The Best Time of Year

Again, I have said it before, but this is truly the best time of year to be in the Devils Lake area! Duck/goose hunting opens this weekend for residents. If you take a look at any of the sloughs, it doesn't take long to realize that there are ducks everywhere.  Next weekend it is open to everyone!

There is grouse hunting, youth deer hunting, archery deer hunting, and there is still time for some fishing. Lots to do!

As for the fishing... It has been pretty good. Not unreal, but solid! Seems like we are getting our best action in the areas that are in or near current. The best aspect of this time of year is that there is always a chance at a very big walleye, pike, bass, or perch. There are lots of "young of the year" bait in the lake, so it is often a good idea to match the bait with a larger profile. Cranks, plastics, and jigging raps often catch bigger fish.

Also, do not forget rocks! There are rock piles all over lake, so look at yor lake chip or map. The old shorline (22-26ft) is full of rocks and gravel, so do not be afraid to go that depth. 

It is always fun to be in the boat on a nice fall day in October/November! With a bit or work and persistence, you should be rewarded!!

Options like crazy on Devils Lake!!

This is without a doubt my favorite time of year. Fall colors, harvest, cooler days, hunting is getting going, and of course, FISHING!! Really the biggest issue is deciding what to do or how much can one do in a day...

The bite has been solid! There are days we really get into them and there are days we work a bit. This is a transition period and we are still finding fish scattered from the shallows to the deeps on Devils Lake. We are using a variety of presentations: bottom bouncers and spinners is still the most productive for us; however, we are doing pretty well jigging live bat or jigging raps in current or on rocks. This time of year offers great potential for a trophy fish!

Again, current areas or areas close to current should get better and better. Also, do not forget to work some of the shallower water again. Those frogs are heading back to the lake and the walleyes and pike are going to be waiting for them!

Good luck to all and enjoy one of the best times of year in North Dakota!!

Labor Day is upon us....

I know I always sound like a broken record this time of year, but it really seems like the summer just flew by. We had our busiest summer in the history of Bry's Guide Service!! We had such wonderful clients! It makes being a fishing guide a lot of fun!! We thank everyone for their business and a special thanks to the many of our clients that have been repeats for over ten years, so THANK YOU!!!!!

As for the fishing, it has been good but not great. There are days we really get them and their are days that way have to search a bit. Weather has been all over the place (no excuses) and I think there are a lot of different patterns going on between shallow and deeper bites. So basically fish can be caught just about anywhere right now.
So the absolute key right now is to cover water. Trolling cranks and pulling bottom bouncers and spinners is probably the most productive way to do so. Work weed edges( 10-14 ft) or the old shoreline (22-26 ft).

Current areas are always a good bet this time of year and they will get better and better as fall progresses. Vertical jigging live bait or thumping a jigging rap/blade bait is usually the most productive. Look for fall fishing to be solid again this year! With the number of fish in the lake right now, I don't know how it won't be excellent!

So Labor Day weekend is here, get out and enjoy some fishing, family, and fun on beautiful Devils Lake!!!

8/14/14

The August bite continues on Devils Lake!  Not only has August provided us with some beautiful weather, it has also provided us with some great fishing.  We are covering lots of water on Devils Lake, trolling spinners and crank baits, dressed with 1/3 crawler, leech or plastic. We have been catching fish in that 17-26 foot depths, however, fish have been found in waters as shallow as 4 feet and as deep as 32. 

The name of the game is to cover water!! We are also getting some nice pike trolling along weed lines, some have been up to 40 inches! Bass are being caught, but you need to cover water. We have caught most of them along rip rap shorelines. We have even had some dandy perch mixed in with our walleyes as well! 

 Make sure to get out on the water before the summer is over.  Lots of fun, sun and fish to be had!

This lake is on fire!!!

8-5-14

If you haven't had a chance to fish Devils Lake this year for whatever reason...this is definitely the time to make sure you get out here!
Time seems to fly and we are already approaching fall. Kids will be back in school soon, the harvest is right around the corner, etc. Get out here! Weather has been great and the fishing has been super!

We are doing our best covering water. Seems like walleyes can be in 9-30 feet of water. We are usually in that 18-25 ft range, but we will fish deeper or shallower, we just adjust to where we are getting the best action. Without a doubt the best way to catch fish is pulling a bottom bouncer with a spinner. A third of a crawler, leech, or plastic will all produce fish! Trolling cranks can be fantastic as well. Berkley Flickershads or Salmo Hornets have been the ticket!
Jigging and bobbering is still very good, the key is to find that active pocket, so do a bit of searching!
We are catching some dandy pike mixed in with our walleyes. We are not catching large numbers, but they are averaging between 5-15 pounds!! The bass are also out deeper and we catching them mixed in with the walleyes. Seems like everyday we catch a few perch as well!
It is fun when you never know what is going to bite next...

Again, summer is really starting to slip away. Come fish from shore, go with a buddy that has a boat, or give us a call, Devils Lake is fishing so well right now!!

Mark Bry
www.brysguideservice.com
701 739-0161

7-23-14

We had a great bite on Devils Lake today with the clients. Pulled spinners in 10-17 FOW rigged with leaches and crawlers on points and old shorelines. Although 80+ fish were boated, there were many small Walleyes that were thrown back with patience being necessary to get the keeper fish. We landed some nice pike that also were in the Walleye mix that added to the excitement with a 9 lber being the biggest. White Bass are tougher to come by, however, we did catch a dozen or so white bass caught on spinners mixed in with the walleyes. Although there are many ways to be boating Walleye this time of year, live bait rigs such as spinner rigs covering water seems to be the most efficient and the easiest for the clients. Tight lines and be safe on the water!

Walleyes are cooperating!!

This is that special time of year on Devils Lake when the walleyes are biting all over and at all depths! We have caught fish as shallow as 4 ft and as deep as 30 ft. We have caught fish jigging, bobbering, pulling spinners, pulling cranks, and pitching cranks/jigs into the shallows. We've used plastics, crawlers, leeches; and they have all produced!

Devils Lake is such a tremendous fishery! We are catching walleyes as small as 6 inches and have caught them as big as 26 inches this past week. The majority of the walleyes are in that 13-16 inch range, which make for some awesome meals. Awesome variety of classes of fish, which is great to see.

Best areas to fish: Weedlines, the edges of flooded trees, flooded roads, and rock piles. There are many places on Devils Lake where there are big rocks, which holds bait, which will hold walleyes. Look for many of the best rock piles to be in the 20-35 ft range. Study your chip or lake maps and get a game plan the night before of places that look "fishy", and get ready!

The bite should stay solid and look for the deeper bite to get better as more fish are heading deeper. If you have someone you would like to get out fishing, this a great time of year to do it. The weather has been awesome and the fish are biting, LIFE IS GOOD!!!