Dakota Recreation Report: Nov. 22, 2021

Outdoor notes:

*Go to the N.D. Game and Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) for information regarding North Dakota’s new electronic posting regulations and assistance.

*Check area U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge hunting regulations for potential late season upland game hunting opportunities.

*Nov. 26: Muzzleloader deer season opens.

*Nov. 29: Dove season closes.

*Dec. 1: N.D. Game and Fish Dept. public advisory meetings, Leeds Community Center, 7 p.m.

*Dec. 2: N.D. Game and Fish Dept. public advisory meetings, UND Memorial Union, Grand Forks, 7 p.m.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Nov 16: 1,447.11 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,447.04 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,829.75 MSL; 12,800 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from the Missouri River System, Devils Lake, or area lakes.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Devils Lake generally quiet although a few anglers still working the bridges.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Little activity.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Activity remains light, but try Lindy rigs and minnows on the bottom around the bridges.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Area lakes remain quiet.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Lakes quiet throughout the area.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Little activity throughout area lakes.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: A limited number of anglers out, but no new reports.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No activity with anglers generally waiting for ice-over.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace remains slow with low river levels and access concerns. No activity on Lake Sakakawea.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Coal Mine Lake closed to small game hunting and fishing through Nov. 30. No activity on other area lakes.

Hunting:

*Deer: Gun hunters generally had fair success with bucks more active as the rut progresses.

*Upland: Pheasants moving into heavier winter cover. Try working cattails and heavy vegetation.

*Waterfowl: Valley City area had good waterfowl numbers early in the week with birds on larger open water bodies yet. Decent numbers remained in east-central N.D. earlier in the week with bigger concentrations south of N.D. Highway 200, but movement could change rapidly. Some birds still around central N.D., but they’re on the move south. Good numbers of geese around the east end of the Missouri River System, including east of Lake Audubon and along the Missouri River. However, ducks and geese moving out of north-central N.D., although large numbers of birds remained earlier in the week around the Towner area. Lots of geese moved out in northwest N.D. with small wetlands and lakes icing over, although fair numbers on large water bodies and Lake Sakakawea yet.

Numbers to know:

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake office: (701) 662-3617.

*Report All Poachers: (701) 328-9921