Fishing has always been an anomaly of a sport and activity to me. You just sit around and wait for some fish to bite your bait and reel it in? Since moving to Devils Lake, many have told me this is the best place to fish in all of North Dakota. It may have taken months but Friday, Aug. 9 would be my first fishing excursion. Joining me would be sports reporter Mojo Hill, also fishing for the first time.
Thanks to Brad Barth of Forward Devils Lake, he was kind enough to take us fishing on his boat and teach us the ropes. Leaving around evening from Haybale Heights, we boated around the nearby lake. Barth would tell and show us the proper way to hook bait. We used leeches as opposed to worms as our bait. I always thought worms were used but for walleye, leeches are best we learned.
We set up fishing poles around the boat so that we could cover all sides. We learned how to cast a pole which may have been one of the hardest things to do. Barth told us to pay attention to the lines. If the lines started moving, we’d have to hook the fish with an upward tug and reel it in.
While we waited, we ate sandwiches and enjoyed friendly conversation. I was learning that fishing was a game of patience and luck. If nothing was caught, we got to spend time together and enjoy one of the many beautiful lakes of Devils Lake on a lovely day.
When Barth was telling us one story, one of the lines started moving. He took hold of the pole and hooked it. He reeled in what we thought could be our big catch. But a big catch it was a not. It was a small walleye. About the size of a Stanley Cup, this guy, it turned out, would be our only catch of the day.
We did try different spots to hopefully catch some more but that day wasn’t our day. It might’ve been the weather, barometric pressure, or maybe the walleye were on holiday.
Regardless, trying out fishing for the first time was a great experience. Thank you to Brad Barth who helped us learn the ins and outs of this new adventure. I look forward to the next time and catching a bigger fish.
