Dakota Recreation Report: Dec. 7, 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.

*North Dakota state parks remain open with trails usable for hiking. Check with individual parks for other available amenities yet this fall, however.

*Darkhouse spearing season opens at ice-up on lakes where it’s allowed.

*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.

*Dec. 13: Muzzleloader deer season closes.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Dec. 1: 1,448.5 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.47 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,838.93 MSL; 13,500 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

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

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Look for most of Devils Lake to be iced over but no fishing activity yet and open pockets in some areas. Some activity on northern feeder lakes, including walk-on access at Lake Irvine and Lake Alice.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Ice conditions not good enough for lake access yet.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Some walk-on activity on Lake Alice, Lake Irvine, and Mike’s Lake but the walleye bite is finicky and inconsistent. Test ice as you go along.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Anglers starting to walk onto a few area lakes but no reports yet on success.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Not much activity throughout area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Area lakes quiet until better ice conditions.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lake Ashtabula continues icing over at night and re-opening in spots during the day with the ongoing warm weather. No activity yet.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Some boat activity for walleye on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with some ramps still open. Missouri River tailrace producing a few walleye. Use caution with low water levels but ramp is generally accessible.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace finally starting to produce some ling success with a few pike. Look for occasional walleye at night. Use caution with low water conditions.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No activity on area lakes yet with unsafe ice conditions.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: No activity.

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

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Anglers waiting for ice-over.

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

Hunting:

*Deer: Still some deer movement and activity for archery and muzzleloader hunters.

*Pheasants: Generally fair to good success in areas around the east end of Lake Sakakawea and central N.D.

*Waterfowl: A few Canada geese lingering on Devils Lake but little hunting pressure. Some diving ducks still on the main lake of Devils Lake early in the week, as well. Continued fair to good Canada goose and mallard numbers with birds moving more to the edges of the main lake on the east end of Lake Sakakawea.

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.