Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

North Dakota Rec Report: August 24, 2020

Outdoor notes:

*Sept. 1: Dove season opens.

*Sept. 2: Fall turkey applications due.

*Sept. 4: Pronghorn (lottery licenses only) and deer archery seasons open.

*Remaining deer licenses now available on first-come-first-served basis. Go to the N.D. Game & Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) for details and application.

*N.D. Dept. of Environmental Quality blue-green algae warning for Stump Lake and advisories for Jamestown Reservoir and Buffalo and Coal Mine lakes.

*Do not release any fish caught from water 25 feet and deeper because their swim bladder likely won’t allow them to survive when coming up from deep water.

*Watchable Wildlife photo contest underway with Oct. 2 deadline. Contact N.D. Game & Fish Dept. conservation biologist, Patrick Isakson, [email protected]) for details.

*Boating accidents should be reported to local game wardens.

*Remember to bring insect repellent and sunscreen when outdoors.

Tournaments:

*Aug. 29: Spiritwood Lake.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Aug. 18: 1,449.63 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.65 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,841.94 MSL; 25,800 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from area lakes, Devils Lake, or the Missouri River System.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success using spinners and bottom bouncers with nightcrawlers. Also try lead-core or crankbaits in deeper water. Leech season is over for availability.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued good small walleye success. Work along the weed beds for larger beds.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good for walleye. Try trolling crankbaits or spinners with bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers around Pelican Lake or West Bay in 18 to 24 feet

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Not much activity on area lakes, which are getting weedy.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Area lakes generally slow.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Alkaline Lake continues producing walleye. Try slow death hooks and nightcrawlers. Hehn-Schaffer producing perch and walleye. Reule and Diamond lakes also fair.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Work 12 to 30 feet for walleye with nice crappie success in 25 to 30 feet. Try spinners and bottom bouncers with nightcrawlers or jigs and minnows

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Generally slow to fair success for a mix of species, including panfish and walleye. Work deep for walleye.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Fair to good for walleye on the east end in a variety of depths from 18 to 25 feet in the morning. Work shallower during the afternoon. Try a variety of presentations.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Fair to good for walleye with improving consistency. Good numbers of small fish. Work a variety of depths. Try slow death hooks or Lindy rigs with nightcrawlers working the north shore and east.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River slow for walleye during the day from both boat and shore. Best success is with 3-way swivels in the chutes although it’s spotty. Catfish also slowed. Try the spillway channel for small walleye but fewer numbers recently. OK success from shore off the rocks at night casting crankbaits. Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye in 18 to 25 feet. Move around, locate active fish, and work points. Best success is still with nightcrawlers around Alcatraz or north side of Mallard Island. OK salmon success with most still in 85 feet using flashers and squids, herring, or salmon flies. Look for most fish running in the 8-plus pound range with most activity around the Riverdale Bluffs and over to Deadman’s Bay.

*Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair to good success.

Paddle craft river elevation & flows:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 2.02 feet; streamflow, 25.7 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 1.98 feet; streamflow, 108 CFS.

*Red River, Grand Forks: River stage, 27.66 feet; streamflow, 16,000 CFS.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.94 feet; streamflow, 274 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 & Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

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