Dance with the Devil
Full field of 150 boats blast off into walleye paradise
DEVILS LAKE, N.D. – By several accounts, the usually stellar Devils Lake walleye bite is currently not up to par. But that is also what the anglers decreed before the second Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour qualifier in Red Wing, Minn. As it turned out, record weights were recorded on the Mississippi River as BP pro Jason Przekurat caught a four-day total weight of 90 pounds.
Its not that the walleye fishing on Devils Lake, the host for the season’s third qualifying event, is poor, it’s just that the action is sporadic. Anglers have reported going hours without a walleye bite only to catch a 20-pound limit in just 15 minutes.
The weather in the Dakota Lakes area is warming up, and the walleyes will respond with any luck. Today’s high temperature is expected to reach the mid-70s. At takeoff, a quick but powerful thunderstorm pelted fishermen who were launching boats and making final tackle preparations. That storm quickly passed and today should be a pleasant and profitable day on the water.
Tomorrow, however, calls for a massive cold front with highs only in the mid-50s and winds of up to 30 mph. Simply put, day one is the day to enjoy because Thursday’s competition has the potential to be brutal.
For veteran pro Scott Fairbairn, the bite has been pretty decent.
“Its Devils Lake, Devils Lake always comes and goes,” said Hager City, Wis., native. “I’ve fished 10 tournaments here and I’ve never fished the same spot twice.”
Fairbairn drove straight to Devils Lake from the PWT event on Lake Mille Lacs last weekend. He feels his limited practice may hurt him somewhat, but he’s not here to win the tournament.
“I haven’t seen enough big fish to go and roll the dice.”
Fairbairn is currently in second place in the Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year race with 293 points. He said AOY won’t be won or lost here, but rather with the big pigs and crazy slot games up ahead at Bays de Noc.
At this point, Fairbairn wants to be consistent, something he has done incredibly well so far this season. He hopes to achieve that by pitching crankbaits. His goal is to get 13 pounds with his first five fish and then use the next three spots for upgrading.
“I think the wind forecasts are actually going to help the bite. They might not make for enjoyable boat rides but some wind will definitely help the fishing. It was so calm and clear earlier I could actually see the walleyes on the bottom.”
Tournament logistics
Spirit Lake Casino and Resort in Devils Lake will host daily takeoffs each morning at 7 Central time. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 201 Highway 2 W. in Devils Lake, beginning at 4 p.m. The community is invited to attend daily takeoffs and weigh-ins, which are free and open to the public.
Pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day and fish for a combined boat weight. Pros compete against other pros, and co-anglers compete against other co-anglers. The full field competes during the three-day opening round for one of 10 final-round slots based on their three-day accumulated weight. Weights carry over to day four, with the winner determined by the heaviest four-day weight.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 150 points awarded to the winner, 149 to second, 148 for third, and so on. These points determine Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year standings. The top 50 pros and 50 co-anglers based on these standings will advance to the 2007 FLW Walleye Tour Championship.
Wednesday’s conditions
Sunrise: 5:37 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 57 degrees
Expected high temperature: 74 degrees
Water temperature: 58-64 degrees
Wind: SSE at 17 mph
Maximum humidity: 70 percent
Day’s outlook: morning thunderstorms