Dakota Recreation Report: Jan. 20, 2020

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.

Tournaments:

*Jan. 25 - 26: Devils Lake, 6-Mile Bay.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Jan. 13: 1,448.94 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.84 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,839.02 MSL; 24,800 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

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

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Cold weather shut down perch activity but continue working as deep as 50 feet. Be prepared to keep anything coming from that depth, however. Some walleye mixed in. Try Creel Bay, casino, or East and Black Tiger bays. Use caution on east Stump Lake with slush and ice pockets. Generally poor water clarity on northern lakes so move around to find clearer water, especially for pike spearing.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Cold front slowed success but walleye and perch picked up somewhat early in the week. Best walleye success remains in the northern feeder lakes with best perch activity still in East Bay.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Some activity on the Minnewaukan Flats with most anglers at Creel Bay. Look for continued fair success from northern feeder lakes, including Pelican Lake.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Cold front slowed activity but walleye and perch success started improving early in the week. Try traditional light slip bobber, hook, and minnows or any rattling presentation. Most activity on Creel Bay working around 20 feet for walleye and deeper for perch. Best perch success remains in East and Black Tiger bays, though.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Access limited to snowmobiles and tracked ATVs throughout area lakes. Scattered, occasional success but overall activity and success is light and limited.

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

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Activity continues on small area lakes anglers can access. Jamestown Reservoir remains closed.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Some walleye and perch success farther south on the main lake. Water releases started so lake elevations will drop. Look for some slumping ice along the shoreline. Ice conditions are improving but watch for slush beneath a top layer of ice and snow and use caution at all times.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Increasing fishing activity on the lake although anglers still need to watch for slush beneath an icy top layer in some areas. Look for a few walleye and perch.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Some pike spearing activity in Steinke Bay on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with some walleye success in Douglas Bay. A lot of anglers moved to the south side of Lake Audubon with overall fair success.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye in the chutes from boats as well as from shore. Try casting crankbaits. No activity from Lake Sakakawea. Lake Audubon fair for walleye.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Area lakes generally slow, although anglers are catching an occasional fish.

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

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No access available.

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

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

Downhill Skiing:

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 10- to 30-inch base with eight trails groomed and in good condition. Chair and carpet lifts open. Three Sunny Side and four Backside tubing runs and lift open.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn .: 18- to 24-inch machine groomed base. 14 runs and four Terrain Park features open.

*Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: Ski area open for the season. Call (701) 549-3600 for information.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 13- to 25-inch machine groomed base with eight runs, bunny lift, one chair, and four Terrain Park features open.

*Hyland Ski Area, Bloomington, Minn .: 36- to 54-inch machine groomed, variable base. 12 runs, eight lifts, and all Terrain Park features open.

Snowmobile N.D. trails:

*Cattail (Barnes, Cass, Steele, & Traill counties): three- to seven-inch base with trails open and in fair condition.

*East-Central Valley (Cass & Richland counties): six- to 12-inch base with all trails open and in good condition.

*Lake Region (Nelson & Ramsey counties): A section open between Devils Lake and Lakota on trails four, five and six with three- to six-inch base.

*Missouri Valley (Burleigh & Emmons counties): Wilton, Sterling, Moffit, & Hague trails open with three- to six-inch base with overall fair at best conditions. Watch for open water along sloughs and lake areas.

*Sheyenne Valley (Barnes, Dickey, LaMoure, Ransom, and Stutsman counties): six- to ten-inch base. J1, J2, V2, V5, V6, L1, & M1 trails open and in fair condition. McKinnes Trail moved to Hwy. 46.

*Red River North (Pembina & Walsh counties): All trails open except for the Cavalier Trail, two- to five-inch base. Good conditions in ditches but marginal in open areas.

*Southern Valley (Richland County): six- to ten-inch base with all trails open and in good condition.

*All other trails closed until there are better snow conditions.

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.