Dakota Recreation Report 12/14

[Lee Borgersen]

 
Dakota recreation report for Dec. 14, 2012.







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.

Registration now open for winter Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops, Jan. 6 at Upper Souris Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge (NWR) for darkhouse spearing and 3-day Lake Metigoshe State Park workshop Feb. 22-24. Email ndgf@nd.gov for more information.

Sunday: Muzzleloader deer season closes.

Tuesday: Arrowwood NWR Christmas Bird Count. Meet at headquarters, 8: 15 a.m.

Wednesday: Valley City Christmas Bird Count. Meet at the Valley City Wetland Mgmt. District, 8 a.m.

Thursday: Canada goose season closes, except for the Missouri River Zone.

Thursday: Long Lake NWR Christmas Bird Count. Meet at headquarters, 8 a.m.

Dec. 22: Devils Lake Christmas Bird Count. Meet at the Cedar Inn, 7:30 a.m.

Dec. 28: Missouri River Canada goose zone closes.

Fishing:

Lake Sakakawea elevation, Dec. 12: 1,829.9 msl; 16,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Weather limited ice fishing in the southeast over the past week. Use caution on Lake Ashtabula, as well as the Sheyenne River through Valley City, Lisbon and up to Kindred and West Fargo, with unstable ice due to higher-than-normal lake levels and releases. Snow could also be covering thin ice so caution is especially necessary on area lakes and rivers. Overall fishing is hit-and-miss with best result from pike lakes in Richland, Sargent, and LaMoure counties. Pike spearing also underway but many Barnes County lakes are cloudy. Unstable weather and poor ice resulting in slower perch and walleye bites. Try LaMoure, Barnes and Richland county lakes for better walleye success. OK walleye success on Devils Lake. Silver Lake producing pike for darkhouse spearing.

Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Lake is icing over with activity at Mission Bay, Military Point, East Bay boat ramp, north end of 6-Mile Bay, Pelican Lake and Lake Irvine for walleye and pike with scattered perch success. Work structure in 10 to 25 feet.

Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Good numbers of perch around the bridges and north and east sides of 6-Mile Bay on Devils Lake.

Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Lake iced over and is gaining ice but no vehicle access recommended yet. Anglers finding some nice perch and pike. Try the north end of 6-Mile Bay, Pelican Lake and typical pike locations.

Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: In general, small area lakes are seeing a fair amount of activity and success, including Mud Lake and Fox Lake. Jamestown Reservoir is fair for walleye on the north end but ice conditions are variable.

Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Small area lakes, including ones west of Carrington and over to Harvey, are starting to produce some perch with better success on sunny days. Look for good success on new lakes. Occasional walleye from Jamestown Reservoir.

Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: The lake is getting closer to seeing some fishing activity with houses starting to go out soon. Limited reports yet.

Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Coal Mine Lake fair for pike. Harvey Dam has little activity. Goose Lake continues producing perch with fair pike and walleye success. Antelope Lake fair to good for perch and walleye. Hurdsfield Lake fair for walleye and perch.

Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Goose Lake producing perch with some walleye mixed in. Hurdsfield Lake fair for walleye and perch. Also try Mud Lake but success is spotty for nice-sized perch around sunset. Alkaline Lake fair for walleye and pike. Try minnows. Lake Audubon fair for walleye from Nelson Bay. Limited activity on Lake Oahe with low water levels.

Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: A few anglers on the ice but success is slow.

Hunting:

N.D. Game & Fish Dept. game wardens: Hunters still finding some late season pheasant success but birds are moving deeper into cattail sloughs and becoming quite jumpy. Dogs and working the wind seems to be the best solution throughout Richland, Ransom, Sargent, and LaMoure counties. Archery and muzzleloader deer hunters continue working food sources. Canada geese remain along the open water of the Missouri River System.

Not much activity around east-central N.D. other than some coyote hunting.

North-central N.D.: A few predator hunters finding coyotes in the area.

Southeast N.D.: A few geese remain on patches of open water but a majority of birds moved out.

West-central N.D.: Geese still remain on Lake Sakakawea and the Missouri River with continued fair to good pheasant numbers.

Downhill skiing:

Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 6- to 10-inch machine groomed base. Open weekends but daily from Dec. 21 through Jan. 6.

Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: 15- to 20-inch machine made base with 3 inches new snow over past week. Open weekends and daily Dec. 22 through Jan. 6.

N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. cross-country ski trails:

Icelandic, Cavalier: Trails are packed and will be groomed after the next snow.

Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau: Trails open with 2 inches new snow on groomed track.

Numbers to know:

N.D. Game & Fish Department, main Bismarck office: 328-6300; website: (http://gf.nd.gov).

N.D. Game & Fish Department, Jamestown office: 253-6480.

RAP, Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bismarck, website: (www.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice).