November to Remember.  Large, healthy walleyes are pushing north on the Missouri River as fall hits full swing giving anglers great opportunities to close out the open water season. DEO Photo by Mike Peluso.

By Mike Peluso

Things have really ramped up when it comes to late fall walleye angling on the Missouri River near Bismarck, and the fish are also going excellent up on Lake Sakakawea.  

As far as the Missouri River is concerned, the fish are on the move north and starting to feed heavily.  When you catch a fish on the river right now, you’ll notice they have been feeding well! 

Jigs and minnows pitched back and worked slowly back to the boat has been a deadly presentation.  Any current break you can find is holding fish!  There’s no need to pile on top of each other.  The only place that should be congested is the boat landings, since the Bismarck area has a lack of them right now.  

Sakakawea is the same story.  Keep moving around until you locate pods of fish.  You may have to chase them around a bit and wait for the feeding windows.  Jigs and minnows are working well there also! 

I still have open dates available here near Bismarck until the river freezes up.  If you are tough enough the bite should continue to get even better which is hard to believe.  So, get ahold of me if you want to get in on this action. 

Mike Peluso is a Dakota Edge Outdoors contributing writer and a licensed ND fishing guide specializing in walleyes on the state’s premier waters.