Jun. 7—DEVILS LAKE — Fishing legend Al Lindner recently reacquainted himself with Devils Lake, getting in on some good fishing action with walleye pro and Devils Lake guide Johnnie Candle.
One of the most respected voices in the fishing industry, Lindner visited Devils Lake in May to film an episode of the “Lindner’s Angling Edge” TV show with Candle.
“We landed really nice walleyes, as many pike as you’d ever want to catch and loads of one of my favorite fish — white bass,” Lindner said.
Candle noted that the numbers of walleyes, pike and white bass in Devils Lake are near all-time highs.
“The fishing will be incredible from now through summer and into fall,” Candle said.
Lindner says he always learns when fishing a new lake. He hadn’t fished Devils Lake for many years, but said it is one lake with no carp, no sheepshead and very few rough fish.
“The wind blew while filming, but we tucked away in enough spots and the walleyes were waiting, along with bass and pike,” he said.
The fish in the bays will start filtering out and set up on weed edges, rock structures, old road beds and submerged former rocky shorelines, as they usually do, Candle observed. Devils Lake has risen dramatically over the years. In 1990, it was about 40,000 acres; today, it is five times that size. Some walleyes remain shallow all year.
For deeper walleyes (a prime target for most anglers and their guides), jigs, crankbaits and slip-bobbers become go-to offerings. On a lake as sprawling as Devils Lake, many walleye fans run bottom bouncers and spinners to locate fish. The typical bait with bouncers and spinners is nightcrawlers. Anglers also switch to Gulp! plastic worms in place of crawlers, with good success.
Slip bobbering has become an art on Devils Lake, with leeches being the main live bait. Anglers experiment with jigs from 1/32-ounce to a 1/4-ounce. They sometimes affix a sinker 18 inches above lighter jigs. The bobbers are set from just above bottom to much higher, depending on where fish show up on anglers’ electronics.
Guides flood the area with bobbers, each with a different size and color jig. The fish know, and when one set-up outshines others, changes are made. When finicky conditions exist, a plain hook with a leech could be the answer.
Perch are the fourth major species in Devils Lake. Even though more and more have been caught during recent summers, perch are mainly targeted in winter. Most guides don’t chase them in the warm months. Those running bottom bouncers count perch as bonus fish when they are boated.
“No matter what happens with the weather, there will be plenty of fish to catch here on Devils Lake this summer,” Candle said.
Added Lindner: “This is a prime fishery for white bass, pike, perch and walleyes. After my spring trip, I will be back.”
* On the web:
For more information on fishing Devils Lake, check out the Devils Lake Tourism website at