Dakota recreation report

[Lee Borgersen]

  ......Dakota recreation report


Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check with local bait shops for any ice condition information.




N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Freeze-thaw weather conditions could vary ice on area lakes. Anglers are starting to fish Devils Lake but ice conditions remain spotty. Lots of shoreline opened up with recent wind and rain. Small lakes in Barnes and LaMoure counties are producing a few perch, walleye and pike but use extreme caution.

Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Fair for walleye and pike on the north end of 6-Mile Bay, Pelican Lake, west side of Minnewaukan Flats and other small back bays. Try 8 to 20 feet but anglers aren’t venturing far yet.

Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Main Bay still has open water but anglers walking onto some back bays and finding fair perch and walleye success.

Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Anglers walking onto the north end of 6-Mile Bay with fair success for a mix of walleye, pike and perch. The Main Lake is still open, however. Anglers also finding fair success on small area lakes north of Devils Lake.

Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Some walk-on activity but use extreme caution with open water spots on the lake. No report on success.

Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Warm weather starting to honeycomb ice so anglers should wait until conditions improve.

Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: A few anglers venturing on the ice but limited reports.

Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Lake Audubon producing walleye using jigs and minnows along the east end embankment, 9-Mile Bay, Nelson Bay and Velva Point. Ice depths varies greatly and walk-on access only yet.

Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace remains good although shore fishing is more sporadic with best success at night. Try crankbaits. Boat success remains good.

Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Coal Mine Lake fair for pike. Harvey Dam slow for all species. Goose Lake producing nice perch numbers with fair walleye and pike success.

Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Anglers venturing to Goose and Antelope lakes with fair walleye success. Mud Lake fair for perch. Missouri River remains slow, although a few anglers are shore fishing. Tailrace also fair. Some activity on Nelson Bay of Lake Audubon.

Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No reports.

Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: No reports with poor ice conditions.





Outdoor Notes:

Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check with local bait shops for any ice condition information.

Saturday: High Plains Duck Unit and merganser seasons open. Remainder of state closed to duck hunting.










Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: Some Red River shore fishing with so-so success. Some ice fishing on area lakes but ice is still quite thin.

Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No reports.

Hunting:

N.D. Game & Fish Dept.: Continued spotty pheasant success with birds becoming quite spooky. Birds in Richland, Ransom, Sargent, Dickey and LaMoure counties are moving into heavier cover but cornfields and shelterbelt edges are still producing a few birds. Scattered reports of grouse in Stutsman and western Barnes counties. Early in the week, waterfowl were still on some open water stretches along the S.D. border in Dickey County up into LaMoure County. Canada geese remain in and along areas with bigger water, including Lake Ashtabula, Arrowwood, Pipestem, Tewaukon and Dakota Lake. Limited muzzleloader reports but deer hunters are still finding good early morning and late evening deer movement. Muskrat hunters are finding fewer huts but watch thin ice around the huts. Waterfowl moved out of northeastern N.D. but a few predator hunters are out.

Northeast N.D.: Waterfowl moved out.

Southeast N.D.: Waterfowl moved out with water icing over.

West-central N.D.: Good numbers of Canada geese remain along the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Continued pheasant success but birds remain spooky.