Fishing Report April 26, 2026

Sunday, April 25, 2026 

The ND spring is doing its thing once again, 25 and snow to 8- degrees and the pale Norwegian skin taking on a reddish glow, all in the same day! It is a time of changes...   This used to be a great time of year to chase stillwater trout as the ice receded from our prairie lakes. Unfortunately, we just don't have much of any quality trout lakes that will carry fish over anymore. It used to be those lakes would be bustling with eager fly fishers and gear flingers alike, taking advantage of the pleasant weather, feel the sun and get after what was some of the most exciting fishing ND had to offer.

Funny thing, those shores are vacant these days, I guess there's not a whole lot of interest in all those four inch bluegill and stunted largemouth that keep getting dumped into the lakes... mostly illegally but bafflingly in more and more cases, on purpose. Sad.

So this spring we have been chasing the pike again.  As the ice went out, we saw an initial surge in pike activity before they clamped the jaws and turned into spawning mode.  Right before the latest cold front we saw some action of pike coming off the spawn and chase a little at places like New Johns Lake and some of the wetlands and sloughs south and east of the Bismarck area.

The Game & Fish has been stocking the community ponds and that's has been really popular at places like Cottonwood Pond in south Bismarck.  

Smallmouth, there's been a smattering of reports of activity but nothing really active as of yet on a large scale.

Featured Species - Walleye 

The real target I'd be after right now on the fly in ND is the limp fighting but fine dining Walleye.  The Missouri is hot I hear but also hearing things are heating up on smaller prairie lakes, and it will soon be go time in the Devil's lake area as well.  7wts and streamers are always my go to.  Drunk and disorderly, egg sucking leeches, and the Gallup style streamers along rocks or sandbars fishing subsurface on sinking tip lines like the Scientific Anglers Sonar Titan Sink Tip type 3 is how I approach the water column this time of year.

I like to keep the streamer leaders a bit longer than summer streamers this time of year but at the same time, pike are always a concern or prize...depending on your mood. I like to use a hard mono of flouro leader and tippet. 

Featured Lake:  Alkaline Lake - Kidder County, 15 miles South and 2.25 miles East of Tappen.   Lots of places to find fish away from the parking lot between Fresh and Alkaline.  Don't overlook the flooded wetlands, especially if the afternoon sun warms those shallow waters just a few degrees. Of course the rocks along any area wher water is moving from one side to another is always a popular spot, for good reason.

Featured Fly:  Gallups Peanut Envy 

I tie these in a multitude of colors but in the spring I work more tans, browns, olives vs the whites, yellow or black versions. 

That's what's kind of happening now, let's all keep an eye out as more and more of our great opportunities reveal themselves as the weather warms. Stay safe and get on out there with a fly rod and a open mind, and a sense of adventure......

....... out there in Fishkota Country!