ND Live Fishing Reports

Fishing reports are updated every Friday and follow the ND Live radio program heard throughout North Dakota

Greg Schoneck

34 hours 1 fish  

It’s not all glory. Life of a fisherman I mean.  I hear it all the time. Best job on the planet. You call that work? Bad day fishing is still better than a good day at work. Ya, it is good, but. . .

I still remember, not so long ago, wondering if I would ever figure out how to fish. One tuff day and I would be all over myself with negative self talk. Next would come the “Why do you do this anyway? You ain’t never gonna learn how to fish.” “You should have. . .” would chase me around for the next week as I analyzed the day from the dubious advantage of hindsight.

Peace would finally come in the form of planning the next trip. Short lived however unless I performed better than my potential which meant better than everyone else. What a way to live. I would have quit but for the passion in my heart to keep at it. How do you give up on passion?

What brings all this up is, you guessed it, bad day. Not just one bad day however, 4 in a row. This all started up at the western end of Sakakawea. I had two perfect days on the water, short only one thing, fish. Wind was south at 15 with high pressure, no clouds and miles of water to myself. Ya, we caught fish but they were either small or not considered of value. I’m a walleye man, can’t help it.

This week I added the second half of 4 bad days in a row. Thursday kicked it off with the Super Bowl of cold fronts. Temps dropped from last week’s 95 to lows in the high 40’s. Add wind pushing mid 30’s with gusts into the 40’s and it totaled up to zero, fish that is. Ya, we caught a small northern and a few very small bass but that was basically it.

Some days you just hate calling it but Thursday was not one of those days. It was pure comfort to close the truck door, shut out the wind and head home. I didn’t expect to do well but I didn’t think I would do that bad.

You know the saying, “If you get bucked off best thing to do is get right back on.” Friday was a no excuse day. Ya, day after a cold front can be hard. Keep your expectations in check and do your best. I had no idea my best would turn out to be one fish. My thanks to Nathan and Eldon. Great guys who never once reminded me I was a guide and was being paid to “Catch Fish.”

What I don’t like about all this technology in the boat is marking fish that refuse to go home with me. I give it my best. Speed changes. Lure changes. Color changes. Depth changes. Location changes. Change the direction of approach. I even tried to change my attitude but - NO FISH.

I added it up. 32 hours of fishing and one walleye. How is that for a fishing guide resume? I’ve come to the conclusion that a bad day fishing is just that. A bad day. Not a reflection on character, effort, ability or seasoned skill. I’m getting older and with age is coming some balance.

The world needs more Eldon’s and Nathan’s who can take a bad day with grace. Shrug it off and look forward to tomorrow. Maybe I should follow their lead and try that with myself.

I get to go to Devils Lake next week. I can’t wait, it’s gonna be so fun!

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Remember fishing is a learned sport. More you practice the better you get, so better get fishing!

Greg Schoneck for ND Live