Angling in North Dakota: Get close to fish, not people
Fishing and social distancing go hand-in-hand in North Dakota. Plan a fishing trip here and see how we safely practice both.
Long before social distancing became the new normal, it was common practice among those fishing in North Dakota.
It’s easy to get away from crowds to fill a live well with large walleye, northern pike and perch pulled from our largest fisheries: Devils Lake, Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe. Each offers its own unique experience.
Resorts on Devils Lake and motels within the city of Devils Lake are open and welcoming anglers eager to get out in the boat or alone on the shore. Several guide services know just where to go to make for an unforgettable day.
Everything about Lake Sakakawea is big. The fish, from walleye to northern pike to salmon, can be found all along the 180-mile-long lake behind Garrison Dam, one of the largest earthen dams in the nation. The many bays create more shoreline than the Pacific Coast of California. A person can find a hot spot or troll around all day with only fleeting glances of others.
Lake Oahe is the Missouri River south of Bismarck. Drop a boat in at the ramps from Bismarck to the South Dakota state line and get lost along 60 or so miles of flowing water. The schools will move, but so will you among some great scenery.
North Dakota isn’t limited to these. Catfishing is popular on the Red River on the state’s eastern border. Smaller lakes like Ashtabula, Metigoshe and Tschida, and rivers throughout the state are popular, but not to the extent that one needs worry about the distance.
The outdoors never shut down in North Dakota. So, follow your curiosity and not the crowd to great fishing.
