Dakota Recreation Report - June 4, 2018

Outdoor notes:

*Blumers Pond, Hatchery Kids Pond (Barnes County), Turtle River State Park (Grand Forks County), and Streeter Lake (Stutsman County) now stocked with catchable trout.

*June 6: Deer gun and muzzleloader applications due. Apply online at gf.nd.gov.

*June 7: N.D. Pheasants Forever Women’s Wingshooting Clinic, $35, Bismarck, Capitol City Sporting Clays. Email Rachel Bush, [email protected]) to register and for more information.

Tournaments:

*June 9: Spiritwood Lake; Lake Sakakawea, Sportsmen’s Centennial Park.

*June 9 and 10: Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing; Devils Lake, Spirit Lake Casino; Devils Lake, East Bay.

*June 16: Devils Lake, Creel Bay; Devils Lake, 6-Mile Bay: Lake Sakakawea, Fort Stevenson State Park.

*June 16 and 17: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park.

*June 17: Tolna Dam.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, May 29: 1,449.77 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.77 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,845.91 MSL; 39,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Varied walleye success on Devils Lake. Lots of recreational activity at Dry Lake. Look for walleye on Barnes County area lakes to move deeper with warmer weather. Try edges of deeper drop-offs and structure using ¼-ounce jigs and soft plastics. Also try leeches and slip bobbers for both walleye and pike. Catfish are hanging around holes and spreading out more on the Red River. Try mid-river holes and move after about 20 minutes if there isn’t a bite. Best success coming on suckers rather than goldeye in warmer weather. Water temperatures remain cool on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with best success still farther west in the New Town area.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: A bit of an improving walleye bite with most activity still around the bridges. Try jigs and a variety of bait with best success starting to come with leeches. Some success with plastics yet. Pike bite remains good on the west end with some east end success.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Main lake inconsistent for walleye with some nice-sized fish showing up occasionally and slow other times. Good water clarity, which could be slowing the bite. Best success remains in northern feeder lakes.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan:

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Try slip bobbers and minnows or casting crankbaits in shallow, warm water for walleye.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: More activity on area lakes but limited fishing reports.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Jamestown Reservoir fair to good for crappie and occasional walleye. Pike remain slow.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Not many reports.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Fair to good bass success. Work typical bass areas in shallow water. Scattered walleye and pike success. No perch reports.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No new reports.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Improving walleye activity along Riverdale bluffs and Douglas, Centennial and Steinke bays, but success is still spotty and inconsistent. Work a variety of depths. East end of Lake Audubon remains fair for walleye. Limited reports from Missouri River tailrace.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Best walleye success remains west around Skunk Bay and the river portion around New Town. Look for warmer water temperatures to start the bite closer to the Hills.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River showing some walleye success using jigs and minnows from boats. Spotty overall, though. Good pike success from boat and shore with occasional trout. Also try casting crankbaits from shore at night for walleye for the best success. Wing walls remain slow. Look for releases to affect overall fishing success throughout the river. Try casting jigs in shallow water for walleye on Lake Sakakawea. Also try running crankbaits in deeper water around 30 feet for nice-sized walleye. The fish are generally nice-sized. Best overall success remains west from Beulah Bay to the west, however. Salmon remain slow yet. Lake Audubon continues producing walleye.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Some pike activity.

*Limited reports for Pipestem Reservoir and Spiritwood Lake, Jamestown.

N.D. river canoeing/kayaking elevation & streamflow:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 2.77 feet; streamflow, 33.3 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 2.63 feet.

*Red River, Grand Forks: River stage, 17.45 feet.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 4.0 feet.

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.