Dakota Rec Report: March 23, 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.

 *March 25: Elk, moose, and bighorn applications due.

 *April 1: Fishing, trapping, and hunting licenses due.

Fishing:

 *Devils Lake elevation, March 17: 1,448.99 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

 *Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.82 MSL.

 *Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,839.44 MSL; 23,100 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

 *N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Some perch activity on the north end of 6-Mile Bay with walleye activity around Mauvais Coulee on Devils Lake. East-central area lakes quiet. Be careful walking onto any lake, though, with thin ice now on top of potential open water areas after recent warm weather. Beware of open water around culverts and bridges. No Missouri River System reports.

 *Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Slower activity with snow over the weekend. Work deep and move around to locate perch.

 *Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Fair for a mix of walleye, perch, and pike. Work deep for perch and shallow for walleye and pike.

 *Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Perch bite remains tough with anglers continuing to mark fish but not much success. Keep working deep water. Decent small walleye success in the morning. Work moving water in the channels in 17 to 25 feet.

 *Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Scattered activity on some area lakes but access becoming difficult.

 *Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Little activity.

 *Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Limited activity on area lakes.

 *Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Limited activity. No new reports.

 *Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Not much activity but a few anglers finding scattered perch and bass success. Anglers accessing with UTVs and ATVs.

 *Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon. Spotty success on the Missouri River, weather permitting.

 *Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace OK for walleye using jigs and minnows or plastics with a few ling and occasional trout. Try jigs down river around the coal veins or stumps using jigs and minnows. Spotty from shore, however. Try crankbaits.

 Light goose conservation order:

 *A few snow geese starting to trickle into North Dakota with a few small flocks southeast of Bismarck late in the week. No reports of birds in east-central part of the state Check the Game & Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) for regulations and licensing details.

Numbers to know:

 *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.