Dakota Recreation Report: Jan. 17, 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.

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

Tournaments:

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

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Jan. 11: 1,447.5 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,447.13 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,828.13 MSL; 16,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No report from east-central area lakes, Devils Lake, or the Missouri River System.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: East and Black Tiger bays good for perch with increasing activity on East Devils Lake. Lake Irvine good for walleye, but access is limited.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued OK walleye and perch success, but tracked vehicles are needed for best access. Try East Bay for perch. Access difficult on Pelican Lake, but it’s producing nice walleye success.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued fair success for a mix of walleye and perch in 20 to 22 feet.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Look for more activity throughout area lakes with better weather.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait and Tackle, Jamestown: Lots of snow limiting activity across many area lakes unless anglers can find a plowed trail. Pike lakes somewhat slow.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Not many reports from the reservoir.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: No reports.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No new reports.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Garrison: Access limited on Lake Audubon with best areas to get on the ice at Totten Trail boat ramp on the north shore or off Audubon Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge on the south side. Some scattered walleye success from Douglas Bay on the east end of Lake Sakakawea.

*Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn and Leisure, Garrison: Lake Audubon slow for walleye. Try working deeper water. Try the mouth of Centennial and Steinke bays on the east end of Lake Sakakawea in 25 to 30 feet for walleye. Work shallower for some pike activity.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Overall spotty walleye success on Lake Audubon.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports from area lakes.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Try small minnows with nice walleye success.

Trails:

*Grahams Island, Devils Lake: 4- to 8-inch trail 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. 14 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 two lifts, one tow, and 11 runs open.

Snowmobile N.D. (conditions can vary):

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

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

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

*Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, and Walsh counties): Eight- 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): Eight- to 12-inch base with all trails open.

*Sheyenne Valley (Barnes, Dickey, LaMoure, Ransom, and Stutsman counties): Eight- to 16-inch base. J-3, L-1, L-2, L-3, L-4, and L-5, and M-1 trails open.

*Sno-trails (Bottineau, McHenry, Renville, and Ward counties: Four- to six-inch base. Burlington, Deering trail from Surrey to Glenburn, Foxholm, Glenburn, Minot, Surrey, and Lansford trails open.

*All other trails remain closed.

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.