Dakota Recreation Report: May 1, 2023

Outdoor notes:

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

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

Tournaments:

*May 3: Red River, Old 26 Landing.

*May 10: Red River, Old 26 Landing.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, April 25: 1,449.83 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.82 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,828.41 MSL; 16,800 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from east-central area lakes or Devils Lake. No activity on Lake Sakakawea with deteriorating ice conditions.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: No new reports.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Some walleye activity on the open waters of Channel A. Late April storm continues delaying open water.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: No activity on area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Area lakes remain quiet but a few anglers trying the open waters below the spillway with some early walleye and perch success. James River is open but little activity.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Activity remains limited at best throughout area lakes with the slow transition to open water.

*Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: No activity.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lake rising slowly in elevation from runoff but no activity.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: No activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon with poor ice conditions and no shorelines access. Try late evening hours on the Missouri River tailrace for walleye with better success farther down river below Wilton.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: OK pike success working the back bays on the east end of Lake Sakakawea but use extreme caution with deteriorating shorelines. No Lake Audubon or Missouri River reports.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Not much activity on the Missouri River. No open shorelines on the east end of Lake Sakakawea yet.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports.

N.D. river data (conditions can vary rapidly):

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 9.13 feet.

*Pipestem Creek, Pingree: Creek elevation, 9.81 feet.

*Sheyenne River, Kensal: River stage, 6.07 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.