While this isn’t exactly a fishing report, it may be of particular interest to many of you who are planning to visit Devils Lake this year or who have been here in the past several years. Remember the access areas for Devils Lake fisherman will all be funcional this season. The rising waters does threaten the infrastructure and day-to-day lives of local people. The Brinsmade Bridge just off highway 281 has been flooded by the Mauvais Coulee for over three weeks and will not be usable until the inflow from Lake Irvine has been reduced.
Devils Lake is a closed basin. It has no river that moves water out of the lake. It has to rise 10 more feet to have water run over a natural spillway into the Sheyenne River, that empties into the Red River north into Hudson Bay in Canada. Devils Lake has risen 26 feet since 1991 and expanded by three times to over 126,000 acres. To flow out the natural spillway, the lake must expand by over two more times it’s present size. That will swallow up tens of thousands of acres of productive farmland, houses and towns. Devils Lake has flown over the natural spillway a couple of times over the past 10,000 years. Wave action along Highway 281 heading north out of Minnewaukan is threatening to destroy the road during high winds. Plans are to no longer raise Highway 281 in response to the rising waters but to build a new route around Minnewaukan.
The all-time historical high was reached on July 7, 2001 at an elevation of 1448.01. Last years high was 1447.47 on July 2. Two weeks ago the elevation was 1447.47. Last week it rose over 4ths to 1447.83 just 2 tenths away from the record. Inflows will continue well into July from the waters above Devils Lake as they release their water.
This photo is of a abandoned telephone switching station along highway 19 between Minnewaukan and the city of Devils Lake. The high water mark can be seen. The city of Devils Lake is protected by a dike that holds back the waters of Devils Lake.
Kevin,
Probably see ya out there 
Just wondering, what are your thoughts on how the season will shape up. I know myself and a couple other fellow staffers will be heading out there for the RCL tournement the end of May. Any thoughts on were these fish will be holding, in these extreme high waters
The lake has already risen 26 feet in 12 years, another foot doesn’t do anything to the fishing. We continue to hit all time highs. The trees that have flooded are all tipping or tipped over. No more fishable water will be brought into play.
It has been cold here and the walleyes will be in the shallow secondary bays relating to grass cover and along the shorelines just outside those bays. We still will have current flowing in so current area will hold some fish close as they move out into the main lake.
This higher water only makes life a little tougher for us living here. The lake fluctuates about 18″s over the summer as the water evaporates. We get a spring rise, runnoff stops and the sun takes over. The lake rises when evaporation cannot overtake the inflow. We had been relatively stable for three seasons.
Devils Lake is flowing into Stump Lake and when that is full Devils Lake will rise again. It takes time for the water to get through the road culverts and under the bridges and out into Stump Lake.
It’s like pouring water into a double sink, when one gets full it runs into the other. When they both are full they spill water onto the counter and onto the floor.
I’d like to see a bunch of in-depthers over one night for a cookout after fishing.
We hit the all-time high this week at 1448.11 and rising.
Kevin,
Thanks for the update! I have never fished Devils Lake but have been intrigued since day one about the lake and its sprawling growth.
How has the overall population of walleyes been affected by the year after year of “new flooded waters?” Has the numbers of fish continued to climb each year?
We haven’t had newly flooded land for a while. It has created a shoreline through wind and ice action. The grassland, farmland and trees that have been under water for well over five years now and each year fish differntly because they have deteriorated more.
The trees went from standing, to slightly tipped over to tipped over but still exposed to completly under water. That changed the habibitat and how they are fished.
The fresh water shrimp that are the basic food attach themselves to the tree parts that are under water. The walleye just stroll by and pick them off. Wave action knocks them off. A big portion of the shrimp are free swimming and are found throughout the water column but the walleyes relate to the bottom and are not suspended.
A lot of the shoreline is gravel and is spawning habitat. We have had some pretty good recruitment of young walleyes the past few years. I had sevral days of 100 walleys in the 13 inch range.
Walleyes here are fat and thick bodied. They don’t have to fight over the food and it is easy pickings. They grow fast.
I think this year the pike will have an outstanding hatch because of the newly flooded grassy areas in the back bays and upstream along Channel A and Mauvais Coulee. There should be a little more nursery area for the fry to hide in.
Cool Pic Kev.
Cookout after fishingy
Now you are talking 
. Most of us will be in town by Saturday, May 22nd. Look forward to meeting you in person 
We should plan on doing something one evening. I’ll cook some brats and get some tater salad and beans. We can throw down a few cold ones.
I can show you guys a good boat (Warrior) while we wait for the brats to cook.
Let’s get some dialouge going down in the Devils Lake Forum for the best day and etc. I live in Minnewaukan on Highway 281 and Main Street. EZ access. Plenty of parking. You can pump the bildges out of your RCL’s on my lawn so I won’t have to water it.