Dakota Recreation Report: March 5, 2018

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.

*March 9: James Valley Pheasants Forever banquet, Jamestown KC Club, 5 p.m.

*March 10: Devils Lake Ducks Unlimited banquet, Devils Lake KC Club, 5:30 p.m.

*March 10: Spring crow season opens.

*March 15: Darkhouse spearfishing season closes.

*March 15: Permanent fish houses must be removed from all N.D. waters. They can be used but must be removed daily.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 27: 1,449.61 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.59 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,837.97 MSL; 25,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Similar success on Devils Lake as recent weeks – fair at best for walleye and perch. Look for improved bite with warmer weather as fish move into pre-spawn feeding. However, watch ice conditions, especially along shorelines, on all area lakes with warmer weather and watch so houses don’t ice in. Try working deeper water on small area lakes for walleye. No Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Success slowed with changing weekend weather fronts but continue working East Bay and East Devils Lake for perch in 30 to 50 feet. Stay mobile, continue working structure, and move around for walleye on the main lake.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Overall success remains fair at best with spotty and inconsistent walleye and perch activity.

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

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Walleye and perch remain tight-lipped. Try 30 to 50 feet for perch, shallower in late afternoon for walleye. Move around to locate active fish. Pike fair at best.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Some activity on area lakes but overall reports remain light.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Try small area lakes, including Erickson, Pearl, Hobart, or Clear lakes, for a beginning perch bite with some nice-sized ones taken. Continued crappie activity on Jamestown Reservoir.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued activity on Jamestown Reservoir and area lakes.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: More anglers out and moving around on the lake with generally improving success. Not many limits but overall fair success. Ice access and conditions remain good.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Fair pike activity on Centennial, Garrison, and Douglas bays on Lake Sakakawea with scattered walleye mixed in. Lake Audubon producing fair numbers of walleye but they’re on the small side. Move around.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Not much activity on the Missouri River tail race but look for a little walleye success from shore at night. Also try the wing walls. OK pike spearing and hook-and-line success in the back bays of Lake Sakakawea.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Not many people on area lakes with limited activity and reports.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Continued crappie activity.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair for crappie.

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: No new reports.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No new reports.

Downhill skiing:

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 8- to 18-inch groomed base. 1 chair, 2 carpets, and 1 handle tow with 8 ski runs and 7 tubing lanes open.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn .: 8- to 40-inch machine groomed base. 15 runs and Bear Track Terrain Park feature open.

*Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: 18- to 24-inch machine groomed base. Tube, beginner ski, and Terrain Park with Magic Carpet open. Open Saturday and Sundays.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 18- to 24-inch base with 2 lifts, bunny tow, and 8 groomed runs open. Open Thursday through Sunday.

Snowmobile N.D.:

*East Central Valley Trail (Cass & Richland counties): Trails open from Horace to Wild Rice to Christine, groomed, and in fair condition. East-west ditches in best conditions. Other trails closed.

*Lake Region (Nelson & Ramsey counties): Trail 3 open, groomed, and in fair condition with 4- to 8-inch base. Trail 4 open along U.S. Highway 2 and north to Trail 3. Trails 5 & 6 open along Highway 2.

*Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, & Walsh counties): 3- to 10-inch groomed base and in fair condition but some bare spots. Moonlighter Gorge Trail open east out of Langdon, North Nekoma Trailblazers open from Langdon to Nekoma, South Nekoma Trailblazers Trail open east of Nekoma, and Tri-County Trail open from Osnabrock to Milton.

*Peace Garden Trail (Bottineau & Rolette counties): 3- to 5-inch base. Trail 2 open from Lake Metigoshe to the ski lodge. Trails 4 and 5 open. Treed areas have nice snow; open areas in poor condition.

*All other trails closed.

N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. Trails:

*Grahams Island, Devils Lake: Trails open and in fair to good condition.

*Icelandic, Cavalier: Trails open but ungroomed and better suited for hiking than cross-country skiing.

*Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau: Trails open and in good condition.

*Turtle River, Arvilla: Trails open and in fair condition.

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: (800) 472-2121 or (701) 328-9921.