Devils Lake Report

Merry Christmas to All!!

Ice conditions update...Devils Lake built a solid layer of ice during the recent cold snap!! Expect to find 6-18 inches of ice on the lake. We strongly suggest lighter transportation such as: 4 wheeler, snowcat, UTV, or Snobear for your travels around the lake. Some people have been out in vehicles already; however, we do not recommend this. Look for best ice in the back bays/shallower areas of the lake. Main lake/deeper water areas will have the least amount of ice so use caution in these places. As ice continues to grow and expand, look for ridges and cracks to form, ALWAYS be very careful in these areas.

As for the bite...it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride. Some of the shallower bays are pretty stirred up from stronger winds that we had right before freeze up. This makes the bite trickier as walleye, perch, and pike as they have a more difficult time seeing your bait. The shallower bays should heat up as water clarity improves!
We have had some perch luck on the big lake and our guides are out looking and searching every hump, point, flat, weed line, rock pile, etc. out there! We will find them!! As always, make sure to have your Ion charged or auger full of gas, as the name of the game is drilling and persistence!

We really get going right after Christmas! We have a very busy winter coming. If you are looking to get out and experience Devils Lake this winter, give us a call and we will see if we can make it work!!

Have a great Christmas everyone!!


Bry's Guide Service

It's all about the weather...

It's that time or year where is seems like it is either  'feast or famine' with the weather, meaning that you could have calm winds and temps in the 50-60 degrees or it could be in the 20-30 degrees with gale force winds which make fishing nearly impossible. Therefore, it is strongly suggested that you look ahead at the forecast and plan accordingly. The nice aspect of brutal weather is that the duck and goose hunting is usually at it's best during it.

As for the bite, not a lot has changed in Devils Lake. Best areas to fish include the current areas: 20, 57, Rutten and Mauvee bridges. Using jigging presentations such as: jigging raps, jig/plastic combos, and live bait such as minnow and leeches. When the bite slows in the current areas, we have worked adjacent areas where fish will often slide to when they are not in the current. Also, work areas that are a bit deeper, or even a mile or two down from the current. Best presentations to use when "searching" for pockets are: trolling cranks or pulling live bait rigs such as bottom bouncers and spinners. Other areas to try include: deep rock humps and points. Some days we are finding active fish on the tops of these humps and other days when are finding them on the edges.
Very important to find the active pocket, once you do the schools are usually active. We have caught some of the largest and fattest fish of the season of late.

Good luck to all!

Our favorite time of the year...

So many options out there right now! The days are getting shorter and the leaves are starting to turn and fall. The air is crisp and fresh. Such a special time of year!

As for the fishing, we are catching fish in or near the current most days. Seems like some days they want aggressive jigging raps while other days they prefer live bait rigs such as lindy rigs or bottom bouncers and spinners. Best depths around the current is 18-26 ft. We have also caught some dandy perch and pike in the current as well.

Other areas that have produced as well are humps or points that have deeper water close. Fish are holding in the20-30 ft most days, with the key being to find the pocket on each point or hump.

We have also had some good bites in shallower water; however, weather needs to be stable for the shallower bite as major winds tend to stir up the shallows and slow the bite for a few days when this happens.

As we continue into fall look for some of the best action for true trophy walleyes and pike to occur. Seems like the later we get the more aggressive they get!

Good luck to all!! Give us a call and we will get you out there!

7017390161

Fall is in the air...

What a quick summer it has been! All of the guides at  Bry's Guide Service would like to thank all of our wonderful clients this summer. Plenty of laughter, fun, and great memories were made! 

As we begin to enter fall...look for the bite  to continue to be productive. Patterns and locations may change a bit, but the thump from those walleyes will continue! In fact, look for some of our nicest fish of the year to be caught in the next two months. 

Seems like there's to many options with to little time during the fall. A really fun option for our clients is to hunt the morning and fish the afternoon (cast and blast), as we refer to it. If you are looking for another great experience on Devils Lake, give us a call or email and we will make it happen! It truly is an amazing time of year.

Mark Bry

701 739-0161

Brysguideservice@gmail.com

Persistence is the key...

The bite continues to be very on Devils Lake North Dakota. It seems like every day is a bit different as far as the location of fish. Some days there as shallow is 4 feet and other days there as deep as 30 feet. Without a doubt the most important thing to do on Devils Lake, North Dakota right now is to cover water and keep working till you find that active pocket. Trolling crank baits pulling bottom bouncers and spinners are great ways to cover water and  find those pockets. Some of our best colors for crank baits have been perch, fire tiger, and pink and purple. For spinners a hammered gold, silver, pink, and chartreuse have been very good.

