Jamestown Sun
Dakota Recreation Report
Aug. 5, 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 ramp is accessible but access is day-to-day. Call (701) 766-4015 for updates.
Usable Missouri River ramps: Stanton-UPA, 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. No boating from sunset to sunrise in that same area.
Usable Lake Oahe ramps: Hazelton, Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Cattail Bay, Langelier’s Bay.
Aug. 10: Third deer lottery applications due.
Aug. 17: Swan applications due.
Tournaments:
Sat. & Sun.: Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.
Sat.: Devils Lake.
Aug. 13: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park; Lake Audubon.
Fishing:
Devils Lake elevation, Aug. 3: 1,454.25 feet above mean sea level (msl).
Stump Lake elevation, Aug. 3: 1,454.18 msl.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Aug. 3: 1,851.1 msl; 110,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Area rivers remain high. Red River improving for catfish and producing steady eater-sized fish. Key is using cut bait. Also try chicken liver, goldeye, suckers or nightcrawlers in slack water as shallow as 1 to 2 feet in flooded vegetation with ¼-ounce weight on the bottom, floating the bait 10 inches down in front of a snag or edge of the current. Area reservoirs also remain high, including Lake Ashtabula. Normally the lake has more algal bloom this time of year but water is still moving through and anglers are finding a mix of white bass, eater-sized walleye and perch. Barnes and LaMoure County reservoirs are kicking out some walleye using live bait and even from shore or docks in the cooler part of the day. Weed growth catching up with summer temperatures but bluegill and panfish still active. However, the key is finding a hole in the weeds. Try using hook and nightcrawlers off the edge. Lake Sakakawea, Lake Audubon and small area lakes fair but spotty for walleye. Continue working shallow on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Missouri River good for walleye with anglers accessing from open ramps.
Coal Mine Lake, Anamoose: Fair for northern pike.
Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Continued good for small walleye using spinners and bottom bouncers with leeches or nightcrawlers. Try pitching crankbaits or trolling in deeper water for bigger fish. Areas to work include Knudson’s or New Mil bays. Troll East Bay with larger crankbaits for northern pike. Good for white bass around Jerusalem Bay and Woods-Routen Road.
Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Continued good small walleye success although a few bigger fish are starting to show up. Work the weeds for bigger fish but small walleye are scattered throughout the lake. Work deeper in calmer weather. Northern pike remain good with nice-sized white bass starting to show up in better numbers.
Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Continued fair to good for small walleye.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Lots of small walleye. Sort through for keepers. Fish are scattered throughout much of the lake. Try trolling spinners and nightcrawlers or slip-bobbers in the weed beds for small walleye but work deeper for bigger fish. Continued northern pike success in areas where anglers are getting walleye. White bass remain good, as well.
Goose Lake, Harvey: Fair to good for northern pike and walleye.
Harvey Dam, Harvey: Some northern pike starting to show up.
Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair to good for walleye using spinners around the south end of 5-Mile Corner. Some northern pike mixed in.
Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Walleye success slowed and the lake is high again.
Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: High water limiting fishing activity with few recent reports. Docks will be out of the water until lake levels recede.
Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Walleye on Lake Sakakawea transitioning into somewhat deeper water but continue working shallow as well as the main lake, especially when fishing Deepwater Bay and Indian Hills areas. Work sunken humps in 15 to 25 feet on Lake Audubon for continued fair success.
Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Improved walleye success using spinners in 8 to 13 feet with nightcrawlers working both the north and south shore points. Fish are nice-sized up to 5 pounds. Some limits are being taken. The bite finally turned on.
Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: The east end of Lake Sakakawea is producing some walleye, although not consistent numbers, in 8 to 10 feet using spinners with bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers or working the weed edges. Lots of skipjacks and small perch mixed in. Try the back end of Douglas Bay. Also try crankbaits in 20 feet. Some salmon success along the face of the dam with anglers catching a few fish but nothing consistent. Good numbers of northern pike and smallmouth bass in the bays. Lake Audubon spotty for walleye, but more consistent than Lake Sakakawea.
Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Most activity is on small area lakes or Lake Audubon and Lake Sakakawea. A few anglers working Beaver Bay to the south on Lake Oahe but limited reports on success.
Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: Red River remains high with several area ramps still closed, which is limiting fishing activity. Some shore-fishing success and those going out in boats are finding 1- to 12-pound catfish using cut bait.
Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Access remains limited and docks aren’t in place yet.
Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Water levels increased with recent rains and access is difficult.
Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued fair evening walleye success.
Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Not many reports.
North Dakota river levels and streamflow, Aug. 3:
Baldhill Creek, Dazey gauge: Creek stage, 10.27 feet; streamflow, 1,470 CFS.
James River, Jamestown gauge: River stage, 11.36 feet; streamflow, 1,740 CFS.
James River, Grace City gauge: Streamflow, 496 CFS.
Pipestem Creek, Pingree gauge: Creek stage, 10.58 feet; streamflow, 1,010 CFS.
Red River, Fargo gauge: River stage, 23.67 feet; streamflow, 7,950 CFS.
Sheyenne River, Cooperstown gauge: River stage, 15.36 feet; streamflow, 2,010 CFS.
Sheyenne River, Valley City gauge: River stage, 15.44 feet.
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 & Wildlife Service, Bismarck, website: (www.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice).
Tags: getting outside, outdoors, fishing, hunting, recreation
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