Biggest waves you've seen on North Dakota's Lake Sakakawea?

[steve]

Just wondering if anybody could tell me how big of waves you have seen from shore or have been out in them with a boat on Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota. I have never been to the lake when we have one of those really windy days with winds 50 or 60 mph. I would imagine the waves would be up to 8 feet in the middle. Thanks for the information.

[Eyez]

Many many moons ago, when I was young (8 I think), we were camping at the downstream campground, fishing the tailrace on a very windy day. After we hung up for the evening, we drove up to the big water to see how rough it was. Kinda pointless, as the 1965 15 foot crestliner my dad owned at the time wasn't going anywhere near a whitecap. (this was in probably 1986 or so). It was terrifically windy, I had no idea how windy it was at the time, but it was probably gusting into the 50's or 60's from the west. My dad's old buddy Tim told me some years later that it was the roughest water he's ever seen, estimated the waves at 6-8 feet that day. That and the 3 pound 2 ounce walleye that my younger brother (he was 6 at the time, his biggest walleye at that point, I still have the picture, he was so proud!) caught just off the point next to the boatramp in the eddy are the only things I remember about that trip.

But it was dang rough out there.


Eyez

[Backwater Eddy]

BIG!

:O

VERY BIG!

BIG BIG BIG!!!

[Walleyefisher]

I live only 10 minutes from the big Lake and I fish it probably about
100 days a year. Yea, it can get very rough even down right dangerous. 30-40 mph winds can generate 4 to 5ft waves easily. Anything bigger than that and you better get off. Don't let that deter you from coming up and visiting and fishing this fantastic fishery.

[Peluso]

:) Huge! I remember a couple times out on the Big Lake when my fishing partner and best friend would lie on the floor of my 16 foot Yar-Craft tiller as we would make our way back to the ramp. He used to say "Mike why did I let you talk me into going out today?" Even had to hide out in bay a few times waiting for them to calm down some. Ususally, you can figure out a way to get to where you are going unless it is a nasty WEST wind ;). Good fishing and don't forget to shoot the puck. Mike Peluso #999

[Chad]

I think it was two years ago at the Gov's Cup when we had some huge rollers. Never seen anything like it in my life. The good thing was that they were not breakers, just rollers. A guy could take his time and go up and over. When you were in the trough it was very dark and you couldn't see another boat. They were 6-8 footers easy. They should have called it off but what the heck, eh.

[Cranks]

Aug 1996 - NAWA Pro-Am - Day 2 - I recall them saying 50-55 mph sustained from about 9 til mid afternoon. Most were 5-6 foot in more protected areas - some in the 7-8 foot class - got stuck for a bit in what I swear were 9-10's about 7 miles from Indian Hills. Pretty scary stuff. One guy that I fished with who lives on the lake told me a story from some 20 years ago I guess where a single 60 foot wave came across the lake and hit the bay where he lived. It wrapped his Lund Baron around his dock and it all was washed up a hill. Some people we lost. I saw a Discovery Channel show where they said massive landslides can cause huge killer waves like that. Sak is a great place but no fun that day. Never forget that giant crane. The worst part was it was like someone constantly spraying a garden hose in your face the entire time. Thank the Lord the bilges stayed running. Put it behind me a few years ago - was pretty upset they sent us out. We won't take the boat off the trailer is it's gonna blow over 30 especially on the Great Lakes or other big water.

[Phil T.]

An acquaintance used to own a 30' Sea Devil (an off-shore sportfisherman built by Cruisers Inc.) and took a wave over the bow. That wave built up from being funnelled into the mouth of the bay where the boat was moored.
There are times that 500,000 acres of water that align with the prevailing wind get too nasty for anything I will ever own.

[GoWyo]

Yee-Haa, Head um out..Rawhide..Ride um out..Ride um in..hopefully ride um in..They do indeed get HUGE in No Dak.

[Fishingdog]

With all of you talking about 8-10 foot waves, can I assume you mean from crest to valley? I have always learned that the wave is measured from the level of where the water would be if it were dead still to the top of the wave. I am going to assume that you all are talking top of crest to bottom of valley because now an 8 footer becomes 16' between crest and trough which will swamp any boat under 30'.

I have fished in waves that were 6-8' between crest and trough and that was a spooky ride back. I couldn't imagine 9-10'!

[Dutchman]

Several years ago on Oahe an aluminum boat washed up on the dam at Pierre. Very high winds and huge waves rolled it up just like a big aluminum cigar...Prairie winds can be EXTREMELY dangerous as they can come up in minutes and leave you miles from any help. One thing most folks don't realize until their up to they're ars's in trouble, is you can't see well with all the blowing spray, and if you in the thick of it "where do you turn"? Best to pull into milder water and wait it out. From someone who's been there done that....


" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[60 footer is nothing!]

A single 60 foot wave? I once rode 90 footers all the way across the lake. Hooked, fought, and landed a 7 foot walleye during that ride too. Weighed it in after I finally made it back to the dock but shrinkage took it down to 5# and 25". It really happened! :+

[Cranks]

That's the story he told me - never heard anything else about it or saw any evidence. BTW - what did you get that 7 foot walleye on? ;)

[Brent]

Back in 1998 we were coming out of the bay with a smaller 16 foot boat and thought it would be okay to go out and fish out of the bay. Well we soon found out that the waves were a lot bigger than we thought. It really rocked the boat around just going out of the bay. Even though it seemed pretty calm in the bay the lake was pretty rough. We did see another boat that was brave enough to go and run to another area but it looked like they had to go slow.

[BigJohn]

Howdy Walleyefisher. May I ask where you live? I grew up in Riverdale a long time ago. When the wind blows up there the tailrace is defiately the place to be, you do not want to be on the lake. I hope the tailrace is still the fishery that I grew up on. It was fantastic all year round back in the 60's.

[rramsbacher]

Big Jon the tailrace is still a great fishery. The addition of cutthroat with the walleye down there can make an interesting day of fishing. I was in Riverdale from 68 - 75. Did you know Martin Erhart?

[Ristorapper]

Hey Chad: Didn't we lose a boat in that one? If i remember one was swamped. My buddie fishes the Gov Cup in a 16 foot lund and he never made it out of the bay that day!

I remember a few years back when the water on the lake was up a bit and we had water lapping over the highway when the NW wind kicked up.

It can get nasty and I have not had the opportunity to be out in it much but do remember about 10 years ago when a buddie of mine took me out on Sakakawea for the first time. Can remember two things. How in the heck can you catch walleye pulling those crankbaits that fast? (3+ mph earlier in the day when it was calm) and where the heck are the life jackets. I have never been in rollers like that. Probably 4-5 footers.

And then this year I launched out of Ft. Yates(Missouri river S. of Bismarck) and a 35-40 mph wind came up on me (alone as usual). Caught a dandy walleye in two foot rollers up near porcupine bay early in the day. Took me ten minutes to get there in the morning. I tried to take refuge in Porcupine bay but.... Took me over an hour to get back! Didn't have my life jacket on when I started and didn't want to take my hands off the wheel to put it on and risk losing control of the boat until I got back in Sitting bull bay a ways! Days a person will never forget.

Stay safe

BW(ND)