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Bowman-Haley: Midweek Window Mon–Thu
Bowman-Haley · Mon Sep 21 – Thu Sep 24, 2026 · bank / kayak / boat · CT
Bowman-Haley midweek Cast — fish the pattern, not the rumor mill.
Midweek outlook
Point: NWS ~12 mi NNE Ludlow SD / Bowman-Haley (45.98N 103.25W)
Source: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=45.9813&lon=-103.2542 (NWS text forecast pulled Sun Sep 20, 2026 afternoon CT/EDT as posted)
Obs pressure nearby: Nearby KBWW ~30.17 in (Sun afternoon MDT)
- **Mon 21:** High ~63°F, mostly cloudy; SE 8–16 mph, gusts ~26
- **Tue 22:** High ~68°F, partly sunny and windy; SE 16–28 mph, gusts ~41
- **Wed 23:** High ~76°F, 50% showers/T-storms after noon; SE becoming SW 13–17 mph
- **Thu 24:** High ~81°F, mostly sunny; SE 5–10 mph; low ~52°F
Pressure / pattern: Cool/cloudy Mon → windy Tue → warmer with Wed storm chance → warm Thu. Strong winds Tue — small-craft caution.
Rule: Numbers above are from NWS text forecast as fetched — do not invent finer precision. Re-pull at Sunday 11:00 PM CT gather.
Dam & current / Generator schedule
Operator: USACE Bowman-Haley Dam.
Levels: Exact elev not captured this pass — THIN. Pull USACE Bowman-Haley data at assemble.
Generator schedule language: Corps project; confirm releases if fishing dam area.
Sources: USACE Bowman-Haley — re-fetch at gather.
Schedules change — verify dam boards before you go (CT).
How to fish it — Bank / Kayak / Boat
Bank
- Morning shade, riprap, creek mouths
- Match stain; lightning plan if storms
Kayak
- Protected arms in wind
- PFD; respect dam zones
Boat
- Graph bait; points/bluffs/ledges
- Idle clear of blast-off lanes
Ethanol-free fuel near this water
Pin: see `north-dakota-cast-map-pins.md`.
Source: Pure-Gas.org GraphQL `stationsByState` (pulled Sun Sep 20, 2026 CT). Prices not listed — call to confirm E0 still available and current price.
- **15.5 mi** — Propoint Cooperative (CENEX), 13 1st Ave Nw, Bowman ND — listed E0 octane(s): 91; tel 701-523-3268 [Pure-Gas id 46809]
- **29.8 mi** — Kum & Go #2811 (KUM & GO), 306 Adams Ave, Hettinger ND — listed E0 octane(s): 91; tel 701-567-2711 [Pure-Gas id 20400]
- **50.3 mi** — Lemmon Iga (UNBRANDED), 19190 Us Highway 12, Lemmon SD — listed E0 octane(s): 91; tel 605-374-3802 [Pure-Gas id 48072]
- **55.9 mi** — Farmers Union Oil (CENEX), 303 W Montana Ave, Baker MT — listed E0 octane(s): 91; tel 406-778-2519 [Pure-Gas id 49729]
- Verify before fuel stop; listings change.
Pure-Gas.org crowdsourced E0 — verify at pump. No invented prices.
Lure box — Top / Mid / Bottom
Top
- Walker / popper early
- Buzzbait on storm edges
Mid
- Spinnerbait / chatter if stained
- Swimbait on bait
Bottom
- Jig / soft craw
- Ned / Texas worm
Life stage + What’s on the menu
Primary species: Walleye
Bass life stage (late Sep ND — seasonal): Fall transition / pre-turnover window depending on lake depth. Cooler nights push bait shallow-to-mid; largemouth and smallmouth (where present) key on bait schools and wind-blown banks. Deep mainstem reservoirs: focus points, flooded timber edges, and current seams near structure.
What’s on the menu: Most likely young-of-year baitfish / cisco-smelt-shad analogs by water, perch/bluegill where present. Thin on dated 2026 forage reports this pass — seasonal most-likely only.
Also on this water
Walleye; northern pike; smallmouth; perch.
(Regs: live-link NDGF only — do not invent.)
Heavy Traffic
In Cast window / looking ahead: No named tournament pulled for Bowman-Haley Sep 21–Oct mid this pass.
Sources checked: ND GF permitted list · Badlands schedule
Looking ahead
Strong Tue winds then warmer. No sourced tournaments this pass.