Dakota Recreation Report: October 9, 2023

Outdoor notes:

*Blue-green algae is still present in some area wetlands and lakes so watch water conditions before allowing hunting dogs into the water. It’s deadly and death can occur in minutes.

*Be sure of proper bird identification with partridge, grouse and young pheasants.

*Please park out of the way of other vehicles and farm equipment on prairie roads and trails.

*Oct. 12: Devils Lake Ducks Unlimited dinner, Devils Lake KC Club, 5:30 p.m.

*Oct. 14: Turkey season opens.

*Oct. 24: Pronghorn season closes.

*Oct. 27: James Valley Pheasants Forever banquet, Club 1883, Jamestown, 5 p.m.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Oct. 3: 1,449.14 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.49 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,840.44 MSL; 16,800 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Little activity throughout area lakes.

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

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Work shallow in trees and weeds for a nice walleye bite but also mix it up and work deep for the most consistent success.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Not many anglers on the water.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good success but limited angler numbers. Walleye moving shallower in 2 to 8 feet but still try vertical jigging in deeper water around the bridges, towers and rock piles.

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

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Little activity throughout area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Area lakes remain slow with few angler numbers.

*Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: Facilities closed for construction.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Some crappie activity continues with occasional walleye mixed in. Limited angler numbers, though.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Some walleye activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea near the intake structure along the east U.S. Highway 83 embankment with the annual fall Lake Audubon drawdown.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Anglers are working the U.S. Highway 83 embankment by the intake culvert on the east end of Lake Sakakawea for walleye with better success in the morning. Look for activity as long as Lake Audubon is in its annual fall elevation drawdown. No Lake Audubon reports.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace remains slow from both boat and shore. Look for improving salmon success, though, as more fish move through the dam and some small walleye in the spillway channel yet. Try 30 to 50 feet off the points on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with most activity around the north side. Try minnows or nightcrawlers with some crankbait activity. Fair salmon activity from boats and shore with off-and-on success. Look for improving success as temperatures drop.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Area lakes remain quiet.

Hunting:

*Cranes: Decent sandhill numbers moving into the northern tier of the state but birds are already pretty decoy-savvy. Be careful of identification with endangered whooping cranes also migrating this time of year.

*Upland: Look for fair pheasant success but there are still numbers of young uncolored birds yet.

*Waterfowl: Fair local waterfowl success along the east end of Lake Sakakawea, east-central, and northeast North Dakota. Not much for northern migration underway yet with mostly local birds. Generally fair to good success .

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.