Eastern ND/MN Smallie Advice

[manfromlaramie]

My first post on here - I live in NE Wyoming, but frequent ND for work. Avid fly fisherman.

A buddy and myself are headed to the Boundary Waters in mid-August. We have a couple of days to burn, and were looking for advice in Eastern ND or western MN. I'd like to target smallies and pike in a river.

Preliminarily, I'm looking at the Sheyenne near Valley City. It sounds like this is great smallie river. Would flows in the Sheyenne around 8/14 be sufficient to put a drift boat down? Our other options would be to bring paddle boards, but fly fishing from a board is a bit tricky.

Any other options in the region that would be a good fit for a drift boat? The day 1 travel from home could put me as far as western MN somewhere.

Thanks in advance, and looking forward to seeing the Eastern part of your state!

 

[Jiffy]

The smallies in that river near VC have names....you can't fish them you're not a local.

DO YOU WANT ANOTHER GOOSE LAKE DEBACLE FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fireone]

How much does your boat draw? Usually August has reduced current but there is plenty of depth between Faust Park and Valley City and both have gravel launch ramps. There is a launch point a half mile below Baldhill Dam too. There are a lot of kayakers that do CR for smallies on the river.

 

[manfromlaramie]

The draw is minimal, maybe 6-8 inches with our gear and the 2 of us. I floated the Madison in Montana last weekend, and I bet I was floating free and clear in 10-12 inches of water.

I was looking at Baldhill to Faust Park. Seemed like a good length and stretch of water.

Sorry Jiffy! I'm not sure what the Goose Lake debacle is, but I won't change their names and I'll put em back where I found em

 

[snow1]

Hmmmm,boundry water's had me thinking northeast minnsewta...plenty of superb smallie waters...

However,I jumped in a buddies boat earlier this summer/spring we walleye fished north end of oahe,pitchin jigs shallow.thinking streamers mid day,popper's evening flat water in your case fly rod in hand,stumbled in to a few nice incidental smallies with our deck hands,great color on these clear lake waters...unlike our smallies in minnsewta,stained water dark,bronze backs,buddies young boyz couldn't quit smiling.

 

[rodcontrol]

You will have zero issues getting down the river if you are free floating in 10" of water.

 

[Migrator Man]

The draw is minimal, maybe 6-8 inches with our gear and the 2 of us. I floated the Madison in Montana last weekend, and I bet I was floating free and clear in 10-12 inches of water.

I was looking at Baldhill to Faust Park. Seemed like a good length and stretch of water.

Sorry Jiffy! I'm not sure what the Goose Lake debacle is, but I won't change their names and I'll put em back where I found em

If you can’t float shallow WY streams you should be able to float the Sheyenne. It will probably be the first time a drift boat has seen that river! Just do some internet research to make sure there are no dead head dams between your launches and you should be fine. Unsure what the flows will be that time of year.

 

[Freedom]

Baldhill to Faust should be doable unless flows drop. After Faust would be a good plan if flows drop. It's been a few years but I think 450 cf was great fishing looks like flows are well above that at the moment

 

[snow2]

The draw is minimal, maybe 6-8 inches with our gear and the 2 of us. I floated the Madison in Montana last weekend, and I bet I was floating free and clear in 10-12 inches of water.

I was looking at Baldhill to Faust Park. Seemed like a good length and stretch of water.

Sorry Jiffy! I'm not sure what the Goose Lake debacle is, but I won't change their names and I'll put em back where I found em

Manfrom~ fished the madison many times,never floated it,always wanted too,years back #1 spot to fly fish was the cherry creek feeder stream mouth to the madison,nice bows/browns,then hit a steak house in manhattan for they'er 24 oz porter house steak,on our way back to bozeman,good times,great memories.

 

[Callem'In]

Send me a message. I fly fish smallies and have a few places you can drift.

 

[KDM]

OK, I'll play. Since you are asking about what's been my backyard for 30 years, PM me a phone number manfromlaramie, let's talk a bit, maybe come out to ft KDM and share some beers, and if you are who you say you are, I'll do my damnest to put you on some of the best smallie water I know. Might even offer up a home base for you to work from right in the heart of what you're looking for, for however long you want to fish. Might be a blast for both of us. Standing by............

