Outdoor Recreation Report

Outdoor notes:

*Beware of blue-green algae on area lakes and wetlands with weather and water conditions prime for the deadly toxin growth. Keep dogs out of any questionable water because it’s deadly and death can occur rapidly.

*Remember to have adequate numbers of lifejackets and proper lighting on boats.

*Anglers need to plan on keeping any fish caught in water deeper than 25 feet because they typically can’t survive after coming up from that deep.

*July 23 – 28: N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Conservation and Outdoor Skills Park, N.D. State Fairgrounds, Minot, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Tournaments:

*July 20 - 21: Lake Sakakawea, Fort Stevenson State Park.

*July 22: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park.

*July 26 - 27: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park.

*July 28: Devils Lake, New Johns Lake, Bader Lake Crystal Springs, Reule Lake, Stink Lake, New Johns Lake and Missouri River tailrace.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, July 17: 1,449.66 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.60 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,852.58 MSL; 60,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Steady overall success from Devils Lake with nice numbers of 12- to 16-inch walleye now coming from deeper water. However, it can be spotty at times. Try the Golden Highway and west of Grahams Island State Park. Antelope Lake producing a few perch with Clear Lake producing occasional walleye. Not much activity on east central area lakes. Red River catfish anglers continue finding active fish using the same recent techniques of working edges and seams of current. Find holes and set upstream using cut bait goldeye or shrimp. No particular time of day but try starting around post-dusk when air temperatures cool below water temperatures. Most active fish continue hitting within about 15 minutes, so move if there isn’t action after about 20 minutes. No new reports but look for continued walleye success on the east end of Lake Sakakawea.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Continued fair walleye success in 18 to 27 feet but work down as deep as 40 feet depending on structure. Try to locate contour lines with spinners and bottom bouncers with leeches or nightcrawlers. Pike and white bass remain fair to good, as well.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Lots of small walleye with occasional larger one mixed in. Try slip bobbers on calm days. Jigs and crankbaits also producing success. Good success for small pike.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Fair for walleye in a variety of sizes with lots of small fish.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success but try deeper water in 15 feet with spinners or 20 to 35 feet with jigs and leeches or nightcrawlers. Lots of activity around East Bay. Pike mixed in with walleye. Work the bridges for white bass.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Continued activity but limited reports.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No new reports but anglers still heading to the reservoir and area lakes.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Slow but steady walleye success using spinners and minnows. Try mouth of Baldhill Creek or the bridges. Continued bass success.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Fewer anglers on the water but those going continue finding bass success, including some nice-sized ones. Walleye remain somewhat elusive.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Fair to good walleye success throughout much of the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Try a variety of depths from shallow out to 30 feet, working structure with spinners or slow death hooks.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Continued good walleye success in 8 to 18 feet throughout the area. Try nightcrawlers with slow death hooks or spinners.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River continues producing walleye from the spillway channel inlet. Also try down river of the cable crossing using plastics or nightcrawlers with Lindy rigs. Honey hole still producing some fish from boats. OK success at best from shore. Try pilot channel or fourth campground loop with live bait or plastics. Lake Sakakawea remains fair for walleye in 18 to 22 feet using variety of bait with Lindy rigs. Also try jigging in the shallows. Try deTrobriand, Douglas or Steinke bays along the north shore, Mallard Island or Isaak Bay on the south side with better success still farther west. Limited salmon success and angler numbers. Try 70 to 80-foot depths.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Area lakes becoming weedy but most are still producing fair to good walleye, perch and pike success. Antelope Lake is the exception and remains slow for walleye, possibly because of an abundance of natural forage.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No new reports.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Limited reports.

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

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 2.04 feet; streamflow, 19.9 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 2.39 feet.

*Red River, Grand Forks: River stage, 16.94 feet.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.39 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 and Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

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