern at all locations so off to new territory.

12 feet was yesterday’s magic depth and today is no different. The difference is walleye size. You go girl. Jointed cranks seem to be the key again and once more Firetiger is the leader. Remember that conversation about smallys? Things are about to change.

“This is really fighting Dad.” Sarah’s first smally turns out to be just over 3! What a gift. Next up was a few more walleyes and then it happened again. Smally just over 3. Now it can’t get any better than a crank bite for walleyes with bonus smally’s, but it did.

Perch started hitting one right after another. Triples, doubles and in the mix walleyes and smally’s. Of course a northern every now and then to keep us guessing. The pace was unbelievable. Let out, reel in, unhook, let out, reel in, unhook. The only interruption to the sequence was another big smally which we stopped to take a picture of.

I’ve caught perch before on cranks but it was always a bonus fish here and there. I have never experienced a consistent bite of doubles and triples. This is absolutely amazing and it just won’t stop. It doesn’t get any better, but it did.

We are gett’n close to calling it a day. One more pass for another walleye and some perch. The cranks bounce over a point and Sarah is back to work with a respectable northern. We get another hit and I set the drag just a little tighter so I’m not losing so much line. Finally we get Guibber’s northern in and take time for pictures.

Back to business; Sarah now has the other fish to contend with and yet another one that hooked up while we were taking pictures. “This one’s really fighting Dad.” Another smally and it literally jumped out of the water and into the net. Ya, I know, I didn’t believe it either.

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

Greg Schoneck for ND Live