Dakota Recreation Report for April 29, 2019

Outdoor notes:

*May 1: Paddlefish season opens. See N.D. Game and Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) for regulations.

*May 4: Women’s Wing-shooting Workshop, session I, Capital City Sporting Clays, Bismarck. Contact Cayla Bendel, ([email protected]) for information or to register.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, April 23: 1,448.88 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.72 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,845.89 MSL; 13,400 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Sheyenne River and area dams along the river are spotty but at times can produce some nice walleye success with some pike mixed in. Devils Lake decent at times in the feeder coulees and creeks but still somewhat spotty for walleye. No Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Fair to good for a mix of a walleye and pike along the moving water around bridges, Channel A, and feeder coulees. Try pitching plastics.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Some pike and walleye activity in Devils Lake feeder coulees and creeks. Try plastics or crankbaits. Shorelines opening on the main lake but no activity yet.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Try areas of moving water around the coulees or any of the bridges for a nice mix of walleye and pike. Main lake shorelines starting to open but no activity yet.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Some walleye activity on the Sheyenne River. Try plastics.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Anglers starting to get out and check area lakes but limited early season success yet. Some activity in the James River.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Increasing activity on area lakes with some nice shore-fishing success.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Main lake still had ice early in the week with no activity. Look for some shore-fishing around the bridges and crossing.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Deepwater Bay fair for walleye but use caution with floating ice yet. Try jigs and minnows in shallow water in the back bays with the back ends of Douglas, de Trobriand and Garrison bays open. Try North Lake of Lake Audubon for walleye with that area also mostly open. Small boats can access from the east end embankment of Lake Audubon but, again, watch floating ice.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River continues producing walleye from boats and shore. However, low Garrison Dam releases creating low water conditions at times throughout the day, which influences fish activity and overall success. Try spoons or crankbaits for pike from shore in Lake Sakakawea’s back bays.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Nice weather bringing anglers out to shore-fish area lakes now that they’re open or mostly open. Generally fair to good success on lakes that didn’t suffer winter kill.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle; Sooper Stop. Jamestown: inter-kill fish losses.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: The lake had some winter fish losses.

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait and Tackle; Sooper Stop,Jamestown: No new reports.

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

N.D. rivers:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 6.29 feet; streamflow, 366 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 5.11 feet; streamflow, 1,070 CFS.

*Red River, Grand Forks, River stage, 42.94 feet; streamflow, 49,300 CFS.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.86 feet; streamflow, 269 CFS.

Numbers to know:

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake office: (701) 662-3617.

*Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121 or (701) 328-9921.