# Where to go???



## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

I was thinking last night it would be nice to take a late season ice fishing trip. My question is should i try lake Oahe or Devils Lake? Or some other lake??? I would like to stay somewhere in eastern ND or East/Central SD.

I plan on going hopfully in early to mid march(Depending on ice conditions)

I have never fished either in the winter and don't plan on hiring a guide, more or less going to try something totally new to me. So should i pour a little research in Oahe, DL or some other lake??. Dosent' matter what species i catch, just really going to say i ice fished there.

Oh i also thought of just taking a few days off and hitting all of NE SD that i could hit.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

If you're thinking about Oahe let me know...for some reason I can never get around to taking a day to fish it.


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

Sure will i am in the really early pre-planning stages right now, b/c i have to work around teaching and coaching ,but i will let you know if it actually becomes an reality.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Oahe hands down! Pollock and Mobridge areas are kicking out some dandy fish through the ice right now.
DL is highly over rated, IMO


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## NDhunter7 (Dec 28, 2006)

I would recomend trying spirit wood lake. I have had good luck there with perch, and all the little walleyes you can handle. Tho you cant keep the little ones because there is a 14 inch min. on them but they are still fun to real in. Everybody else i asked around me was having the same luck. It might not be the huge fish you catch on other lakes but you will definatly catch a bunch.

Good luck on ur trip and let us know how you did


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

For a good 2-3 day trip (spring break I take it, in March?) in late winter, head to Pipestem for crappie, Spiritwood for perch, and the creeks at Lake LaMoure for big pike on tip-ups.

The "big waters" aren't the only good fishing!


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

oh believe me guys i know all about the pipe, spiritwood and lake lamoure. I was a jimmie for 5 yrs.

Anyway i am looking for something totally new to me, never really fished the big lakes except if you count audobon.

You guys are right that in and of itself would be a fun weekend ex. the pipe isn't so hot anymore(awww those were the days) Haven't tried lamoure yet this yr. I have been preoccupied with one of those perch sloughs that pop up every yr.


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## holmsvc (Nov 26, 2003)

Norm70 said:


> oh believe me guys i know all about the pipe, spiritwood and lake lamoure. I was a jimmie for 5 yrs.


I wouldn't go around telling people about that. oke:


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

The old pip has been really bad for fishing. The local people say the only thing left out there are a few bullies and thats about it. The lake level has droped to the lowest I have seen in many many years. With this the fish populations such as crappies has dropped to a very low point. It is not impossible to find them or to get them to bite but the last few years it has been tuff. I mean very tuff. Spiritwood lets just say that if you want to catch fish go there. The perch are all over the place. Some of the best perch fishing I have ever seen though the average fish is 6 inches. Hard to cut a perch that small and hard to fry them up when their that small. If the ice stays one the lakes till march I would try DL or head up north to LOTW. Have had some great perch/eye fishing up there from december to march. Best ever was in march. The past few years though the ice has not been safe at those times for parts of the lake.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

If only a guy could press rewind and go back and fish the pipe again 6 years ago.....good times. But like so many lakes, the fish are a finite resource and can't take buckets and buckets and buckets taken out every day.


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## Norm70 (Aug 26, 2005)

Geez has it been that long chris? Doesn't seem like it. I agree i think alot of people learned with the pipe. Somewhat larger sources of water can be fished out very quickly.


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## ice man (Feb 4, 2006)

I was at the pipe 3 years ago when the crappies where bitting and it was just for that one weekend and that was it. Last year fished all year up at spirtwood and did really good on the perch if they could get it before the little eye's did. This year so far fished up there over christmas vaction and has went down hill from the first day. First day the 3 of us had our limit of nice perch in 3 hours and last time we fished it was 2 weeks ago and caught 10 keepers and a boat load of little perch I think the smallest one was 2 inches. Been fishing the Jamestown Res know the bast 2 weekends and have done fairly well, last weekend on sat. got 15 perch and 10 eye's and lots of small eye's to.


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