Dakota Recretion 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.

*Applications for remaining deer gun licenses available online from N.D. Game and Fish Dept. website, (gfr.nd.gov), until Aug. 8 deadline.

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

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

*July 27 – 28: N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Conservation and Outdoor Skills Park, N.D. State Fairgrounds, Minot, 1 – 7 p.m.

Tournaments:

*Aug. 4 - 5: Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.

*Aug. 4: Devils Lake.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, July 24: 1,449.58 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.52 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,851.87 MSL; 57,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Target areas with faster current for bigger catfish on the Red River, working a spot for about 20 to 30 minutes before moving if without a bite. Try frozen goldeye or fresh suckers for best bait choice. Steady success for smaller eater-sized catfish along outside edges of current and along cut bank breaks. Hit-and-miss success on Lake Sakakawea’s east end.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Walleye success slowed somewhat. Try 18 to 40 feet with nightcrawlers and harnesses. Lots of small fish. Bass and pike remain good.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued good numbers of small walleye with anglers working hard to find larger keeper fish. Inconsistent weather isn’t helping success.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Continued good success for small walleye. Move around and try a variety of depths and presentations.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Lots of small walleye with anglers struggling to find larger fish. Try 20 to 35 feet for bigger fish with jigs. Smaller fish hanging in 10 to 20 feet. Try spinners and bottom bouncers along with the weed beds. Move around and don’t stay in one spot too long.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Many area anglers heading to Devils Lake. Several area lakes becoming weedy.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Jamestown Reservoir slowed with lots of weekend recreational activity.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lots of boating activity on the reservoir with few fishing reports.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Good numbers of bass and perch with some whopper bass caught. Walleye remain slow. Lots of activity.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Look for continued bass activity but walleye remain somewhat elusive.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: East end of Lake Sakakawea remains good for walleye. Try 13 to 30 feet with slow death hooks or crankbaits.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Fair to good walleye success. Try along the south side or Goat Island and Pepsi Point on the north shore with nightcrawlers or jumbo leeches. A few anglers finding success on minnows.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River continues producing walleye down river using Lindy rigs with plastics or nightcrawlers. Leeches no longer available. Also try jigs and minnows. Don’t concentrate on spillway channel, move down river with smaller fish generally in the channel. Lake Sakakawea remains good for walleye but there isn’t much of a pattern. Move around although Steinke and Douglas bays remain good on the north shore along with 5 Fingers and Alcatraz, and Isaak Bay on the south side. Try slow death hooks with nightcrawlers or crankbaits in 18 to 20 feet. Also work shallow. A few salmon starting to show up in 60 to 80 feet over deeper water. Not many anglers though. Try Deadmans or Government bays.

*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, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Continued crappie success.

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

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Not many reports.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No reports.

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

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 1.95 feet; streamflow, 18.8 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 2.23 feet.

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

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 4.07 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.