Dakota Recreation Report: Oct. 7, 2019

Outdoor notes:

*Use caution when hunting with muddy road and field conditions.

*Oct. 12: Pheasant and fall turkey seasons open.

*Oct. 20: Pronghorn season closes.

Tournaments:

*Oct. 19: Lake Sakakawea, Fort Stevenson State Park.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Sept. 30: 1,448.47 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.38 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,845.6 MSL; 46,200 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No new reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Colder, rainy weather slowing activity but try nightcrawlers and spinners when stable weather returns.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued small walleye success, weather permitting.

*Devils Lake: Limited activity but, weather permitting, anglers continue finding small walleye success with occasional larger ones mixed in.

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

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Weather continues limiting activity.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No reports from area lakes or the Jamestown Reservoir.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Fair to good walleye and pike success, weather permitting, around the bridges and mouth of the creek. Some perch activity in the shallows and around the docks. Water levels are high so use caution around bridges with heavy current.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Little activity due to high water but those anglers out are finding some walleye. Docks will be pulled soon.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Weather limiting activity but prior to recent rains anglers were finding a fall walleye bite. Missouri River tailrace producing good salmon numbers.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye, catfish, and trout in the chutes using 3-way swivels, plastics, or crankbaits. Try the rocks form night for walleye from shore. Spillway area hit-and-miss for walleye with success depending a lot on releases and the number of open gates. Lake Sakakawea tough for walleye on the east end. Look for some salmon success longlining with crankbaits or spoons around the intake or Scoria Bay.

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

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: No activity.

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

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

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Little activity.

Hunting:

*Waterfowl: Generally fair success for local birds with little migration underway yet. Good numbers of teal yet in the southeast around Valley City. Lots of standing water is spreading birds around, though. Muddy road and field conditions making it difficult to access areas, as well as lots of standing grain for setting field decoy spreads. Good bird numbers across southern Manitoba.

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.