Dakota Recreation Report: August 3, 2020

Outdoor notes:

*Do not release any fish caught from water 25 feet and deeper because their swim bladder likely won’t allow them to survive when coming up from deep water.

*Watchable Wildlife photo contest underway with Oct. 2 deadline. Contact N.D. Game & Fish Dept. conservation biologist, Patrick Isakson, [email protected]) for details.

*Remember to bring insect repellent when outdoors.

*N.D. Dept. of Environmental Quality issued blue-green algae advisories: Spiritwood and Coal Mine lakes and Jamestown Reservoir.

*Aug. 5: Pronghorn applications due. Go online to the N.D. Game & Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) to apply.

*Aug. 8 & 9: Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, July 28: 1,449.89 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.94 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,843.83 MSL; 28,100 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Van Hook Arm slow to fair for walleye on Lake Sakakawea with fair success around New Town. No reports from the east end of Lake Sakakawea, Devils Lake or east-central area lakes.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success using live bait with spinners and bottom bouncers. Better success remains on the west side, possible due to the number of anglers working the west end. Occasional pike with stray perch.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued good for walleye trolling outside of weed beds.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Continued fair to good for walleye with good numbers of small fish and some 17- to 24-inch walleye mixed in.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued walleye activity in 6 to 25 feet with spinners and bottom bouncers in 20 feet or slip bobbers around 10 feet. Try Old or New Mil bays and Pelican Lake.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair to good throughout area lakes, including area rivers. Leeches are difficult to get. Try spinners with bio-leeches or nightcrawlers or crankbaits.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Continued fair to good throughout area lakes with a mix of crappie and walleye depending on the lake.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Fair to good for panfish, including some largemouth bass, throughout much of the lake with some walleye mixed in along the channel breaks. Occasional pike and muskie but remember to release any muskie less than 48 inches in length.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Fair for crappie and other panfish with an occasional walleye mixed in.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Move around and work a variety of depths from 2 to 40 feet to locate walleye on the east end of Lake Sakakawea and then try a variety of presentations. No consistent depth or presentation on the east end.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Extremely inconsistent walleye success. Try 30 to 35 feet with nightcrawlers but work shallower on windy days. Good numbers of smaller, 15-inch fish. Bite Me! fishing tournament applications due Aug. 12.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing small walleye in the spillway channel. Try the chutes in the evening or at night for best walleye success using 3-way swivels. A few walleye down river using jigs. Catfish remain good in the chutes. Try the wing walls or boat ramp from shore for catfish with occasional walleye. Also try the old Spillway Pond area for catfish. East end of Lake Sakakawea remains tough with better success deep in 30-plus feet. Try Lindy rigs or slow death hooks but overall bite is tough. Occasional salmon but not many anglers out. Fish are running in the 8-plus-pound range. Try 80 to 120 feet.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Antelope Lake good for a couple of year classes of walleye but area lakes getting weedy.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: A few anglers finding some success by the dam but overall activity is slow.

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Blue-green algae advisory.

Paddle craft river elevation & flows:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 5.05 feet; streamflow, 230 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 2.45 feet; streamflow, 188 CFS.

*Red River, Grand Forks: River stage, 23.42 feet; streamflow, 11,400 CFS.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.96 feet; streamflow, 281 CFS.

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.