Dakota Recreation Report: March 21, 2022

Outdoor notes:

*Darkhouse spearing closed for the season.

*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 24: Barnes Co. Ducks Unlimited banquet, Valley City Eagles Club, 5:30 p.m.

*April 1: New 2022 hunting, fishing, & trapping licenses due.

*April 1: Snowmobile North Dakota trails close.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, March 15: 1,447. 23 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,447.19 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,827.66 MSL; 14,500 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Devils Lake starting to produce a few pike. Try the south end of Creel Bay for white bass and perch. Scattered at best walleye success. No east-central area lake or Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Warm weather bringing more anglers out with fair to good perch success in Creel Bay. Try Pelican Lake for walleye.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Improving walleye success with scattered pike and perch activity. Move around.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Continued improving late season walleye and perch success. Work 40 to 50 deep for perch.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Improving perch success with best activity on the east end. Try 35 to 50 feet. Work early morning or late afternoon in 15 to 25 feet and shallower for walleye. Improving pike success in 8 feet or less.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Lots of activity throughout area lakes with a fair mix of perch and walleye.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Jamestown Reservoir producing nice numbers of perch and other panfish with lots of late season activity on small lakes west and northwest of Jamestown. No reports from the James River.

*Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: Houses moved off the lake but anglers can still use portables, pending access conditions with warmer weather. Continued fair to good success for a mix pike, perch, crappie, and walleye.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Continued fair to good success for a mix of walleye and perch with good access.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: East end of Lake Sakakawea slowed for pike and remains slow for walleye. Lake Audubon also slow.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Lake Audubon improving for walleye. Try Velva Point or Old Church Bay. Fair pike success continues on the east end of Lake Sakakawea.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Some activity on the Missouri River tailrace but no reports. Look for increasing angler numbers with warmer weather. Use caution on Lake Sakakawea with potential deteriorating shoreline conditions. Try Wolf Creek on the east end of Lake Sakakawea for walleye with better success in late evening.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports with generally slow success.

Downhill skiing. Contact for updates and days of operation with varying spring conditions:

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau, (701) 263-4556.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn., (218) 843-2231.

*Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: Closed for the seasn.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan, (701) 663-6421.

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.