Jamestown Sun
Dakota Recreation Report
May 27, 2011
Patricia Stockdill
Outdoor Notes:
Missouri River wing walls closed until further notice due to high Garrison Dam releases.
Open Devils Lake ramps: Pelican Lake, Spirit Lake Casino, Six-Mile, and Creel bays with Grahams Island day-to-day. East Bay ramp work continues.
Open Missouri River ramps: Tailrace, Stanton, Washburn, Steckel, Kimball Bottoms, Graner Bottoms, Maclean Bottoms, Hazelton, Fort Rice, Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Fort Yates, Catttail Bay, and Langeliers Bay.
Missouri River idle speed only from approximately 23 miles north of Bismarck (1,000 feet south of the Steckel boat ramp to about 19 miles south of Bismarck (MacLean Bottoms) and Heart River from its Missouri River confluence to N.D. Highway 6 bridge to protect eroding shoreline due to flood conditions.
June 4 & 5: Free Fishing Weekend.
June 8: Deer gun and muzzleloader applications due.
Tournaments:
Saturday: Devils Lake, East Bay.
June 4: Missouri River tailrace; Lake Audubon; Devils Lake, East Bay; Red River, Wahpeton.
Fishing:
Devils Lake elevation, May 25: 1,454.2 feet above mean sea level (msl).
Stump Lake elevation, May 25: 1,453.89 msl.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, May 25: 1,850.7 msl; 75,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. Game Wardens: Properly dispose of non-game fish when bow-fishing. Also, don’t pick up baby or what appears to be abandoned wildlife. Animals can transmit diseases and the baby is likely not abandoned but has mother nearby. Area rivers continue dropping, including the Red and Sheyenne rivers, which opens more places up for shore-fishing. River fishing is still slower than normal for this time of year, however. Search for slower water areas, drainages, and creek inflows for walleye. Most area reservoirs and small ponds now have boat docks and fishing piers in place. Woodhaven and Mooreton ponds are hit-and-miss for trout. Try Turtle River State Park for trout, too. Missouri River OK for walleye. Lake Audubon fair for walleye. Look for a morning and evening walleye bite along the east end county road embankment. A few nice-sized smallmouth bass mixed in.
Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Try the back bays of Devils Lake for walleye pulling crankbaits or work the bridges with Lindy rigs and leeches on the bottom.
Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Improving walleye activity with warmer weather. Try 6-Mile Bay Bridge or Pelican Lake. Some white bass activity on Channel A and Woods-Routen Road.
Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Fair for occasional walleye.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Pelican Lake producing walleye with some success at 6-Mile Bay and the north end of Creel Bay. Work shallow in less than 10 feet with crankbaits or Lindy rigs and leeches. Some northern pike activity, as well.
Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair for northern pike with more anglers starting to go out.
Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Slow for walleye with fair northern pike success. Access available at 5-Mile Corner. Water starting to go down at the Buchanan Bridge.
Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Good numbers of small, non-keeper walleye from shore with northern pike and perch mixed in. Not many bass reports yet. Look for more shore-fishing. Lake elevation is getting at near-normal elevations and ramps and docks are usable.
Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Some walleye activity along the east end embankment on Lake Audubon. No reports from Lake Sakakawea or the Missouri River.
Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Limited activity yet but the dock is in place. Resort opens Friday.
Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Scattered walleye reports from Lake Audubon. Try trolling crankbaits or live bait. Lake Sakakawea remains fair for northern pike using smelt or herring. Also try casting crankbaits as water temperatures warm up. Missouri River producing nice-sized walleye but the key is finding slack water. Try drifting with crankbaits. Overall success is fair, in large part because boat control is difficult with high Garrison Dam releases. Tailrace boat dock isn’t in place.
Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Some Missouri River activity but high releases are making fishing more difficult.
Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: Limited boat traffic on the Red River around Fargo due to high water. Most ramps are closed bur shore-fishing is producing some fish. Smallmouth bass biting along rocky places along the Red River in the Wahpeton area. Boat anglers are anchoring in backwater areas and catching walleyes. Good catfish and walleye bite on Wild Rice bridge areas.
Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Access remains limited with little activity.
Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Some activity but limited reports.
Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Good numbers of walleye in the evening.
Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Good numbers of nice-sized bass.
North Dakota river levels and streamflow, May 25:
Baldhill Creek, Dazey gauge: Creek stage, 7.48 feet; streamflow, 141 CFS.
James River, Jamestown gauge: River stage, 11.62 feet; streamflow, 1,830 CFS.
James River, Grace City gauge: Streamflow, 462 CFS.
Pipestem Creek, Pingree gauge: Creek stage, 6.93 feet; streamflow, 221 CFS.
Red River, Fargo gauge: River stage, 18.98 feet.
Sheyenne River, Cooperstown gauge: River stage, 12.1 feet; streamflow, 827 CFS.
Sheyenne River, Valley City gauge: Streamflow, 1,540 CFS.
Numbers to know:
N.D. Game & Fish Department, main Bismarck office: 328-6300; website: (http://gf.nd.gov).
N.D. Game & Fish Department, Jamestown office: 253-6480.
RAP, Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bismarck, website: (www.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice).
Tags: getting outside, outdoors, recreation, fishing, hunting
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