Walleye Fishing Tactics: Devils Lake, ND

Spring

<50°F (Early Spring)

• Tactics: Slip-bobber rigs with leeches, slow plastic retrieves, small crankbaits on warm afternoons.
• Gear: Medium-light to medium 7–9 ft rods, 6–8 lb fluorocarbon leader.
• Baits: Paddle-tail plastics, small stickbaits, fatheads, leeches.
• Structure/Depth: Dark-bottom bays, flooded timber, shallow gravel areas.

50–60°F (Late Spring)

• Tactics: Shallow presentations, spinner rigs, blade baits, shallow cranks.
• Gear: Medium-power rods 7–8 ft, 8–10 lb braid.
• Baits: 3–4″ plastics, crankbaits, leeches or minnows on Lindy rigs.
• Structure/Depth: 5–15 ft flats, weedbeds, culverts, flooded timber.

Summer

60–70°F (Early Summer)

• Tactics: Fish low-light with spinners/cranks; jig weed edges; slip-bobber in timber.
• Gear: Medium rods 7–8 ft, 8–12 lb line for jigs/cranks.
• Baits: Hair jigs, crankbaits, swimbaits, live bait on slip rigs.
• Structure/Depth: 10–15 ft humps, weedlines, flooded timber, channel edges.

>70°F (Mid-Summer)

• Tactics: Trolling crankbaits, bottom-bouncers in 15–30 ft, vertical jigging.
• Gear: Medium-heavy rods 7–8 ft, 15–20 lb braid.
• Baits: Crankbaits, glidebaits, crawler harnesses, heavy jigs.
• Structure/Depth: Deep humps, drop-offs, mid-lake reefs, basin edges.

Fall

60–70°F (Early Fall)

• Tactics: Slip-bobbers in timber, jigs with minnows, crankbaits on flats.
• Gear: Medium rods 6–7 ft, 8–10 lb line.
• Baits: Bucktail jigs, Gulp minnows, shallow crankbaits.
• Structure/Depth: 5–15 ft points, shorelines, flooded wood, culvert mouths.

50–60°F (Mid-Fall)

• Tactics: Troll crawler harnesses, vertical jigging deeper flats/humps.
• Gear: Medium rods 6.5–7 ft, 10–12 lb braid.
• Baits: Jigs with large chubs, leeches, spoons, glidebaits.
• Structure/Depth: 20–30 ft points, deep edges, flooded roadbeds, humps.

<50°F (Late Fall)

• Tactics: Slow jigging, slip-bobbering, night fishing with crankbaits.
• Gear: 6.5–7 ft medium-light rods, 6–8 lb fluoro.
• Baits: Fathead minnows, jigging raps, leeches.
• Structure/Depth: 6–12 ft flats, timber, rocky drops, staging areas.