Dakota Recreation Report: March 13, 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.

*March 15: Permanent houses must be off area lakes but can be used if removed daily.

*March 18: Friends of the NRA banquet, Grand Forks Alerus Center, 5 p.m.

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

*March 25: Kidder Co. Pheasants Forever banquet, Steel, Pifer’s Auction Center, 5 p.m.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, March 7: 1,449.35 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.34 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,825.19 MSL; 19,700 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

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

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: No new reports but look for continued perch activity in East Bay. Moving around on the ice is still difficult without tracked vehicles.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued nice perch activity with fair walleye success.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Walleye activity slowed and is more inconsistent.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued good perch success around East Bay. Work early morning hours or late afternoon for walleye. Access remains challenging on many areas of the lake, however.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Most activity remains on Devils Lake for perch or Jamestown Reservoir for crappie.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: No reports from area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No new reports.

*Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: Activity continues with best success on minnows when available.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Drifting snow occurring across the lake with recent winds so anglers moved most houses off the lake. Activity slowed due to weather and access conditions.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Some nice-sized walleye west of Douglas Bay but no access points other than at Douglas Bay so travel on the ice for about 3 miles is necessary. Spotty walleye success elsewhere on the east end. Work any of the upper ends of back bays for the start of a pike bite. Try deep in about 35 feet on Lake Audubon for walleye but be prepared to keep fish caught that deep.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: A more consistent pike bite is showing up on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Focus on larger flats adjacent to deeper water in back bays with smelt or herring. Walleye remain spotty on Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace walleye success remains slow. Weather limiting activity on 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 .: All runs open with Terrain Park set up on Bear Track. Tubing Park open with passes available online.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 30- to 35-inch powder base. All runs open along with 2 lifts, 1 tow, and Green Lift Terrain Park open. Donut Hole Hiking Area also open.

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 with new snow. Watch for 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 good condition.

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

*Sno-trails (Bottineau, McHenry, Renville, & Ward counties: 3- to 12-inch base. Trails open but lost snow depth.

*Southern Valley (Richland County): 10- to 20-inch base. Trails open and in fair 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.