Dakota recreation report for July 15, 2011

Jamestown Sun

Dakota Recreation Report

July 15, 2011

Patricia Stockdill

Outdoor Notes:

Usable Devils Lake ramps: Round Lake, Pelican Lake, 6-Mile Bay, Creel Bay, Spirit Lake Casino. Grahams Island State Park also open but access could change. Call (701) 766-4015 for updates.

Marginal Missouri River ramps: Steckel, Fort Rice. All other ramps closed. Idle speed only from 1,000 feet south of the Steckel boat ramp on the Missouri River to MacLean Bottoms, including MacLean Bottoms. Area also closed to boating from sundown to sunrise.

Usable Lake Oahe ramps: Hazelton, Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Cattail Bay, Langelier’s Bay.

Tournaments:

Today & Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Fort Stevenson State Park.

Saturday: Devils Lake, 6-Mile Bay.

Sunday: Devils Lake, East Bay.

Monday: Devils Lake, Woodland Resort.

Fishing:

Devils Lake elevation, July 13: 1,454.23 feet above mean sea level (msl).

Stump Lake elevation, July 13: 1,454.11 msl.

Lake Sakakawea elevation, July 13: 1,854 msl; 135,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. Game Wardens: Coe Lake fair for walleye with a few perch on the side. Tolna Dam good for northern pike. Red, Sheyenne and Maple rivers continue experiencing above normal levels. Access is limited with muddy banks. Ramps are opening up but docks aren’t in place in many locations. However, those going are finding some success with a steady early morning catfish bite. Also try late evening or after dark. Try fresh cut bait, including cut sucker and goldeye or shrimp and chicken livers. Also try a bait rod with nightcrawlers for goldeye. Smaller Cass and Barnes County reservoirs continue producing some fish but in some places, including Brewer Lake and Casselton Reservoir, weeds are taking hold. Go out past the weedlines. Small panfish will bite consistently but the key is they’re small. Try minnows for larger fish. Lake Audubon fair for small walleye with some smallmouth bass mixed in. Lake Sakakawea slow to fair and somewhat spotty for walleye. Work shallow on the east end.

Coal Mine Lake, Anamoose: Northern pike fair.

Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Continued walleye activity in Brown’s Slough on East Bay. Try pitching No. 5 crankbaits or slip-bobbering with leeches. Also try Old and New Mil bays.

Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Continued small walleye and northern pike success. Work shallow in the weeds for bigger walleye. Try 6-Mile Bay for white bass.

Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Continued small walleye and northern pike success. Lots of 10- to 11-inch walleye. Try slip bobbers or spinners with leeches. Smaller fish seems in the shallows. Work deeper for larger walleye.

Goose Lake, Harvey: Fair to good for walleye and northern pike with the Sheyenne River fair for pike.

Harvey Dam, Harvey: Slow.

Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lots of boating activity with hit-and-miss walleye success.

Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Access improving on the reservoir. In general, small area lakes are producing walleye. Barnes Lake good for walleye using leeches.

Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lake remains good for a mix of walleye, northern pike, perch and bass. Water levels increased recently but are starting to slowly drop. Look for improving access.

Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye on the east end. Work shallow down to 13 feet.

Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Some walleye activity east of the resort using nightcrawlers.

Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Limited reports from Lake Sakakawea. However, try slow presentation in 8 to 10 feet in the weeds. A few salmon taken along the face of the dam longlinging. Lake Audubon remains spotty, although try about 12 feet for walleye.

Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Most anglers working Hazelton and south on Lake Oahe with most activity around Beaver Bay and casino campground with fair walleye success. The better success seems farther south. Lots of activity on area lakes. Lake Audubon remains fair but spotty for walleye.

Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: High flows on the Red River are making anchoring, launching and fishing difficult in general and most Fargo-Moorhead ramps closed again after re-opening earlier. However, some catfish are being taken using cut bait.

Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Good for crappie with most activity around the Buchanan Bridge.

Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Continued crappie success with some nice-sized walleye mixed in.

Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued evening walleye bite but success has slowed somewhat.

Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Look for continued evening walleye bite.

North Dakota river levels and streamflow, July 13:

James River, Jamestown gauge: River stage, 11.37 feet; streamflow, 1,740 CFS.

James River, Grace City gauge: Streamflow, 113 CFS.

Pipestem Creek, Pingree gauge: Creek stage, 8.1 feet; streamflow, 358 CFS.

Red River, Fargo gauge: River stage, 19.04 feet; streamflow, 4,290 CFS.

Sheyenne River, Cooperstown gauge: River stage, 14.18 feet; streamflow, 1,600 CFS.

Sheyenne River, Valley City gauge: Streamflow, 2,110 CFS.

Numbers to know:

N.D. Game & Fish Department, main Bismarck office: 328-6300; web site: (http://gf.nd.gov).

N.D. Game & Fish Department, Jamestown office: 253-6480.

RAP, Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121.

Tags: getting outside, outdoors, recreation, hunting, fishing