We have had some pretty good days mixed in with some just OK days over the past ten days. We have had some dandy perch and pike of late, just not huge numbers of them. The walleyes have been more in the eater class, with only a few nicer ones mixed in here and there. The reality is that just about everywhere we go we are marking fish, the key is triggering them to bite or to be there for that window they are feeding in (which may last twenty minutes or a few hours). So there is a bit of a guessing game as to the time and location that will produce the next flurry...Some days we wait for the bite and other days we go looking for more aggressive fish.

Some of the best ice fishing of the year is traditionally that late ice period. My calendar is showing that March is right around the corner!! We are anticipating more takers and less lookers as the weather warms and more hatches occur in shallow. Seems like everything (walleyes, perch, pike) become more active in the spring.

The Devils Lake area has had a fair amount of snow mixed in with lots of wind which equals tough access and travel on the lake. We recommend snowmobiles or tracked vehicles of some kind as there are some major drifts out there. We have a few openings in March if you would like to book a trip with Bry's Guide Service. Good luck!!

We are still working for our fish; however, the weather is starting to shape up and the bite should become more consistent. We have not had a problem marking fish of late, the key is to trigger them to bite. Seems like most days the aggressive lure is the best, but we have had times when downsizing with more subtle lures has produced.
The bite has been a bit unique this year for walleyes in the sense that you never really know when it might happen. Most years, it is the early morning and late afternoon deal. However, this year we have had many excellent bites in the middle of the day for walleyes and times when the late afternoon bite really doesn't happen. I guess the bottom line is to always keep fishing hard because you just never know when the walleye window is going to hit. We are marking and seeing perch all over the place and getting a few of them to cooperate. It is only a matter of time before they are back on.
We have a fair amount of snow on the lake now and access is getting trickier by the week, again another factor that we are not as concerned about because the SnoBear handles the deep snow like a dream. COMFORT,SAFETY,MOBILITY is the what we are all about!! We still have a few dates in February and March if you would like to have an excellent experience!

We have had a roller coaster of weather over the past ten days. Temps have varied from 30 below to 35 above. We have had brutal weather the last two days. Wind, cold, and blowing snow has kept most anglers off the ice. The decision to purchase a SnoBear has proven to be a wise investment. We were able to fish right through a blizzard with 40 mph gusts and all of our clients were warm and comfortable, we even managed to catch fish!!

As for the bite, it has been really up and down. The perch are pretty good one day and spotty the next. Seems like they are going most consistently in that 20-30 ft of water. We have caught them mixed in with the walleyes. Buckshots, forage minnows, and lindy flyers tipped with a minnow head have been the best. Best bite for walleyes has been in 12-30 ft of water. Seems like there are walleyes all over, with lots of classes of fish (anywhere from 8-18 inches is the norm). Buckshot with a minnow head seems to trigger the most bites. We have caught pike mixed in with the walleyes. The weather looks to be warming up a bit later this week and hopefully we will have more stable weather....

If you would like to experience a unique ice fishing trip, give us a call, the SnoBear is an absolute DREAM to fish out of. We can pick up and move in a matter of seconds. There are days we move 20-30 times. The idea is simple, when the fish stop biting, we move until we find fish that want to!

We are very excited to have a SnoBear to fish out of this winter!! We decided this would be the best way to provide all of are clients with a safe, comfortable, and unique ice fishing experience on Devils Lake. We have had about ten groups out in the SnoBear and just about every group has re-booked for trips later this winter. The fact that you do not have to go outside and that you are always warm and comfortable is very appreciated by our clients. Also, we can pick up and move in a matter of seconds, which really improves our clients chances for catching fish. It has been very amazing how making "little moves" can really help trigger bites when it seems like the bite has stopped. On spots that have been holding fish, we have made 6-10 moves (about 30-50 yds a move) and been able to catch just about ackshots tipped with a minnow head has been the best for us.

Walleyes have been cooperating very well and we are having limits of them daily. We are catching a variety of classes of fish, anywhere from 10-20 inches with the norm being fish in that 14-16 inch range. A buckshot tipped with a minnow head has been the best. We are catching fish in 8-20 ft. of water.

 The perch have been more hit and miss. There are days that they really go and others where you might only get a few. The key is figure out what depth it is going to work at. Some of our most consistent perch bites have been in 8-10 feet of water; however, we have also caught them in 30-50 ft. I guess the bottom line is to not be afraid to try a variety of depths until you can get a pattern. Buckshots, forage minnows, lindy flyers, and genz worms have all produced. Good luck to all and if you would like to experience some fun and comfortable fishing, shoot us an email or give us a call!

We have had some great days on the ice for both perch and walleye! Some of the perch we have caught have been so fat and big they look as though they came from a different planet. Best depths for perch have been 25-45 feet of water and most of our best walleye fishing has been in shallower water in the 10-16 feet of water.
Best lures have been lindy flyers and buckshots tipped with a minnow head. Wax worms have also caught there fair share of fish. We have also had some good action with a plain hook and full minnow.
We have caught a fair amount of pike while fishing for walleyes in the morning or afternoons.
 Fishing should continue to stay good and we are currently building ice with this cold weather. NOW is the time to book that trip to Devils Lake! Remember to use caution around cracks, ridges, and current areas,

Good luck to all and everyone have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

12-7-12

Ice is building with our recent cold snap! We've been out a few times and ice thickness really varies from bay to bay. The walleye and pike bite has been good. Catching fish in that 14-18 inch range with a few dandies mixed in. We have caught some nice perch as well!
Extreme caution is still advised in many areas. It is very important to know where you are going this time of year. You can have 10 inches in one area and 2 in the next. Also, be careful near cracks. If you have questions about ice conditions or would like to book a winter trip, give us a call or email and we will make it happen.

Bottom line: You can ice fish right now, just know where you are going and use caution. With cold weather coming, conditions will continue to improve and we will be able to fish anywhere we want!!

11-22-12
Happy turkey day to all!!

We are in a bit of transition here in the Devils Lake area. For the most part we have open water with some of the back bays iced over. The weather of late has been beautiful. We are supposed to be  getting a blast of colder air tomorrow and this should help build ice on the lake. So, we are playing a waiting game for now; however, I am very excited about the upcoming ice fishing season. We have record levels of walleyes and pike and the perch bite was fantastic this fall. This is looking to be a very promising winter in the lake region. If you have questions about ice fishing on Devil Lake or would like to book a trip, give us a call or shoot us an email and we will get you in.