Dakota Recreation Report: Nov. 30, 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.

*Nov. 29: Dove season closes.

*Nov. 30 & Dec. 1: N.D. Game & Fish Dept. virtual livestream advisory board public meetings. Email advance questions to [email protected]. Go to the department website, (gf.nd.gov) for more information.

*Dec. 6: High and Low Plains ducks, merganser, coot, and white-fronted goose seasons close.

*Dec. 12: High and Low Plains ducks, merganser, and coot seasons re-open.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Nov. 23: 1,448.53 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.48 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,838.89 MSL; 13,200 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Devils Lake back bays icing over but no activity recommended yet. A few anglers testing ice conditions on Antelope Lake but no reports. No Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Some areas of Devils Lake icing over but the main lake is still open. A few anglers on upper basin lakes but watch for some open water areas.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Some walk-on activity on smaller area upper basin lakes but Devils Lake is still open with no activity.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Area lakes quiet with limited ice depth yet.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Anglers cautiously starting to test area lakes, including Barnes Lake and the James River.

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

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lake icing over at night but opening up on warm days. No activity with anglers waiting for good ice.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Weather permitting, a few anglers are going on the east end of Lake Sakakawea in boats with occasional walleye success.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace generally quiet with limited activity. Those going out are finding some pike. Look for a few walleye, as well.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Some early season activity but use caution.

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

Hunting:

*Upland: Pheasant hunters continue finding fair to good success working heavy cover.

*Waterfowl: Most waterfowl moved out of the state although good numbers of Canada geese and mallards remain along the east end of Lake Sakakawea. A few Canada geese remain in the Devils Lake area but a vast majority of birds moved out and the remaining ones will leave soon. Some birds lingering on remaining large open water lakes.

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.