Dakota Recreation Report: February 12, 2018

Outdoor notes:

*Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice.

*Personal items such as game cameras, blind, etc. must now be removed from all N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Wildlife Mgmt. Areas.

*Feb. 14: Spring turkey applications due. Available online only at (gf.nd.gov).

*Feb. 17: Light goose season opens.

Tournaments:

*Feb. 17: Jamestown Reservoir, Pelican Point; Devils Lake, Sand Lake, Lake Audubon, Lake Sakakawea, pike spearing event.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 6: 1,449.63 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.59 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,838.89 MSL; 25,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Little success on east-central area lakes. Devils Lake remains spotty with best success on the east side for some pockets of perch. West side of the lake is quiet, although a few walleye south of 6-Mile Bay. Success is still spotty and daylight dependent. The lake has more snow so driving can be tricky through some of the heavy drifts. Overall access is still OK with caution and care. Clear Lake starting to produce a walleye bite. Best Barnes County success on smaller lakes remains in the morning and last hour before dusk for walleye. Try any shiny presentation. Try light, 1/16-ounce buckshots, gold Genz worms, or slip bobber rigs with gold hook and small minnow for perch. Move around a lot to locate perch. Best pike success is later in the afternoon with smelt and tip-ups in shallower water. Sibley and Antelope lakes are spotty, but the perch taken are nice-sized. Try an evening bite. No Lake Sakakawea reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Work structure in 7 to 15 feet for walleye with any noisy presentation. Best perch success remains on the east side of Devils Lake in at least 30 feet with small jigs.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Overall perch and walleye success slowed with some spotty success.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: No new reports.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Finicky walleye and perch bite with abundance of freshwater shrimp in the lake. Work the east side for perch and northern feeder lakes for walleye.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Anglers still out on area lakes but limited reports.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Fair activity on smaller area lakes with continued crappie success on Jamestown Reservoir.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued activity on area lakes, including crappie from the reservoir.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Some large walleye taken but definitely a case of quality more so than quantity. Pike spearing slow with most anglers heading to Devils Lake instead. A few houses on smaller area lakes, such as Hobart and Eckelson lakes.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Lake Sakakawea slowed for walleye with scattered occasional success. Lake Audubon remains fair to good for walleye.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Lake Sakakawea producing occasional walleye on the east end. Try Wolf Creek. Some improving pike spearing success in back bays such as Wolf Creek. Nice night bite on Lake Audubon but not steady every night. Missouri River remains slow.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Most area lakes still somewhat slow but still producing a few fish to entice anglers to come back. Driving access is generally good.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Fair for pike and crappie.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair for crappie.

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Overall success slowed.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Somewhat slower activity.

Downhill skiing:

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 8- to 18-inch groomed base. 1 chair, 2 carpets, and 1 handle tow with 8 ski runs and 7 tubing lanes open.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn .: 18- to 40-inch machine groomed base. 8 trails and Terrain Park’s Bear Track open.

*Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: 18- to 24-inch machine groomed base. Tube, beginner ski, and Terrain Park with Magic Carpet open. Open Saturday and Sundays.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 18- to 25-inch base with 2 lifts, bunny tow, and 8 groomed runs open.

Snowmobile N.D.:

*Red River North (Pembina & Walsh counties): Trail CR 4 open Oakwood to Warsaw, Trail CR 11 open Grafton to Warsaw, Trail 15 open Warsaw to Minto, trails 17, 18, 66, 81 north and south, and Minnesota Trail open with 3- to 5-inch base. Thin open areas with dirty snow in many locations. All other trails closed.

*All other trails closed.

N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. trails:

*Grahams Island, Devils Lake: Trails open and in fair condition.

*Icelandic, Cavalier: Trails open and in fair condition.

*Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau: Recent snowfall should allow for trail grooming and better trail conditions, weather permitting.

*Turtle River, Arvilla: Ski trails open but in poor condition. Sledding hill also open and in fair condition.

Numbers to know:

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, main Bismarck office: (701) 328-6300, website: (http://gf.nd.gov).

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake office: (701) 662-3617.

*N.D. Game & Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

*Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121 or (701) 328-9921.