Dakota Recreation Report- Feb. 18, 2019

Outdoor notes:

*Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice.

*Remember to keep any fish caught in 20 feet of water and deeper because they don’t survive coming up from those depths.

*It’s illegal to chase, harass or pursue all wildlife – including coyotes – with any motorized vehicle.

*Feb. 23: Dakota Valley Fowlers Delta Waterfowl banquet, Valley City Eagles, 5 p.m.

*Feb. 23: Light goose season opens.

Tournaments:

*Feb. 23: Coe Lake, Alkaline Lake.

*Feb. 24: Crystal Springs.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 12: 1,448.31 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.26 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,836.34 MSL; 26,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from area lakes, Devils Lake, or the Missouri River System with challenging access, at best.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Better success farther east on the lake around Ackerman Acres. Tracked vehicle recommend, though, with access extremely difficult at best.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Tracked vehicles needed to access and move around on Devils Lake. Anglers going out are marking fish but it’s a tough bite.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Tracked vehicles needed to move around on Devils Lake.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Limited access onto area lakes with heavy snow. Tracked vehicles recommended.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Limited activity. Look for occasional nice-sized walleye, weather permitting.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Weather permitting, anglers still trying to get to area lakes although access is difficult. Try jigs and minnows or wax worms.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Crossing is open with a plowed trail onto the lake from the crossing to the south about 2 miles. Spotty success for pike, walleye, and perch.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Limited activity with poor access and difficulty moving around on the lake itself without tracked vehicles. Limited reports on success. Lots of anglers moving their larger houses off so they don’t get iced in.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: No activity with extremely limited access on Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: No Missouri River activity and no Lake Audubon reports.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports with difficult access throughout area lakes.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: No new reports.

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

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

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

N.D. Parks and Recreation Dept. ski trails

(conditions could vary):

*Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau: Trails in good condition and groomed, weather permitting. Look for lots of activity with somewhat warmer weather.

*No reports from other parks.

Downhill skiing (conditions could vary):

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 15- to 24-inch base with beginner runs, seven runs, seven tubing lanes, with two jumps and one rail Terrain Park features open.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn.: 18- to 36-inch machine groomed base with 16 runs and Bear Track Terrain Park open.

*Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: Delayed opening for the season.

*Huff Hills, Mandan: 30- to 32-inch powder, packed powder base, seven runs and two lifts open.

Snowmobile N.D. (conditions can vary):

*East-central Valley (Cass and Richland counties: Trails open and in good condition with 3- to 6-inch base. West side of Rural Cass South Trail closed on the west side from Davenport to Casselton.

*Lake Region (Nelson & Ramsey counties): Trail four closed but all others open with 8- to 14-inch base. Fair to good condition.

*Missouri Valley (Emmons and Burleigh counties): 4- to 10 -inch base with Wilton, Moffit, Sterling and Lincoln trails open.

*North-central (Benson, McHenry, Pierce, Ramsey, and Towner counties): NC 1, 2 and 3 trails closed but all other trails are open with 6- to 10-inch base. Fair to good condition with many snowdrifts.

*Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, and Walsh counties): Border, Pembina, Neche, and Cavalier trails closed but all others open with 6- to 10-inch base. Many ditch trails full of snow.

*Peace Garden (Bottineau and Rolette counties): Open with 4- to 12-inch base.

*Red River South (Grand Forks and Walsh counties): 3- to 6-inch base with East Loop open but thin in spots in open areas.

*Sno-Trails (Bottineau, McHenry, Renville, and Ward counties) 4- to 10-inch base with Kramer to Bottineau trail open.

*Southern Valley (Richland County): All trails open with 4- to 7-inch base, although Trail one closed from Colfax to Walcott. Fair conditions.

*All other trails remain closed or are in the process of opening.

Numbers to know:

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake office: (701) 662-3617.

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