Dakota Recreation Report: April 24, 2023

Outdoor notes:

*Paddlefish tags now available online from the N.D. Game and Fish Dept., (gf.nd.gov).

*New fishing licenses are now required.

*April 24: N.D. Game and Fish Dept. public advisory meeting, Harvey City Hall, 7 p.m.

*April 29: Red River Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation banquet, Alerus Center, Grand Forks.

*May 1: Paddlefish snagging season opens. See Game and Fish Dept. website for specific regulations.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, April 18: 1,449.61 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.6 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,827.07 MSL; 16,700 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Deteriorating ice conditions on Devils Lake and area lakes but look for some potential pike activity on small lakes as shorelines open up.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: No new reports but watch poor ice and shorelines.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Deteriorating ice conditions with little activity with those walking out finding slow success at best.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Open water along the bridges on Devils Lake with rapidly deteriorating ice conditions, especially with water along the shorelines.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Little activity with deteriorating ice and lack of minnow availability.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Area lakes remain slow with deteriorating ice conditions although the river is open with some shore-fishing activity.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Little activity with deteriorating ice and lack of minnow availability.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Not much activity with runoff just starting to begin into Lake Ashtabula.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Not much activity on Lake Sakakawea or Lake Audubon with deteriorating ice conditions.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Pike moving into the back bays of Lake Sakakawea with some creeks running hard, including Douglas Creek, early in the week. Use extreme caution, however, with rapidly deteriorating ice and water along shorelines.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Increasing activity on the Missouri River tailrace but limited success. Minnow availability remains challenging, at best. Wait for open water along Lake Sakakawea with deteriorating ice and increasing lake elevations.

Migration and hunting:

*Snow geese starting to move over much of N.D. Look for a quick migration.

*Turkey: Birds becoming increasingly active

N.D. rivers (conditions can vary rapidly):

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 6.21 feet.

*Pipestem Creek, Pingree: Creek elevation, 10.76 feet.

*Red River, Grand Forks: River stage, 24/23 feet.

*Sheyenne River, Kensal: River stage, 6.21 feet.

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.