Dakota Recreation Report: December 19, 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.

 *Dec. 22: Western Canada Goose Zone season closes.

 *Dec. 30: Missouri River Canada Goose Zone season closes.

 *Dec. 30: Light goose season closes.

 *Jan. 1: Pheasant, grouse, partridge, turkey, and archery deer seasons close

Fishing:

 *Devils Lake elevation, Dec. 13: 1,449.2 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

 *Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.15 MSL.

 *Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,831.52 MSL; 16,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

 *N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from Devils Lake or east-central area lakes. Scattered walleye success on Lake Audubon with lots of anglers testing early season success. East end of Lake Sakakawea slow yet.

 *Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Fair to good for perch. Try East Bay on the main lake or the towers. Access with ATVs yet.

 *Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Anglers locating walleye and perch but bite became finicky after weather fronts.

 *Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Try 16 to 20 feet for walleye and 25 to 32 feet for perch with rattling presentations working structure. Test ice conditions along the way.

 *Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Some activity throughout area lakes, weather permitting.

 *Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Weather limiting early season activity.

 *Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Weather permitting, anglers checking small area perch and walleye lakes, including Hobart Lake, using minnows.

 *Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Weather permitting, anglers finding walleye and perch success with some nice-sized fish showing up. Access could change depending on snow and wind conditions.

 *Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Lake Audubon producing some walleye. Try a variety of depths and move around with no pattern to the bite. No reports from Lake Sakakawea.

 *Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Lake Audubon fair for walleye. Try 12 to 18 feet. Some walk-on activity on Steinke and Centennial bays on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with occasional walleye success.

 *Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace quiet.

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: (701) 328-9921.