Dakota Recreation Report: March 9, 2020

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 15: Permanent fish houses must be removed from all state waters. They can still be used but must be taken off daily.

*March 15: Earth Day patch contest deadline. Contact N.D. Game & Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) for details.

*March 15: Spring crow season opens.

*March 19: Valley City Ducks Unlimited banquet, Valley City Eagles Club, 5:30 p.m.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, March 3: 1,448.97 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,448.91 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,837.89 MSL; 24,500 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Little activity on east-central area lakes. Devils Lake starting to show scattered improving walleye success. A few perch mixed in west of casino. No Missouri River System reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Walleye bite remains fairly consistent but perch remain somewhat tough. Try deep in 36 to 38 feet for perch and less than 10 feet for walleye. Plan to keep any fish taken from deep water. Some nice-sized pike starting to stage and show up.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Improving walleye success and pike. Work fairly shallow. Perch success improving, as well. Work as deep of water as possible.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Improving walleye success in the flats with some perch activity on the east side of Devils Lake.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Stump Lake producing the best perch success working deep. Good numbers of small walleye throughout most of the lake. Try early morning in 17 to 25 feet. Work shallow for pike.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Area lakes generally slow with Devils Lake producing fair walleye activity.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Ice conditions rapidly changing with warm weather across area lakes, although a fair amount of activity on small lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Warm weather continues bringing anglers out on area lakes. Use caution with warm weather and deteriorating ice conditions.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Somewhat slow with lower lake elevations but anglers finding some crappie and perch success. Move around and focus along the deeper water of the channel. Anglers marking good numbers of fish but bite is finicky. A few walleye and pike mixed in.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Increasing activity with warm weather. Look for overall fair success.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Both Lake Audubon and Lake Sakakawea spotty for walleye. Watch for slush and water on top of the ice. Look for some pike activity on Lake Sakakawea with improving success as spring progresses. Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye from boats, probably the most consistent activity in the area.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River continues producing walleye and ling from boats during the day. Try jigs and minnows down river. OK shore success. Try casting crankbaits off the rocks or jigs and minnows in the slack water. Look for deteriorating ice conditions on Lake Sakakawea.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Area lakes generally remain slow with some occasional success.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Access remains closed.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No access permitted.

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

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

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.