Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes:

*Beware of blue-green algae, watching for discoloration on lakes and wetlands. Stay out of the water, wash equipment and keep dogs away.

*Release any fish caught deeper than 20 feet because they won’t survive coming up from deep water.

*Aug. 29: Grand Forks Ducks Unlimited banquet, Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, 5:30 p.m.

*Aug. 30: Deer and pronghorn (lottery license only) archery seasons open.

*Aug. 30: Mountain lion season opens.

*Sept. 1: Dove season opens.

*Sept. 2: Labor Day.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Aug. 20: 1,448.31 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.44 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,849.69 MSL; 46,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Antelope Lake slowed with blue-green confirmed. Clear Lake also confirmed for blue-green algae. No Missouri River System or Devils Lake reports. Cooler temperatures helping to make larger catfish more active for a late summer bite. Target edges of mid-river holes, working an area about 15 to 20 minutes and then move if there isn’t activity for feeding catfish. Try cut bait, including frogs and suckers.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Continued good for 10- to 14-inch walleye. Try 22 feet with spinners and bottom bouncers, but try other depths, as well, along the Golden Highway, Patience Point, Fort Totten, Birkland’s Point, East Bay Campground, Black Tiger Bay old roadbed, or East Devils Lake east shoreline. Also try slip bobbers or lead core in deeper water for larger fish. Try deeper water for larger fish. Work windy shorelines for white bass. Pike remain elusive.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Main lake starting to produce larger walleye but still a lot of small fish. Work deeper water and locate structure. Also work weed beds.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Continued good for small walleye with some larger fish showing up. Try Howard’s Bay, Golden Highway, or 6-Mile Bridge.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued good for small walleye. Work 20 to 25 feet with bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers around main lakes bays and sunken roads. Look for larger walleye with artificial bait but fewer numbers. White bass throughout the lake.

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

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Jamestown Reservoir continues producing activity, including crappie with some nice-sized walleye. Not many reports from smaller area lakes but some activity continues.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Activity slowed on area lakes and Jamestown Reservoir. Those going out, however, continue heading to area lakes, including Lake Ashtabula where there remains good panfish success.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Lake Ashtabula slowed somewhat with better success for bluegill and crappie towards Sibley Crossing working towards the dam. Try jigs and minnows or slip bobbers for bluegill. Occasional walleye. Annual Bullhead Derby is Aug. 24 with 7 a.m. registration at Ashtabula Crossing.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Panfish activity remains good with slower walleye success. Limited pike activity.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Continued fair walleye success in 20 to 40 feet along main lake points on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Try various presentations. Occasional salmon along the south shore but overall it’s still slow. Not much for Lake Audubon reports.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Work deep in 40 to 50 feet for walleye with long snells and nightcrawlers. Remember to keep any fish caught from that depth. Try the south side with several 20-plus-inch fish, a matter of quality more so than quantity. Limited weekday hours.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye in the spillway channel and pond. Try slow death hooks and nightcrawlers or plastics. Also try crankbaits. Overall success is fair to good with best success before 11 a.m. Chutes continue producing a variety of catfish, trout, and walleye using 3-way swivels but limited salmon numbers. Limited shore success during the day with walleye activity at night casting crankbaits. Lake Sakakawea fair to good for walleye but move around to locate active fish. Try 18 to 20 feet with a morning bite around Steinke Bay, 7 Sisters, Wolf Creek, or Douglas Bay with slow death hook and bottom bouncer with nightcrawlers. Also try using Lindy presentation with slow death hook. Salmon remain spotty. Try a variety of presentations with best success still around Government Bay to Deadman’s but look for a move to the face of the dam in coming weeks.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Area lakes slowed.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Little activity.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No new reports.

*Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Continued bass success.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair for bass.

N.D. rivers:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 1.58 feet; streamflow, 12.4 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 1.79 feet; streamflow, 48.2 CFS.

*Red River, Grand Forks, River stage, 17.02 feet; streamflow, 2,800 CFS.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.74 feet; streamflow, 214 CFS.

Hunting:

*Early Canada goose: A few localized pockets of families scattered around central N.D. but no real field-feeding activity in what crops that have been harvested.

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.