Dakota Recreation Report: March 14, 2022

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 and don’t move around at night.

*Remember to keep fish caught in 25 feet and deeper; they rarely survive coming up from deep depths.

*March 15: Ice houses must be removed from all state lakes and rivers but can be used if they’re removed daily.

*March 23: Elk, moose, and bighorn sheep application deadline.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, March 8: 1,447.28 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,447.18 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,827.7 MSL; 14,400 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from area lakes or Devils Lake. Limited reports but look for some pike activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Creel Bay and East Devils Lake remain fair to good for perch. Try evening hours for small walleye.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Improving walleye success with occasional perch working deeper water.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Spotty walleye success with better activity in low light in the evening or morning hours.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Improving access allowing for more activity throughout many area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued activity on small area lakes. Jamestown Reservoir remains fair

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Continued fair to good success for a variety of species.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Fair to good success for a variety of species, including crappie, perch, and walleye. Pike remain slow. Good access onto and throughout the lake.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: East end of Lake Sakakawea producing some nice-sized pike. Try floating a dead smelt on a bobber in Douglas or Garrison bays. Some spearing success. Occasional walleye. Scattered small walleye success on Lake Audubon. Try the west end.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Continued pike success on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Try Steinke, Centennial, Garrison, or Douglas bays. Concentrate in 20 feet but also try shallower using large bait, either herring or smelt. Lake Audubon producing a few walleye on the east end.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace remains slow with little activity. East end of Lake Sakakawea producing a few walleye in the morning or evening.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports.

N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. trails:

*Trails generally in poor to fair condition with ice.

Downhill skiing. Conditions can vary. Contact for updates and days of operation:

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau, (701) 263-4556: 18-inch base with 1 chair, 2 magic carpets, 4 runs, and all tubing runs open. Terrain Park closed.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn., (218) 843-2231: 24- to 48-inch machine groomed base. 14 runs open with terrain features available on Snowflake.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan, (701) 663-6421: 12- to 28-inch machine groomed base with 1 lift, 1 tow, and 8 runs open. Table tops and rail jump terrain features open on Green Lift area.

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: (701) 328-9921.