Devils Lake Reminder: All We Want for Christmas is for You to Call!!
Category: article
Dec 24th, 2020 by Keith Worrall
Modified Dec 24th, 2020 at 2:11 PM
Never Ice Fished Devils Lake?
These Tips will Make it Easy!
Devils Lake welcomes fishermen year-round to the massive lake bordering the city with the same name. Fishing is open continuously. It’s especially inviting right now with “hot” ice fishing action.
Every ice season attracts more and more rookie fishermen. Maybe the word should be fisher-people, because many of the newbies are families. Devils Lake is a great get-away, with fishing Number One on most agendas.
For those considering Devils Lake, the following tips will make an ice trip even more enjoyable:
1. Bring the entire family. Or, make this an annual trip with your fishin’ buddies. After all, Devils Lake is relatively close to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. For those who traditionally cross the now-closed border to fish Canadian waters, chart a course to Devils Lake, North Dakota.
2. Options include fishing with your own gear or hiring a guide service.
3. If a DYI trip, learn as much as possible by reading and checking YouTube, FaceBook and web reports including devilslakend.com.
4. Contact the local bait shops prior to arriving. Buy your license at a shop where information flows in proportion to the amount of supplies you buy. If the advice is that a certain size and color lure is working (or live bait), get some. Use it like they advise.
5. North Dakota non-resident fishing licenses are $28 for three days and $55 for the season.
6. Learn about on-ice travel conditions. Know how to navigate the county roads to lake accesses where rumors of good fishing exists. Feel free to drill around the edges of “fishing packs.” When you know the magic depth, try that depth at other locations. A handheld GPS will show you.
7. Be prepared with warm clothes and boots. Bring shelter, heater, fish finder, etc. Bring gear for walleyes, perch and pike. Tip-ups make each day fun and exciting.
8. Or, plan to hire a guide service. They exist to show clients a great time. Guides also tune new Devils Lake anglers into what, where and how fish are going. Even for the first day on the lake, this investment makes sense. Do this now. Devilslakend.com has a full listing.
A couple guide service owners shared their visions. Mark Bry provides the latest rods, reels, line, lures, bait and electronics. Customers ride in luxurious SnoBear tracked vehicles where it’s warm, safe and mobile. Zippy Dahl’s Perch Patrol guide service loves to hear, “You are always taking us to the fish.” Many guide services own lodging facilities or work with resorts or motels as part of their “packages.”
Perch follow business hours, 9 am to 4 pm. Dawn and dusk are spent chasing walleyes. Clients then have the best of both worlds – walleyes and perch every day.
A committee (parks, tourism, city, county) keeps winter accesses open so fishermen can drive onto the lake. The group also maintains a public heated fish-cleaning station by Ed’s Bait Shop on Highway 20. The Sleep Inn, Fireside, Cobblestone and SunLac Inn also provide heated fish-cleaning facilities.
Go to devilslakend.com to locate lodging or guides. Plus find the up-to-date fishing reports, guide service listings, ice and travel conditions, lodging, casino, community activities and much more
December 18th Ice Conditions
All We Want for Christmas is for You to Call!!
Veteran Devils Lake, North Dakota fishing guide Cody Roswick said he and all his ice fishing guide friends want to hear from you. “It would be a great Christmas present,” he said.
The reason is simple, fishing guides depend on clients. These regular customers are like most people today. They’re reluctant to make long range commitments. Roswick said when he talks with clients, he hears stories about uncertainty in general, weather which has been unusually mild across the upper Midwest, Coronavirus, an unsettled election, travel, lodging and other concerns.
“This is the same situation us guides faced in March and April when the phones stopped ringing. Fortunately, fishing became an approved activity and people filled up our boats this past spring, summer and fall,” he said, “I hope this early winter will provide similar results for the ice season.”
He urged past clients and first-timers to book with their favorite guides now. A complete list is posted with contact info at devilslakend.com. Even for those not ready to reserve a date now, Roswick recommended people keep the Devils Lake perch, walleye, white bass and northern pike in mind for last-minute trips. “We’re here for you,” he reiterated.
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COVID-19 Travel Guidelines for Devils Lake
Devils Lake is a great place to have some fun and keep your social distance. Local and state leaders have done an amazing job trying to balance keeping us all safe, while still allowing businesses to survive and even thrive.
As a service to both visitors and residents who are wondering what the COVID-19 protocols are in North Dakota and Devils Lake, listed below are the policies currently in place as of October 27, 2020. While we want you to enjoy your time in Devils Lake, we also encourage everyone to follow the guidelines posted in local businesses to help ensure everyone stays healthy.
Yellow/Moderate Risk Level. This is the level of heightened exposure risk and transmission is controlled in these areas. Social distancing and precautions are needed (maintain six feet of distancing, avoid shaking hands, reconsider unnecessary travel, wear a face covering). Increased cleaning on high touch surfaces and cleanings on shared spaces should be routine. Group gatherings are limited by certificate of occupancy for the room or seating area according to industry-specific Smart Restart protocols and social distancing is maintained. For additional information, please go to https://ndresponse.gov.
As of Thursday, October 29, 2020, the City of Devils Lake has issued a mask mandate anywhere in public.