Dakota Recreation Report: Oct. 29, 2018

Outdoor notes:

*No baiting allowed on Fish and Wildlife Nat’l. Wildlife Refuges and Waterfowl Production Areas and Game and Fish Dept. Wildlife Mgmt. Areas.

*Nov. 2: Bighorn sheep season opens (lottery licenses).

*Nov. 4: Standard time change, daylight savings ends.

*Nov. 9: Deer gun season opens.

*Nov. 10: Bobcat season opens.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Oct. 23: 1,448.19 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.28 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,842.28 MSL; 29,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No Devils Lake, east-central, or Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Not much fishing activity but those going out continue working along the bridges.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Fair success with a bit of a fall bite walleye underway. Try the bridges.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Mediocre walleye success working the bridges.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Not many anglers out but those going are finding fair walleye success. Try vertical jigging around 6-Mile Bay bridge or any deep rock piles.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Little to no activity on area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Activity remains light throughout area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Warmer weather bringing more anglers out on area lakes. Try minnows.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Some activity but no reports on success.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No activity with docks pulled from ramps.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Fair walleye success on the east end of Lake Sakakawea around Douglas Bay, Camp of the Cross, Rattlesnake Bay or east of Fort Stevenson State Park. Try 15 to 25 feet with a mix of presentations and bait. Lake Audubon producing an occasional walleye.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River continues producing walleye from boats with best success in the chutes with 3-way swivels, crankbaits, or plastics. Limited salmon and trout numbers. OK shore success off the rocks with best success in the evening. Some trout and salmon mixed in the walleye. Overall evening bite is best. Lake Sakakawea slow for salmon. No walleye reports.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Little activity.

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

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: No reports.

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

Hunting:

*Pheasants: Fair success in pockets around central North Dakota. Better numbers starting to show up around the Lonetree WMA area. Fair numbers in pockets around the east end of the Missouri River System.

*Waterfowl: Increasing numbers of snow geese moving into the Devils Lake area and along the north-central and central tier of N.D. More ducks moving into the Turtle Mountain region, as well. Fair duck and goose numbers around the east end of the Missouri River System. Some birds still around the lake’s midsection with a few moving in but not much activity. Warm weather stalled migrants in the northwest but some snow geese have moved in and fair numbers are still in the area.

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.