Dakota Recreation Report: November 21, 2022

Outdoor notes:

 *Reminder that most roads and trails closed to hunting if posted on both sides.

 *Hunters reminded to put identification on tree stands and blinds when set up on N.D. Game & Fish Dept. WMAs.

 *Nov. 22: N.D. Game & Fish Dept. public advisory meeting, Valley City Eagles Club, 7 p.m.

 *Nov. 25: Deer muzzleloader season opens.

 *Nov. 29: Dove season closes.

 *Dec. 5: N.D. Game & Fish Dept. public advisory meeting, New Rockford Eagles Club, 7 p.m.

Fishing:

 *Devils Lake elevation, Nov. 15: 1,449.25 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

 *Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.25 MSL.

 *Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,832.82 MSL; 15,600 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

 *N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No access advised on area lakes until ice conditions improve for walk-on fishing activity.

 *Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Smaller area lakes icing over and have iced over but no access recommended yet.

 *Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: No activity with anglers waiting for better ice conditions with smaller area lakes iced over.

 *Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: No new reports.

 *Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Back bays of Devils Lake and Minnewaukan Flats starting to ice over but unsafe for any walk-on ice-fishing activity yet.

 *Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Area lakes icing over but no walk-on activity recommended yet.

 *Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: No new reports.

 *Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No activity with area lakes iced over but not good enough for walk-on activity.

 *Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: Lake icing over but no access recommended yet.

 *Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lake icing over with open water and slushy areas in spots. No access advised.

 *Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Back bays of Lake Sakakawea icing over but unsafe for any walk-on fishing activity.

 *Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Lake Audubon and back bays of Lake Sakakawea icing over but no walk-on activity yet with unsafe ice conditions.

 *Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace quiet due to recent weather front. No activity on Lake Sakakawea.

Hunting:

 *Deer: Increased movement with the rut underway. Access and moving around to get to areas is difficult, however, with heavy snow on trails and section lines.

 *Pheasants: Birds bunching into heavy cover in cattails and shelterbelts.

 *Waterfowl: Some birds remained on the open water of main Devils Lake earlier in the week but will move out as ice-over progresses. Birds moved out of northern, north-central, and east-central N.D. but some Canada geese remain on the open water of the bays on 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: (701) 328-9921.