Dakota Recreation Report: Dec. 25, 2023

Outdoor notes:

*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.

*Dec. 29: Missouri River Canada Goose Zone and light goose seasons close.

*Dec. 31: High Plains Duck Unit and tundra swan seasons close.

*Jan. 7, 2024: Grouse, partridge, pheasant, turkey and archery deer seasons close.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Dec. 19: 1,449.28 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.22 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,839.28 MSL; 17,300 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

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

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Anglers walking onto some Devils Lake back bays and finding fair perch success.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: No new reports with poor ice conditions in many locations.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Fair perch and walleye success with anglers walking on Devils Lake northern feeder lakes, including Mike’s Lake and Lake Irvine, and north end of 6-Mile Bay.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: A few anglers on area lakes but no reports on success.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Activity remains light throughout many lakes with questionable ice in many areas.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Some activity on area lakes but no reports on success. Use extreme caution when walking on the ice.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No new reports on open water and ice conditions.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Fair walleye success on back bays of Lake Audubon but beware of varying ice and springs with walk-on access only.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Some anglers walking on the east end of Lake Audubon for an evening walleye bite. Use extreme caution with open water in some areas on main Lake Audubon. Some activity in the Missouri River tailrace when access is available with open water off the ramp and it’s not iced in.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace wing walls starting to produce some walleye. Limited angler numbers but those casting crankbaits from shore are finding occasional walleye success with some boat activity for walleye downriver, weather and ramp access permitting. Overall activity remains light, however.

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

Hunting:

*Upland: Look for continued pheasant success with ongoing nice weather for hunters to get some late season activity.

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 and Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

*Report All Poachers: (701) 328-9921.