Dakota Recreation Report: March 27, 2023

Outdoor notes:

*Permanent ice houses can’t be left unattended on lakes.

*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 29: Elk, moose, & bighorn sheep applications due.

*April 1: New 2023 fishing licenses due.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, March 21: 1,449.48 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.42 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,824.82 MSL; 15,900 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Access remains difficult throughout area lakes.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Watch out for slush on the lake and under the snow with extreme difficulty in moving around on the ice. Limited activity at best on Devils Lake.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Limited activity but anglers using tracked vehicles continue finding some perch and walleye success. Beware of slushy areas.

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

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Access remains difficult along with moving around on the lake. Tracked vehicles a necessity although anglers who are out continue finding good perch and walleye activity on the east end of Devils Lake. Creel Bay slow. Lots of slush on the ice.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: No activity on area lakes but a few anglers going to Devils Lake with tracked vehicles with some perch success.

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

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Not much activity but a few anglers are finding nice scattered schools of crappie when accessing with tracked vehicles. Pike and walleye remain slow with mediocre at best perch success.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Limited activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea but look for some pike activity when anglers can get on the ice. No reports from Lake Audubon.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Little activity on Lake Sakakawea but look for increasing pike activity if anglers can get on and around on the ice on the east end.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Access remains difficult throughout area lakes.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports with little activity throughout area lakes.

Downhill skiing (conditions could 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, packed 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 could vary):

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

*Missouri Valley (Emmons & Burleigh counties): 16-inch base. Trails open and in good condition with new snow. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*North central (Benson, McHenry, Pierce, Ramsey, & Towner counties): 106- to 14-inch base. All trails open and in fair to good condition.

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

*Peace Garden (Bottineau & Rolette counties): 16- to 20-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 to 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 fair to good condition. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Sakakawea (McLean & Ward counties): 6- to 12-inch base. Trails open. Watch for snow piles along approaches and road crossings.

*Sargent County (Richland & Sargent counties): 18-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.

*Southern Valley (Richland County): 22-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.