Dakota Recreation Report: Aug 5, 2019

Outdoor notes:

*Pronghorn and swan applications now available on the N.D. Game and Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov).

*Aug. 7: Pronghorn applications due.

*Aug. 14: Swan applications due.

Tournaments:

*Aug. 10 - 11: Red River, Drayton.

*Aug. 11: Lake Sakakawea, Sakakawea State Park.

*Aug. 13: Stump Lake.

*Aug. 16: Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.

*Aug. 16 - 17: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park.

*Aug. 17: Jamestown Reservoir; Devils Lake, Creel Bay; Lake Sakakawea, Sakakawea State Park.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, July 30: 1,448.68 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.82 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,851.77 MSL; 46,300 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Goose and Antelope lakes slowed and more hit-and-miss with some good success and other times slow. No reports from Devils Lake or the Missouri River System.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Continued small walleye success around Camp Grafton, East Bay and Minnewaukan Flats. Try spinners and bottom bouncers with nightcrawlers or leeches. White bass remain good.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued small walleye success but move around for larger fish with them scattered and no particular pattern. Fair white bass success at times.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Fair to good small walleye success with most activity along the Minnewaukan Flats. Look for improving success along the bridges for both walleye and white bass.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Fair to good for small walleye using spinners and bottom bouncers with nightcrawlers. Try Bird Island or 6-Miles bass. Look for white bass success using jigs.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Most anglers continue heading to Devils Lake. Some activity on area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Area lakes getting weedy along the shorelines with somewhat slower activity. Look for a mix of crappie, perch, and walleye, though, throughout area lakes, including Jamestown Reservoir.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lots of activity throughout area lakes, including around Streeter, Medina, and Gackle, with most anglers using leeches. Not much activity on Jamestown Reservoir.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Look for a morning bite for a variety of species.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Continued good success for walleye and panfish throughout the lake.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Fair to good walleye success but work a variety of depths using a mix of presentations. Try Douglas, Garrison, or deTrobriand bay. No Lake Audubon reports.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Lots of small walleye with better success off the points. Work deeper but also try as shallow as 13 feet.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River spillway pond and channel continues producing walleye with a nice morning bite, which slows after about 10 a.m. Try Lindy rigs or crankbaits. Look for a mix of walleye, trout, catfish, and salmon in the chutes using 3-way swivels with plastics or smelt. Try jigging down river with minnows or nightcrawlers for walleye, as well as Lindy rigs. Crankbaits continue producing walleye off the rocks from shore at night after 8 p.m. and before 8 a.m. Lake Sakakawea inconsistent with an early morning and mid-afternoon bite but midday lull. Try 16 to 26 feet depending on wind using slow death hooks and nightcrawlers. Also try shallow with crankbaits. Work Mallard Island, Wolf Creek, Steinke or Douglas bays, and the three bays west of Sakakawea State Park. OK salmon success but slowed over the past week. Try Government Bay to the north in 65 to 90 feet.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Fishing slowed considerably throughout area lakes, although anglers still finding an occasional fish.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Little to no activity.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Little activity.

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Fair to good bass success.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued bass success.

N.D. rivers:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 1.86 feet; streamflow, 16.7 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 1.86 feet; streamflow, 58.3 CFS.

*Red River, Grand Forks, River stage, 18.46 feet; streamflow, 5,880 CFS.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.92 feet; streamflow, 280 CFS.

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