Dakota Recreation Report: Feb. 24, 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.

*Feb. 29: Minndak Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation banquet, Doubletree by Hilton, West Fargo, 4 p.m.

Tournaments:

*Feb. 22: Devils Lake, Alkaline Lake, Lake Audubon.

*Feb. 29: Lake Josephine.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 18: 1,449 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.92 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,838.05 MSL; 25,100 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Devils Lake generally remains slow with limited walleye success on the Minnewaukan Flats. Try morning hours. Occasional perch from Stump Lake. No new reports from Lake Sakakawea. Dry Lake producing an occasional – at best – walleye. Continued Missouri River tailrace activity for walleye.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Fair for a mix of walleye and perch. Try 15 to 25 feet for walleye with best success in the morning and evening. A lot of activity in Creel Bay. Work deep water from mid-morning to mid-day for perch. Drill numerous holes to try to locate perch schools.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Overall success remains challenging and inconsistent for perch. Fair walleye and pike success but inconsistent depending on weather.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Anglers continue marking fish but bite remains finicky. Best success is still on the east side of Devils Lake for perch. Lots of small ones from Creel Bay. Best perch is mid-morning to mid-day while the best walleye bite is morning and evening. Try 17 to 25 feet for walleye; deeper for perch.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Some activity on area lakes where access is available.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Watch ice conditions throughout area lakes with warm weather creating slush pockets and deteriorating ice followed by thin ice layers after cold snap. Area lakes are still producing some success but anglers need to be cautious.

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

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Trail open from the crossing to Sundstrom’s Landing. Good crappie numbers in deeper water in 12 to 20 feet. Lake elevations are dropping so work deeper water in the channels. Work shallow water, though, in the evening for occasional walleye but try a variety of depths throughout the day. Some perch success but move around to locate schools.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No new reports.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Not many reports from the east end of Lake Sakakawea, although a few more portables out on Garrison Bay. Lots of houses on Lake Audubon but limited reports.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye from boats during the day. Some pike mixed in around the Guppy Hole. Weather permitting, look for activity from the wing walls or from shore success. Not much ice fishing activity from Lake Sakakawea.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Area lakes generally remain slow.

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

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: : No new reports but watch ice conditions.

Downhill Skiing

(conditions can vary)

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 10- to 25-inch base with all runs open and in good condition. Chair and carpet lifts open. 3 Sunny Side and 4 Backside tubing runs and lift open with snow jumps and rollers open in the Terrain Park.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn .: 18- to 32-inch machine groomed base with 14 runs and Terrain Park open.

*Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: 6 trails, Harebell beginner trail, and Terrain Park open Friday through Sunday.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 24- to 30-inch powder, packed powder base. 7 runs, bunny hill, and 2 lifts open. Open daily

Snowmobile N.D. trails (conditions can vary):

*Cattail (Barnes, Cass, Steele, & Traill counties): 5- to 9-inch base with trails open and in fair to good condition.

*East-Central Valley (Cass & Richland counties): 6 - to 12-inch base with all trails open and in good condition.

*Lake Region (Nelson & Ramsey counties): All trails open except Trail 6 with 4- to 8-inch base. Fair to good condition.

*Missouri Valley (Burleigh & Emmons counties): Wilton, Sterling, Moffit, & Hague trails open with 3- to 6-inch base. Watch for possible water on lakes and sloughs. Snow removal operations along highways 83 and 11 created large drop-offs and deep cuts. Slow down and beware of changing conditions. Thin ice west of McKenzie on Sterling Trail by culvert on large slough. Stay on shoulder. Open water on Moffit Trail along highway north of Moffit. Chevrons in place directing traffic to shoulder.

*Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, & Walsh counties): 5- to 8-inch base with all trails open and in good condition.

*Red River North (Pembina & Walsh counties): All trails open with 4- to 8-inch base. Good conditions in ditches, marginal in open areas.

*Red River South (Grand Forks and Walsh counties) West Loop closed but other trails open and in fair condition. 4- to 8-inch base.

*Sheyenne Valley (Barnes, Dickey, LaMoure, Ransom, & Stutsman counties): 8- to 12-inch base. J1, V2, V5, V6, L1, & M1 trails open and in fair condition. McKinnes Trail moved to Hwy. 46.

*Southern Valley (Richland County): 8- to 14-inch base with all trails open and in fair to 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 & Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

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