Dakota Recreation Report: Nov. 26, 2018

Outdoor notes:

*ATV, UTV, and snowmobile use now allowed on Lake Darling on Upper Souris Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge from south of Carter Dam to Lake Darling Dam. Access points are the same as for standard vehicles and must only be used for ice-fishing access only. State registration and insurance laws also apply.

*Darkhouse spearfishing season opens at ice-over on legal lakes.

*Nov. 27: N.D. Game and Fish Dept. advisory board meeting, Esmond Rural Fire Dept. Building, 7 p.m.

*Nov. 29: Dove season closes.

*Nov. 30: Deer muzzleloader season opens.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Nov. 19: 1,448.13 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.11 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,840.69 MSL; 29,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Antelope Lake producing occasional perch. No other east-central lakes, Devils Lake and Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: No activity yet on Devils Lake back bays but a few anglers fishing northern feeder lakes. Limited reports yet.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: No reports.

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

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Bays icing over but main lake remains open yet. Some walk-on activity on northern feeder lakes, including Lake Irvine.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: A few anglers checking out area lakes. Pipestem Reservoir producing some perch success. Walk-on access only yet.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Look for some pike and walleye activity with anglers starting to walk onto the reservoir.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Anglers starting to walk on area lakes but no reports yet on success.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Anglers starting to access the lake with most activity north of the bridges. Look for some early season crappie and perch success.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No activity with lake ice still unsafe.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Back bays icing over on Lake Sakakawea but no activity. Lake Audubon iced over but use extreme caution if accessing any of the back bays.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace producing walleye from shore in the evening off the rocks using crankbaits. Use extreme caution on the slippery rocks.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Coal Mine Lake opens for ice-fishing with walkable ice.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Look some few pike and walleye success.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: A few anglers venturing out with limited reports.

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

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

Hunting:

*Upland: Increasing numbers of pheasants showing up in pockets with corn harvest winding down.

*Waterfowl: Good numbers of Canada geese along the open water of the east end of Lake Sakakawea and open water of the Missouri River. Most birds moved out of the lake’s midsection.

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.