Spring Pike on Sakakawea

BobFromFBNS · Feb 20, 2019

Hi everyone,

My dad and I are hoping to do some shore fishing in the back bays of Sakakawea this spring to get in on some real pike action. You know, try and help out all of you walleye guys by taking a few off of your hands, or at least C&R some really big ones!

Anyway, I've been doing some Google maps research but it's hard to tell where exactly there might be decent access to get into some of the bays, so that's why I'm coming to all of you. Do you have any advice on areas we can access this spring to fish the bays? A bit of walking is OK. Looking mostly at the east end as we'd be coming from the Bismarck area. Any help is much appreciated, been promising dad this trip for a while now!

Bauer · Feb 20, 2019

Snow will hinder you the most this year. But any of the bays of Wolf Creek, Sportsmans Centennial, Steinke, Garrison Bay, Douglas bay produce chances at plenty of quality slimers. Whether or not the roads are open come time will be the question.

eliminator · Feb 20, 2019

When it gets closer to time, I would be glad to help you with information. I live in Pick city and there are some bays there that are also good once the ice starts moving away from the shore. The state park also have some good bays also that you can easily access and very little walking. PM me anytime.

MSA · Feb 20, 2019

I don't think I've found a bay that's bad for spring pike on Sakakawea. I'd worry more about bait than location. Use locally caught fresh or frozen smelt or Cisco, smells different and holds up on the hook better, doesn't turn to mush, and outfishes store bought stuff 10 to 1. I won't even go of all I got is store bought smelt.

mikef · Feb 20, 2019

MSA said:
I don't think I've found a bay that's bad for spring pike on Sakakawea. I'd worry more about bait than location. Use locally caught fresh or frozen smelt or Cisco, smells different and holds up on the hook better, doesn't turn to mush, and outfishes store bought stuff 10 to 1. I won't even go of all I got is store bought smelt.

seems like herring works better for me for above reasons

BobFromFBNS · Feb 20, 2019

Thank you, everyone! Much appreciated! It's always just hard to get a good feel on something looking at Google maps, so it's good to have some names of places and better ideas! Appreciate the PM offer, too, eliminator! I'll probably take you up on that closer to the time! Also appreciate the bait insight, always used smelt as a kid on small lakes but it's great to have an extra inside tip on what works best up there!

Wirehair · Feb 20, 2019

Few years back we did some spring shore fishing in the Sportsman Bay area. Pitched spoons and smelt hooks onto the receding ice and hooked up some nice size pike as we worked the lures towards shore. Not big on snot rockets, but that was a blast. Good luck!

Bowhunter_24 · Feb 21, 2019

MSA said:
I don't think I've found a bay that's bad for spring pike on Sakakawea. I'd worry more about bait than location. Use locally caught fresh or frozen smelt or Cisco, smells different and holds up on the hook better, doesn't turn to mush, and outfishes store bought stuff 10 to 1. I won't even go of all I got is store bought smelt.

Where do I get this?

MSA · Feb 21, 2019

This time of year I ice fish for smelt and Cisco's. Smelt will hit tiny ice jigs or tiny hooks with a piece of minnow. Cisco love a fast moving gold or silver castmasters with a minnow head. 20-35 fow, need a vexilar or similar flasher.

You can also dip net them at night around Western sakakawea boat ramps in april, load up and vacuum seal a dozen or so per bag to last you all year.

Another way is making a long handled dip net and net the floating ones off the surface at the tailrace.

Bowhunter_24 · Feb 21, 2019

So in other words I will be using store bought smelt like I always do. Lol

Twitch · Feb 21, 2019

MSA said:
This time of year I ice fish for smelt and Cisco's. Smelt will hit tiny ice jigs or tiny hooks with a piece of minnow. Cisco love a fast moving gold or silver castmasters with a minnow head. 20-35 fow, need a vexilar or similar flasher.

You can also dip net them at night around Western sakakawea boat ramps in april, load up and vacuum seal a dozen or so per bag to last you all year.

Another way is making a long handled dip net and net the floating ones off the surface at the tailrace.

When you vacuum seal them do you add anything to preserve them at all or do they hold up pretty well?

MSA · Feb 21, 2019

Nothing, just make sure they're as fresh as possible when you bag em up.

Twitch · Feb 21, 2019

Good info MSA!

MSA · Feb 21, 2019

They also work great on jigs for big walleyes

bronco · Feb 21, 2019

The old boat ramp at the east end of mallard island is a easy place to start its only a 1/2 mile off of 83. we also had good luck off the old boat ramp on the west side of fort Stevenson. Wolf creek has some good areas as does Steinke bay and Douglas bay. I always wanted to try Douglas on the far west end where the creek crosses the road...Good Luck

MSA · Feb 21, 2019

Douglas bay, centennial bay, Wolf Creek, government bay, Totten trail bay, steinke bay, are all some of my favorites that have vehicle access right up to the water.

dukgnfsn · Feb 21, 2019

MSA or anyone else with more experience, if it stays cold to late into the spring will we miss the best time or do they wait until the runoff even if its really late in the spring? May have to ice fish the best time at this rate.

MSA · Feb 21, 2019

Yeah, them slimy buggars will spawn under that ice. Late thaws I've caught spawned out females. But any bays with feeder creeks thaw out pretty quick, those bays are best on late spring years.

tikkalover · Feb 21, 2019

We've fished 15 to 30 feet of water in Garrison bay and hung the bait anywhere from 5 to 25 feet below the ice and did ok. Don't forget the RED hotdogs!

BobFromFBNS · Feb 21, 2019

Wirehair said:
Few years back we did some spring shore fishing in the Sportsman Bay area. Pitched spoons and smelt hooks onto the receding ice and hooked up some nice size pike as we worked the lures towards shore. Not big on snot rockets, but that was a blast. Good luck!

Thanks! Much appreciated!

- - - Updated - - -

bronco said:
The old boat ramp at the east end of mallard island is a easy place to start its only a 1/2 mile off of 83. we also had good luck off the old boat ramp on the west side of fort Stevenson. Wolf creek has some good areas as does Steinke bay and Douglas bay. I always wanted to try Douglas on the far west end where the creek crosses the road...Good Luck

More great info, thank you, bronco!

And thank you everyone else, too, really appreciate all of the tips and info!!

Spring Pike on Sakakawea

New member

Founding Member

Honored Member

Founding Member

★★★ Legendary Member

New member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

Founding Member

New member

Similar threads

Friends of NDA