Devils Lake Perch Fishing Report

By 0

Activity on the big lake is picking up as we gain more ice depth. Perch fishing continues to be very good here on Devils Lake. This photo is one days efforts.

I’m still doing the same thing I have with slight variations from day-to-day. With more traffic and noise on the ice, the perch are being pushed to deeper water and becoming very light biting. I have switched to a small marmooska jig tipped with two or three spikes and forgone the dropper in favor of stealth. I study the line when they rise to the bait and after a bit…30 seconds or so, I’ll very slowly raise the rod tip a half an inch and see if the line tightens or rod tip stays. If so I’ll set the hook without any feeling of a bite and I have my perch. Sometimes they’ll follow the jig 18 inches or so up. The jumbo perch (12 plus inches) usually bite this way. Movement of the jig in front of their face will find the perch dropping to the bottom like a rock.

Why do they bite this way?

It is due to the millions of small shrimp that occupy the water. When you drill holes, several will find their way to the top of it. Fish here do not have to work or compete to eat, they just slowly move across the bottom and graze.

Profile Photo

I liscensed Fishing Outfitter by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. I operate West Bay Guide Service on Devils Lake for walleyes in the summer and perch in winter. I'm a member of the North Dakota Guides and Outfitters

0 Comments

  1. Kevin, nice report!

    I was out to Devils for a first trip back in June. Those shrimp were everywhere. Incredible. All of the fish, perch, walleye and pike were stuffed with them. You could see them swimming everywhere. When you say millions of small shrimp, I’m sure you mean millions of shrimp per acre!!

    I hope to get up there soon for some of that perch action.

    Jon J.

  2. The floor of the lake and the trees all are cover with these little babies. You can see them swimming throughout the water column. I haven’t tried this but it may be fruitfull to pull plugs through clouds of these if you find them in an open water location.

    AS you said the Northerns are full of them too. They drive the food chain here and grow all species of fish fast.

  3. I’m out of the area for another week. I’ll file another report after I make some more on ice phone calls. But I did hear they were moving deeper. I picked up some ratso tails and ant legs in glow by request.

Leave a Comment