By Doug Leier
North Dakota Game and Fish Department
I’m not a professional angler. When it comes to tips and tactics on how to land a lunker walleye or fill a stringer in short order, I’ve got more questions than answers.
In the not so recent past I casually refered to myself as the human cold front because of a perceived lack of fishing success whenever I’m around, and I have a few friends who even nod in agreement instead of defending my fishing “expertise.”
As a biologist with more of a wildlife than fisheries background, when I’m asked about the best place or time to fish, my typical answer is wherever you are and whenever you have time.
This is probably a bit disappointing for some who might have anticipated a more detailed answer that took into account the moon phase, barometer, water temperature and natural food competition of the target fish. But my answer reflects my philosophy, that I’m not sending anglers out there to land a trophy or fill a limit.
I also understand anglers come in all shapes and sizes, with their own preferences, which is what makes it so difficult to come up with a fishing report that everyone can use.
In many discussions, after an angler relays where he or she prefers to fish and what kind of angling they like best, a question will pop up about stocking. Anglers often ask why certain fish – walleye are a popular species – are or are not stocked in a particular body of water.
In truth, the habitat of a lake or reservoir, plus water quality, determine what species might have success. Think of it in terms of an off-the-wall request of stocking, say, halibut in some North
Dakota water. Just because you want halibut – or walleye – doesn’t mean that stocking will work to meet angler expectations.
On the other end of the spectrum are the open-ended requests from people who just want the state Game and Fish Department to “stock anything” in Slough X so they can catch some fish. But when I ask if bullheads are all right, the acknowledgement is usually “anything but bullheads.”
While bullheads are native to North Dakota, they are undesirable in lakes where they did not exist naturally. They do, however, trigger the adrenaline in a young angler who may just like to see a bobber disappear, and doesn’t care what’s on the line.
I understand that few people young or old really want to catch, keep, clean and eat a bullhead. But I also know that in spring, I’m not the only one nodding his head admitting to eating “poor man’s catfish.” We’ve even deep fried bullhead eggs as a cheaper alternative to caviar.
It’s all part of the experience of fishing.
As July wears on and the summer fishing heats up, don’t get too picky about when, where and what your fishing target is. Remember, the best time to fish is when you have time to fish.
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