As the days of summer start to get numbered, don't forget that we still have fantastic fishing in the fall on Devils Lake with the chances for nicer fish always present. Often, as we enter fall we catch some of our largest fish of the year.

If you'd like to have a fantastic fishing experience please contact us at 701-739-0161 or email us at brysguideservice@gmail.com

Good luck to all!

Mark Bry

Dog days equal hot fishing on Devils Lake!!

The walleyes on Devils Lake are really on the feed of late. There are many class sizes of fish being caught on the lake right now, and it is very probable to catch a limit of 15-20 inch walleyes. During this time of year there are many areas of the lake where there is a lot of bait (shrimp, minnows, young of the year fish, bug hatches, etc). So cover water until you locate the active pocket of feeding fish. The old shoreline has been very good (22-26ft) and we have also had great action fishing in shallower areas (10-18ft).

Seems like everyday the bite is a bit different, so just cover water until you find them.

Best presentations have been bottom bouncers and spinners tipped with a crawler, vertical jigging with a crawler, or trolling cranks. Use hammered gold, silver, pink, or chartreuse spinners or jigs for colors.

Pike action is spotty but we are catching a few in with the walleyes. Bass fishing is good in shallow along rip rap or along weed lines.

As summer starts to drift away, make sure to get out and enjoy the great weather and action!!

Mark Bry

The lake is "on"!!

The bite has been very good at Devils Lake, ND this past week!

Walleyes are being caught as shallow as 5 ft and as deep as 28ft. We are mainly pulling live bait with bottom bouncers and spinners. Hammered gold, silver, pink, and purple have been very good colors, we are using a third of a crawler go best results. Slip bobber fishing and vertical jigging has also been fantastic, seems like the top of humps, points, and the edges of the weed lines have produced the best action. Some of our guides are also trolling cranks in 10-16 ft and doing well.

Pike fishing has slowed a bit; however, we have caught a few dandies while fishing for walleyes. 

Bass have been more spotty, but it seems like the rip rap shorelines are holding the majority of bass.

Good luck to all, This is certainly a time to get out with friends and family and enjoy some great fishing!!

Lots of options...

This is the time of year of options, we are catching fish as shallow 2 ft and as deep as 26 ft. We are catching fish pitching, bobbering, pulling spinners, and cranks.

Lots of 13-18 inch walleyes are cooperating which makes the days a lot of fun! When we are using live bait we tend to use leeches and a third of a crawler. Jig/plastic combos and cranks pitched in the shallows are producing well when you have a bit of wind. The bottom line is you can fish the way that you want to fish cause pretty much all presentations are producing!

Enjoy these summer days boys and girls!

Everyday is a little different...

There are a few different bites going on right now in Devils Lake, we are still finding fish shallow in 3 to 5 feet of water. They're also more fish being caught in 7 to 12 feet of water. As water temperatures continue to rise look for more fish to be in deeper depths.

Look for water with a bit of algae and color to it avoid clear water areas.

We are fisging the far northwest corner of Devils Lake all the way to eastern end.

Majority of our best bites or on wind driven shorelines.

Walleyes, Pike, and white bass are all being caught in the shallows.

Good luck to all!

More areas are producing!!

Devils Lake action is improving to more areas each week! We are still catching lots of fish in 3-5 ft of water, however, the bite is spreading to more areas and more fish are even being caught deeper (6-12ft).

Pitching jig/plastic combos or cranks has been very effective. We have also done well with bobbers and leeches.

Some fish are also starting to be caught with bouncers and spinners and trolling cranks.

Still look for fish in the back bays and look for warm water with a bit of color, wind will help on most shorelines. 

Good luck to all!!

Devils Lake action....

Shallow is the word on Devils Lake, ND!!

One constant with Devils Lake is change, seems the lake is either going up a few feet or down a few, depending on the year. Traditional "hot spots" might be located in different areas as the lake is down over three feet from last year. There are still plenty of places to catch them, but it is important to find the following:

-warm water, the warmer the better, we have water in the low to mid 50's in places, with some areas in the low 60's.

-the right color of water, if it is crystal clear you will have a difficult time catching fish as they tend to spoke from the boat easier.

-flooded catails, trees, rocks, etc. this looks much different from last year because many of the catails are out of the water. Without cover, you are not going to find the numbers of fish you want!

-fish the longest shallowest bays you can find, these are always the warmest!

Remember that shore fishing is often fantastic this time of year as well, try to fish the afternoons and evenings.

Pike are every cast in places, so make sure to bring leaders and some tape for your fingers!

Jig/ plastic combos have produced the best results!

Good luck to all!!

It's beginning....

Tis the season of uncertainty....meaning that anglers might go out and catch the biggest fish of their life or they might find the action a bit 'hit and miss'.

