Dakota Recreation Report: Feb. 27, 2023

Outdoor notes:

*Check on ice houses occasionally to make certain they haven’t iced in after warming weather.

*Be mindful of parking when accessing area lakes; not blocking roadways or snow removal operations.

*Reminder that it’s illegal to chase, harass or pursue any wildlife species with motorized vehicle.

*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.

*Feb. 28: Tree squirrel season closes.

Tournaments:

*March 4: Devils Lake.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 21: 1,449.44 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.35 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,826.33 MSL; 23,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Devils Lake producing perch on the Minnewaukan Flats and East Devils Lake. No east-central or Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Stink Lake producing a nice walleye bite. East Bay on Devils Lake continues producing good perch activity but tracked vehicles needed to move around on the ice.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued fair to good for perch working deep water in East Devils Lake.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Continued fair to good for perch. Work deep using wax worms.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good perch success with fish moving a little deeper. Overall fair walleye success. Moving around on the lake remains challenging at times in areas but if possible move around and drill a lot of holes to locate fish.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Area lakes generally quiet yet with most anglers heading to Devils Lake for perch.

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

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Weather permitting, anglers continue heading to area lakes but limited reports. Look for improving pike activity. Try smelt.

*Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: Lots of activity with overall fair-to-good success for a mix of species. Try a variety of bait.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lots of activity continues with a nice mix of success, although limited walleye and pike reports.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Hit-and-miss walleye success on Lake Audubon. Try working a variety of depths. Steinke and Centennial bays also hit-and-miss for walleye on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with some perch activity.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Slow walleye bite on the east end of Lake Sakakawea but pike anglers finding a few fish. No reports from Lake Audubon.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace producing some walleye activity from both boat and shore, weather permitting. Lots of pike spearing activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea.

Downhill skiing (conditions may vary):

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 36–to-40-inch base with good conditions. 2 Magic Carpets and 1 lift, 7 runs, and tubing and terrain parks open.

*Buena Vista Ski Resort, Bemidji, Minn .: 12 runs open with Terrain Park set up on Bear Track. Tubing Park open with passes available online.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 20-to 35-inch loose granular, machine groomed base. Antelope, Badger, Big Rock, & Cougar runs closed but all other runs open along with 2 lifts, 1 tow, and Terrain Park open. Donut Hole Hiking Area closed.

Snowmobile N.D. (conditions may vary):

*Cattail (Barnes, Cass, Steele, & Traill counties): 16-to-20 inch base. Trails open and in fair condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*East-Central Valley (Cass & Richland counties): 12- to 16-inch base. Trails open and in good condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Lake Region (Nelson & Ramsey counties): 10- to 14-inch base. Trails open and in good condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Missouri Valley (Emmons & Burleigh counties): 10- to 16-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition. Watch for icy conditions at times and snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*North-Central (Benson, McHenry, Pierce, Ramsey, & Towner counties): 6- to 10-inch base. Rush Lake trail closed but all other trails open and in fair condition.

*Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, & Walsh counties): 8- to 12-inch base with trails open and in fair condition.

*Peace Garden (Bottineau & Rolette counties):12- to 16-inch base with all trails open and in condition. Watch for frozen ruts on sloughs and lakes.

*Red River North (Walsh & Pembina counties): 12- to 16-inch base. Trails open and in good condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Red River South (Grand Forks & Walsh counties): 8- to 10-inch base. Trails open and in good condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Sakakawea (McLean & Ward counties): 5- to 9-inch base. Trails open but in poor condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Sargent County (Richland & Sargent counties): 10-inch base. Trails open. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Sheyenne Valley (Barnes, Dickey, LaMoure, Ransom, & Stutsman counties): 16- to 25-inch base. Trails open and in fair to good condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Sno-trails (Bottineau, McHenry, Renville, & Ward counties: 3- to 12-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition.

*Southern Valley (Richland County): 12- to 20-inch base. Trails open and in good condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

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.