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Bob Jensen
10-19-2003, 03:36 PM
Just returned from Waubay Lake in Northeast South Dakota. Last time I was there was four years ago, great fishing, lots of walleyes in the three to seven pound range.

Still lots of walleyes in Waubay, although the big ones are mostly gone due to overharvest. There is now a 16 inch minimum length limit on walleyes on Waubay, we caught at least 100, none over sixteen inches, in about four hours. Lots of 15-16 inchers and a lot of fun.

Talk is the minimum length next year will be 14 inches, so there will be lots of fish that can be caught and kept.

Fished a lot with Rainbow Spinners and Gulp! crawlers. The Gulp! was better than live crawlers in this situation.

Also used Gulp! minnows on Eye-Ball and Mimic Minnow Heads,and again the Gulp! got bit just as much as live bait. Considering that we could catch 6-7 fish on every Gulp! minnow, while only one on live minnows, the Gulp! resulted in more catches.

Stayed at Boomer's Outback in Webster. Boomer's has a house that can fit 10 anglers/hunters comfortably for 119.00 a night, less for smaller groups, and there are also hotel rooms. Boomer's also has a cafe right there, making this the perfect place for a hunting or fishing trip. Boomer's is 877-748-6009 or 605-345-3107 or perebooms.com

The walleyes were willing biters, and they fought well. If you're looking to just get bit, this was the best walleye trip of the year for me so far.

Best Fishes,

Backwater Eddy
10-22-2003, 05:14 AM
Waubay Lake is one of many lakes in the Glacial Region of North Eastern South Dakota that has seen a boom and near bust fishing cycle. I hope the new lake management scheme will quickly bring it back. More work needs to be done to stabilize these Boom & Bust fisheries. Closer study and tighter control on harvest may be a wise place to start?

Some other lakes in that region that are now in top shape are Roy Lake, Crystal Lake, North/South Buffalo Lakes. Roy Lake has had a great fall for larger walleye, the good ol' days are now, once again.

There are many opportunities for some exceptional ice fishing in that region and in South Eastern North Dakota. Come first ice, I suspect I will be headed for the hills and check that out.

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

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