Lots going on currently! Some fish have spawned, some are spawning, and others will be very soon. Fish predictable is always a bit tricky and challenging during this window.

We have had some clients do well for northerns and walleyes in the shallow back bays casting cranks and jig/plastic combos. Look for the shallow bite to continue to get better with warmer water temps! Also, current area such as culverts and bridges can be very good this time of year. Other areas to try include the Sheyenne river where the action has been steady. As we get warmer water temps, the bite will get more consistent and better throughout the entire system. Good luck to all!!

Spring time is here!!!

We are getting closer to being ice free in Devils Lake! More wind and sun and ice will really start to disappear!

As for fishing...most anglers are fishing from shore or in smaller boats. Bridges, channels, and culverts are all places to try. Jigs and plastic combos, leeches with Lindy-rigs, and slip-bobbers are all presentations that can and will produce walleyes and pike!

Also, the Sheyenne river is starting to produce some fish as well! Work below the dams, or deeper pools. Seems like the late afternoon/early evening bite is the most productive.

Good luck to all!!

Also, make sure to stop out to the Boat Show at the Burdick Arena in Devils Lake this weekend!!

Time to start thinking open water fishing..,

It has been a very busy and successful winter!! All of the guides at Bry's Guide Service, The Fish Rehab, and Ackerman Acres would like to say thank you for allowing us to help you catch some fish, hang out with friends and family, and to enjoy the adventure that Devils Lake offers day in and day out.

With the warmer than usual temps,the ice really has begun to deteriorate the last few days. The temps will even be warmer this weekend, because of these factors, we have decided to cancel the remaining trips for this ice season.

Safety is number one, and we feel like the ice is just to unpredictable at this point. Also, we want to give all of our clients the best experience possible, with the ice being spotty in many areas, it really limits where we can go.

We advise only walking out or not fishing at all as the ice is changing by the hour.

So, it is time to think spring!! Shore fishing, ducks and geese coming back home, getting the boats ready...

Be sure to let us know if we can help you build your spring/summer fishing/lodging trip to Devils Lake!!

Thanks Again!!

Last ice is upon us...

The bite on Devils Lake of late has been a bit hit and miss. We have found perch in all locations of the lake, the trick is finding larger active schools. We have caught perch in 20-50 ft. So the same tactic we've used all winter, drill,drill,drill.

Walleyes are most active early in the morning, we have had some afternoon/evening flurries as well.

Pike fishing has been good in the shallower bays with tip-ups or jigging aggressive lures.

As for the ice, we are really encouraging caution to all anglers. Ice is still good as I'm writing this post;however, we are scheduled to have 40-50 degree days in the near future. We would not suggest driving trucks once this warmer weather arrives as to much can change from hour to hour.

Be safe and feel free to call or email us with questions about fishing and the ice.

701739-0161

Brysguideservice@gmail.com

A bit up and down...

We have had an interesting week on the pond. Temps from 40 above to 10 below at night, some days windy, others pretty calm. With all this up and down weather, the bite has done the same for us. We are still catching a fair share of fish, but we are working a bit harder this week from others.

The weather is suppose to get more stable and look for the bite to get better and better!

Best bet for walleyes is early 7am-9, fishing 6-20 ft, there has also been an afternoon bite as well. For perch, we are getting the majority of them in the 24-30 ft range. The key is to find the big active schools, so make sure your auger is ready to go!

Good luck to all!!

Steady is the word!

Perch and walleye's are being caught consistently on Devils Lake, with some days having a bite that is fast and furious while other days the bite is more steady and consistent. You never really know when or where that furious bite may occur, so we stay persistent and positive and usually good things happen!!

Best depths to fish are about 12 to 25 foot range. Seems you like our best lures are: Buckshots, Hali's, Slender spoons, and a bobber with a hook and minnow set-up.

Ice conditions are good just remember to use caution around the bridges and near pressure ranges. Good luck to everyone participating in Ice-fishing tournament this weekend!

Ice is getting better!!

As we continue to get colder, ice conditions continue to improve on Devils Lake! There are still some areas where the ice is "spotty",so please make sure to get out and check areas frequently that you have not been on yet!

As for fishing...Steady is the word. There have been some solid catches of both walleye and perch coming in. We have caught walleyes in the shallows and we are also starting to see some out deeper as well (12-25ft). Perch have been caught in 10-35 ft, with the most consistent bite bring in the 17-30 ft depths. As always, persistence, moving, and searching are the keys to continually catching perch.

Best lures: Hali's, smaller buck shots, slender spoons, and a bobber w minnow set-up.

All and all life is pretty good in Devils Lake these days, good luck!!