 

[manfromlaramie]

Thanks fellas. KDM and Callem'In - I'll reach out. I'm not sure if I'm just blind, too new on the forum or what, but I can't figure out where to send a PM

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Manfrom~ fished the madison many times,never floated it,always wanted too,years back #1 spot to fly fish was the cherry creek feeder stream mouth to the madison,nice bows/browns,then hit a steak house in manhattan for they'er 24 oz porter house steak,on our way back to bozeman,good times,great memories.

The Madison was beautiful and that whole region is world-class scenery. Unfortunately (at least in my opinion) that river is just too crowded anymore. I'm guessing there were well over 100 drift boats just in the tiny town of Ennis. I'm lucky enough to have in-laws that live within a mile of the river, so I'll go play when I'm there. But I'd rather stick to some of the Wyoming stretches that haven't been overwhelmed with the influx of people to the Rockies.

 

[snow2]

manfrom...I spent alot of time in jackson hole in my life,winter months...on the western slope of the tetons,little town of driggs I.D I met a rafter skiing one day in grand targee,he invited me out several times summer months to raft/fish the snake river,sadly I never made the trip,he told me the stretch of the snake he floats is world class fishing,you ever drift the idaho side? curious

 

[sl1000794]

Thanks fellas. KDM and Callem'In - I'll reach out. I'm not sure if I'm just blind, too new on the forum or what, but I can't figure out where to send a PM

- - - Updated - - -
manfromlarmie: You cannot send a PM until you have at least 5 posts. When you get 5 posts click in the name/handle of the person you want to send a PM and a small box will pop up and one of the choices in the box is "Private Message." Click on that and you can send a PM to that person.

 

[manfromlaramie]

Thanks fellas. KDM and Callem'In - I'll reach out. I'm not sure if I'm just blind, too new on the forum or what, but I can't figure out where to send a PM

- - - Updated - - -
manfromlarmie: You cannot send a PM until you have at least 5 posts. When you get 5 posts click in the name/handle of the person you want to send a PM and a small box will pop up and one of the choices in the box is "Private Message." Click on that and you can send a PM to that person.

Thank you.

- - - Updated - - -

manfrom...I spent alot of time in jackson hole in my life,winter months...on the western slope of the tetons,little town of driggs I.D I met a rafter skiing one day in grand targee,he invited me out several times summer months to raft/fish the snake river,sadly I never made the trip,he told me the stretch of the snake he floats is world class fishing,you ever drift the idaho side? curious

Driggs is beautiful spot. I've always wanted to ski Targhee. I have fished the South Fork of the Snake below Palisades and the upper around Hoback, such an awesome area. I wish that stuff was a closer drive for me. I'd definitely put it up there; fantastic dry fly fishing.

 

[snow2]

Ageed manfrom,targee get's major snow,if jackson and targee had a night life for young on point bucks these area's would be my goto favorites to ski,sadly our trips resulted in making the sheep nervous and skiing vail for surperb skiing and hot chicks on the evening menu from all over the world.

What about the north entrance of yellowstone "gardiner" always wanted to fish this area as well,you ever fish this area?

 

[manfromlaramie]

Ageed manfrom,targee get's major snow,if jackson and targee had a night life for young on point bucks these area's would be my goto favorites to ski,sadly our trips resulted in making the sheep nervous and skiing vail for surperb skiing and hot chicks on the evening menu from all over the world.

What about the north entrance of yellowstone "gardiner" always wanted to fish this area as well,you ever fish this area?

I’ve only fished Paradise Valley north of Gardiner once. It’s probably one of the most beautiful places you can fish. Windier than all hell though. Fishing wasn’t great when I went, but I know there is some big fish in there.

 

[DakotaGreg]

North Dakota has great fly fishing for warm water fish. I occasionally fly fish on Lake Sakakawea. I keep a 7wt and a box of streamers/poppers in the boat. When the wind quits, Ill throw flies into rock piles or backwater bays for smallmouth and whites. When the carp surface, Ill cast to those until I get one which I keep for cutbait for catfishing later in the night. In the fall, Ill scale up the size of fly and target pike.

Sometimes I go back to Montana and fly fish creeks. I also go to northern Minnesota and occasionally fly fish for largemouth and pike.

 

[CatDaddy]

Lake Lida east of Fargo has a very fishable population of smallies, largies, and pike. Size is pretty good too. Never seen anyone fishing flies, but maybe that's in your favor as they've probably never seen them!