Outdoors Angle: Preparing For Open Water!

The Flag Outdoors Expert Steve Carney has your weekly Outdoors Angle right here!

     As we slide into the mid part of February, this guide is now thinking and preparing for open water fishing! I absolutely love the first time on the water in the Spring and the Missouri River in North and South Dakota are my favorite Springtime destinations.

     There were many times over the years, I hit the Missouri River in January and February during mild winters. Typically you can expect to get on the river around mid to late March. The month of March can be fantastic as the crowds aren't too bad and the pre-spawn walleyes are active and biting.

     I have been preparing my equipment already including rigging my 2021 Lund boat with electronics, on-board chargers and the like. I want the boat rigged, prepped and ready to go by the end of this month. When the river opens, I want to be there... it's been a long winter.

     One of my favorite areas on the Missouri River is the dam at Ft. Thompson. This spot is easily reachable from North and South Dakota residents and hosts some amazing fishing just below the dam. The current is always flowing which keeps the river open during late winter. The walleyes stage at this dam and are catchable all the way through May. They reach the dam and there's nowhere to go! The area features lots of mid-depth water so you can always find catchable fish within 4 to 6 miles along the first stretches.

     It's coming... open water walleyes on the horizon!

Steve Carney is The Flag WZFG Outdoors expert. He can be heard every Thursday morning at 8:05 on AM 1100 WZFG. Check out his weekly podcast on am1100theflag.com and hear his Outdoors Angle reports every Friday on AM 1100 WZFG. You can also visit stevecarneyoutdoors.com for more information.