High Water Walleye - Sakakawea

Vollmer · Apr 6, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCoZjdCQqIo&t=0s

Watching this video this morning, they are projecting Sak to be in the upper 1840's this year. With that high of water levels how will you approach chasing the 'eyes? Usually, for me, when water comes up and stays up like this, it seems to make the bite tough, but there has to be a way to crack the code.

Thinking I'll focus more on reaction bites, pitching jigs/plastics, pulling cranks, pitching cranks, and probably do some rip n rap and jig n rap jigging.

Generally for me on Sak, pulling BB and spinners is pretty sure fire for putting the kiddos on fish, along with slow-death on BB. I am wondering if that might not be the best option for putting the lil ones on fish. I'm sure I'll try it some, but not expecting great results.

hat will your plan be going into this high water year? What have you found to work/not work in past years?

MSA · Apr 6, 2017

Weedless rigs n nightcrawlers.

wildeyes · Apr 6, 2017

I'm with MSA on that one they get in the grass,trees, shallow.

Vollmer · Apr 6, 2017

What about right at ice out?

risingsun · Apr 6, 2017

Once you find em shallow with the kids along, dont forget a little slip bobber action

H82bogey · Apr 6, 2017

I like to steal from the BASS anglers play book. A bullet weight and a spinner above the weeds/trees in the shallows. And by shallow I mean 3fow. Smokes em. Or get back in the bays and pitch swim baits, just sucks when the sharks bite you off.

I really want to try more shiver minnows this year.

fj40 · Apr 6, 2017

Weedless jigs in the willows. 3 to 6 fow.

MSA · Apr 6, 2017

Vollmer said:
What about right at ice out?

Minnows, creek chubs, n rubber on jigs.

- - - Updated - - -

H82bogey said:
Or get back in the bays and pitch swim baits, just sucks when the sharks bite you off.

I really want to try more shiver minnows this year.

I use thin single strand wire leaders. You can buy a 50ft roll of it and just make em as you need.

Chas'n Tail · Apr 6, 2017

Call it bull, but i predict that by 2020 we will have a new state record caught in Sak. With the high water and the unreal smelt population with this high water, these eyes have got to be eating themselves stupid. maybe not, but trying to be optimistic with what will probably be a tough year out there. just my .02

Vollmer · Apr 6, 2017

Chas'n Tail said:
Call it bull, but i predict that by 2020 we will have a new state record caught in Sak. With the high water and the unreal smelt population with this high water, these eyes have got to be eating themselves stupid. maybe not, but trying to be optimistic with what will probably be a tough year out there. just my .02

Not sure about state record, but I am in agreement that some true pigs are in development.

MSA · Apr 6, 2017

A 15+ lb walleye will take somewhat of a freak of nature and the high water n loads of food.

I do guarantee the average size of walleye caught on sakakawea will be going up.

Bfishn · Apr 6, 2017

Chas'n Tail said:
Call it bull, but i predict that by 2020 we will have a new state record caught in Sak. With the high water and the unreal smelt population with this high water, these eyes have got to be eating themselves stupid. maybe not, but trying to be optimistic with what will probably be a tough year out there. just my .02

Maybe if we had slot limits;:;popcorn

shorthairsrus · Apr 6, 2017

Please stock another 4million

5575 · Apr 6, 2017

Fishing pressure doesn't put a dent in that body of water.
The smelt won't get them to giant size, it will be the cisco that take them to the next level like Peck has.
But I'm happy with all the 20"+ fish in the system right now, definitely a great time for the lake and it fisherman!

MSA · Apr 6, 2017

Until you get to the cleaning station...

Vollmer · Apr 6, 2017

MSA said:
Until you get to the cleaning station...

I have yet to run into jack-wagons at the cleaning station.

deleted_account · Apr 6, 2017

Vollmer said:
I have yet to run into jack-wagons at the cleaning station.

Had some guides make a few comments one evening this winter. Most of those fish weren't all that big either. We laughed and slugged beers

NodakBuckeye · Apr 6, 2017

Sounds like fun; maybe more shallow fishing with jigs and cranks this year.

shorthairsrus · Apr 6, 2017

2011 i struggled -- i only made it up once that year but didnt get fish until i moved out deeper --- but it was not like the years that i i used to fish timber and flooded shoreline in big ole sak.

Plain Skeeter · Apr 7, 2017

If this year is half as good as last year I will still be ok. But it should be awesome, I just wonder if there can be too much bait. Last summer everywhere you went the graph was covered with bait.

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