Dakota Recreation Report: Jan. 10, 2022

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 and don’t move around at night.

*It’s illegal to chase or harass wildlife with snowmobiles or tracked vehicles.

*Remember to keep fish caught in 25 feet of water or deeper; they rarely survive coming up from deep depths.

Tournaments:

*Jan. 15: Lake Ashtabula.

*Jan. 29: Devils Lake, 6-Mile Bay.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Jan. 4: 1,447.11 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,447.11 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,828.08 MSL; 16,100 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from Devils Lake or east-central area lakes. Increasing activity on Lake Audubon with anglers starting to move houses onto the lake. Somewhat slow walleye success yet. Most activity along the west end by Totten Trail boat ramp and south side off the Audubon refuge access point.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Lots of activity on Devils Lake with good perch and walleye success. Try Creel Bay or Woods-Routon Road for perch using wax worms or tiny minnows. Anglers can access Lake Irvine from Lake Alice, but it’s more difficult to get onto Pelican Lake.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Fair to good for 8- to 10-inch perch with some nice walleye mixed in. Try Woods-Routon Road for perch. Access difficult on Pelican Lake, but those with snowmobiles or tracked vehicles will have better mobility on the lake. Look for fair to good walleye success.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Access is still somewhat difficult on Devils Lake with limited reports.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Fair to good for walleye with anglers just beginning to drive vehicles on the lake. Work 26- to 28-feet for perch; shallower for walleye.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Lots of snow limiting access and mobility throughout most area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lots of activity on the Jamestown Reservoir and smaller area lakes. Try jigs and minnows for walleye.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lots of activity with anglers using snowmobiles or tracked vehicles. Lots of snow on the ice. Generally fair-to-good for a mix of walleye and perch with occasional crappie mixed in.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Lots of activity on the west end of Lake Audubon with anglers accessing off Totten Trail boat ramp and Audubon refuge’s south access point. A few anglers on the east end by the cabin site embankment and walking onto North Lake, but no reports on success. East end of Lake Sakakawea has some activity in Steinke Bay and by the U.S. Highway 83 embankment.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Limited Missouri River tailrace reports. Hit-and-miss success on Lake Audubon.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Goose Lake fair-to-good for a mix of walleye and perch. No reports from other area lakes.

N.D. Parks and Recreation Dept. trails:

*Fort Stevenson, Garrison: Trails packed with cross-country trail groomed, weather permitting.

*Grahams Island, Devils Lake: Trails groomed with 4- to 6-inch base.

*Turtle River, Arvilla: Cross-country ski trails groomed. Ungroomed trails open for hiking, snowshoeing, or fat tire biking and in nice condition. Sledding hill also open with snow cover. Warming house open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Downhill skiing. Conditions can vary.

Contact for updates and days of operation:

*Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau, (701) 263-4556: 18-inch base with one chair, two magic carpets, four runs, and all tubing runs open. Terrain Park closed.

*Buena Vista Ski Area, Bemidji, Minn., (218) 843-2231: 24- to 48-inch packed powder base. Eight trails open with Terrain Park features set up on Bunny Hill.

*Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla, (701) 549-3600: Trails open Saturdays and Sundays.

*Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan, (701) 663-6421: 12- to 28-inch powder, packed powder base with three lifts and seven groomed runs open.

Snowmobile N.D. (conditions can vary):

*East-central Valley (Cass and Richland counties) 8- to 12-inch base with all trails open.

*Missouri Valley (Emmons and Burleigh counties): 4- to 8-inch base with Wilton, Lincoln, and Sterling trails open.

*North-central (Benson, McHenry, Pierce, Ramsey, and Towner counties): Trails open with 8- to 12-inch base.

*Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, and Walsh counties): 8- to 12-inch base with Langdon to Osnabrock to Milton to Nekoma back to Langdon loop open.

*Red River South (Grand Forks and Walsh counties): 8- to 12-inch base with West Loop open.

*All other trails remain closed.

Predator hunting:

*Pelts running about $20 in good condition, but fur is still in prime condition and good numbers of coyotes in most areas.

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: (701) 328-9921.