Thinking about a trip June 20, need help

My buddy and I are thinking about a trip to Lake Sakakawea June 20 for about 4 days of walleye fishing. I am wondering if anyone on IDO has any recent info on:

Places to stay or avoid.
Areas to fish this time of year.
Bait stores to be trusted.
Boat and gear security.
Anything else relavent from your experience.

I’d be happy to call, pm, or whatever. I will definitely share what we learn.

Thanks.

How did you trip go? Curious if you found some fish and what presentations were working. Heading there this coming thursday and staying in the Garrison area. I have never open water fished it. I will be with family that has so that should help some.

Well…
We ended up going to Rainy Lake instead. Still want to do a Sak trip someday. Maybe yet this summer, but later.

Best of luck. Let us know what you learn.

How was the fishing on Rainy?

Ha Ha I have several excuses. 34 degrees the first morning, heck of a cold front. 30 mile an hour winds the second day, warm. Then thunderstorms that evening and another cold front, not as bad, the third day. Two of us caught maybe about 60 walleyes over the 3 days. So fishing was okay, but not what I expected. Most fish on leaches on the reefs at 28 to 32 feet. One nice school shallower, about 16 feet along a shoreline. Crawlers worked too, not as well though.

Hard to complain about that beautiful lake in any event. Great time.

Sounds like you made the best of the conditions. Love Rainy, usually go on a houseboat trip each year with friends but not happening this year. Will let you know how we do.

We fished Sakakawea the week of June 5th. Fishing was good. It was the 1st time we fished there. We stayed at Indian Hills and got our minnows there as well. We mainly fished for walleyes with a jig and a minnow. We also caught fish trolling rapalas behind the boat and with planner boards. You can use 2 lines each and cover a lot of ground. At that time the fish were in 6 to 12 FOW. We also caught 6 other species while fishing for walleyes. There were some pretty windy days while we were there. Fished from Mckenzie Bay to Saddle Butte Bay half the time. The rest of the time we ran all over looking for spots. It really is an interesting body of water to fish.

Thanks for th Infor Dennis, sounds like a good trip. Yea the wind sure can get going out there. When you were there were the fish up in the bays or more towards the mouths? Obviously a lot can change sense you were there. Some of the reports I have been reading it sounds like they can still be had shallow using spinners and slow death rigs if there is some wind. We are staying at Indian Hills too. How for of a run is it to those bays from Indian Hills? Just curious as its a big body of water and wondering what we will be getting into to if we travel some.

We caught fish in the bays and outside of them. Probably more outside. From Indians Hills it is a 10 to 12 mile run. One day I had to beach the boat at Beacon Point and wait 9 hours for the wind to die down. There was an east wind.
I knew the wind was picking up but underestimated how big the waves get when they run the long way down the lake. One of the locals told me they catch a lot of fish at Pepsi Point in the weeks after we would leave. Pepsi Point is just outside of the bay at Indian Hills.

Sounds like a heck of ride! I’m hoping we avoid some big wind but it is North Dakota after all, See what happens. Looks like 90s while we are there. Heading out in morning, coming back Monday. Will report how we do.

Got back yesterday from our trip west. The trip was great other then me stabbing myself with a filet knife in the radial artery in left arm and having to spend the night in Bismarck hospital. Other then feeling like an idiot and missing a day of fishing, I should be ok. As for the fishing, we did quite well. Catching a lot of fish in the 14-17″ range. We found fish right away trolling husky jerk scatter raps thursday evening the last 1.5hrs of light close to the resort and pretty much fished the same area the entire trip, never having to travel too far. The rest of the time we pretty much fished 1/2oz bottom bouncers with smile blades and slow death hooks. Charteous seemed to be the best color. Saturday crawlers seemed to be better then leeches but sunday we had better luck on leeches. The area we fished was a wind blown slow tappering shoreline and catching them from 8-15ft. We lucked out on the wind the entire trip and never getting too strong. Saturday was dang near glass out there but otherwise perfect wind speeds for fishing the other days. Lots of fish being caught judging by the fillet shack. Also, Indian Hills Resort is a great place to stay of anyone is looking for a spot to stay. Great scenery too

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Thanks for the nice report. Hope the cut is better!

Were there any bigger fish being caught that you know of? Did you look or try deeper or just stick with what was working?

Thanks.

We stuck with what was working. I was tempted to travel a little bit and try new areas to find some bigger fish but decided against it with my ma and kids with. I figured by the time we did that the winds would pick up and turn into a heck of ride back. I did hear of bigger fish west of us being caught but I couldnt tell ya where, didnt hear much details.