Dakota Recreation Report for Dec. 16, 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.

*Use caution with dogs when hunting around frozen wetlands for cuts from ice, breaking through, etc.

*Dec. 15: Muzzleloader deer season closes.

*Dec. 16: Eastern Canada goose zone closes.

*Dec. 17: Jamestown Christmas Bird Count.

*Dec. 20: Valley City Christmas Bird Count.

*Dec. 21: Western Canada goose zone closes.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Dec. 10: 1,448.86 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.81 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,839.29 MSL; 19,300 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Limited activity on east-central area lakes. No Devils Lake or Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Most walk-on activity remains on northern Devils Lake feeder lakes, including Lake Irvine and Lake Alice, or the west end of Stump Lake from the landing out to the point for perch. Also try Black Tiger Bay for perch. Watch areas of flowing water in the feeder lakes, however, and ice depth varies across all area lakes. Best perch success is from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Try buckshot rattling spoons or small jigs and wax worms or spikes. No activity on main Devils Lake.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Some activity continues on northern feeder lakes for walleye but use extreme caution with highly variable ice conditions. Test depths when walking out.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: OK pike success from Walford’s Bay. Most activity remains on Lake Irvine and Lake Alice using jigs and minnows. Anglers still staying off Devils Lake itself and waiting for better ice conditions.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: No reports from area lakes. Watch variable ice conditions throughout area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Variable ice depth on small area lakes. Use extreme caution and test depths along the way. Occasional walleye.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Look for some walleye and perch activity on area prairie lakes, including Sibley and Mosher. Lake Ashtabula has variable ice and is still generally quiet.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Anglers starting to walk onto parts of Lake Ashtabula with portable houses. Look for more activity as ice conditions improve.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Some walk-on activity on the east end of Lake Audubon but no reports on success. Use extreme caution with variable ice depths. Parts of main Lake Audubon were open early in the week. No activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea’s back bays.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye at night from boats in the chutes and shore, weather permitting. No reports from the wing walls. No activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Lake remains closed.

Hunting:

*Deer: Muzzleloader and late season deer archery hunters seeing less activity.

*Pheasant: Mixed success. Work heavy cover now with colder temperatures and snow.

*Waterfowl: Good numbers of Canada geese remain along the open water of the Missouri River below Garrison Dam with birds on the open water back bays on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. They’re coming off the water later to feed, however. Most birds moved out of the midsection of Lake Sakakawea.

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.