Jamestown Sun
Dakota Recreation Report
Aug. 19, 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 usable but access is day-to-day. Call (701) 766-4015 for updates.
Usable Missouri River ramps: Stanton, UPA, Steckel. Tailrace will open soon. 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, Fort Rice, Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Cattail Bay, Langelier’s Bay.
Sept.: Dove season opens.
Sept. 2: Mountain lion Zone 1 and 2 season opens.
Tournaments:
Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Sakakawea State Park; Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.
Fishing:
Devils Lake elevation, Aug. 17: 1,454.21 feet above mean sea level (msl).
Stump Lake elevation, Aug. 17: 1,454.18 msl.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Aug. 17: 1,847.8 msl; 85,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Fishing continues to improve as river levels drop on the Red and Maple rivers. Work channel edges and creeks or tributaries for eater-sized catfish. Bigger fish are coming in deeper stretches of the river into Traill County and the Grand Forks area along the Red River. Small area lakes remain high with docks, piers and ramps still impacted by high water. Check ahead to ensure available access. Best option is boat fishing with live bait rigs or spinners trolling weed edges and into deeper water with warmer water moving fish deeper. Sheyenne River remains high, however. East Devils Lake producing eater-sized walleye. Missouri River fair for walleye. Lake Audubon slowed for walleye. Fair walleye success on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Work shallow in the trees.
Coal Mine Lake, Anamoose: Fair for northern pike.
Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Work deeper water in 20 to 30 feet for walleye trolling with spinners and bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers. Try East Bay by Stromme’s Addition or west along the Golden Highway in the Minnewaukan Flats. Continued northern pike activity in the shallows, however try trolling crankbaits in deeper water for bigger pike. Work tree lines for white bass.
Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Lots of small walleye with a few more bigger fish now showing up. Move around using a variety of presentations, although start just outside of the weed line.
Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Continued fair to good for small walleye with occasional nice one mixed in. Most activity remains on the Minnewaukan Flats or Pelican Lake.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Continued good success for small walleye using spinners and bottom bouncers in 11 to 20 feet. Also try slip bobbers in the trees or weed beds. Look for bigger fish from Pelican Lake. Northern pike remain good in the shallows.
Goose Lake, Harvey: Fair to good for walleye and northern pike.
Harvey Dam, Harvey: Northern pike fair.
Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lots of good walleye activity on Dry Lake. Jamestown Reservoir fair but spotty for walleye.
Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: High water continues limiting activity, although those going are still finding fair walleye success. Area lakes are fair for those that are accessible.
Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Lake Ashtabula continues dropping in elevation with docks getting back in place. Anglers are finding fair to decent walleye success. Perch success also improving. White bass active at sundown but smallmouth remain bass slow. Occasional northern pike.
Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Lots of activity on the Missouri River with anglers accessing at Stanton and working north and south from there. Work any slack water but anglers are finding nice walleye. East end of Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye. Try 8 to 25 feet along main lake drop-offs or humps with spinners with nightcrawlers or small crankbaits. Also try minnows with some anglers now having success with them.
Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Try working inside the weed line in 7 feet west of Pepsi Point with Lindy rigs or spinners and nightcrawlers. Other walleye activity is spotty.
Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Lake Sakakawea continues producing walleye using Lindy rigs or spinners and bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers. Also try jigging. Depth varies from 8 to 12 or 22 feet using crankbaits. Work the bays, including Douglas or Steinke bays on the north side as well as the south side. Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye. Occasional salmon.
Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Anglers fishing the Missouri River tailrace, accessing from Stanton. However, the tailrace ramp is now open. Lots of variety of fish in slack water. Some activity on Lake Oahe and Fish Creek but limited reports. Alkaline Lake and Lake Josephine producing small walleye and northern pike.
Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: Some anglers reporting good catfish success in spite of high water and closed ramps. Some fish up to 17 pounds. Try cut bait and fishing the holes. Good bite in the Wahpeton area for eating-size catfish and walleyes with many anglers finding success with minnows.
Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lake is high with most activity along Buchanan Bridge with good crappie success.
Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Access is limited but crappie success continues for those going to the Buchanan Bridge and using waders. Road has water.
Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued good for nice-sized bass. Walleye remain somewhat of an evening bite.
Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Continued fair to good for bass and walleye. Access is better than many other area lakes.
North Dakota river levels and streamflow, Aug. 17:
Baldhill Creek, Dazey gauge: Creek stage, 9.33 feet; streamflow, 866 CFS.
James River, Jamestown gauge: River stage, 12.02 feet; streamflow, 2,010 CFS.
James River, Grace City gauge: Streamflow, 754 CFS.
Pipestem Creek, Pingree gauge: Creek stage, 10.27 feet; streamflow, 986 CFS.
Red River, Fargo gauge: River stage, 19.4 feet; streamflow, 4,550 CFS.
Sheyenne River, Cooperstown gauge: River stage, 13.71 feet; streamflow, 1,410 CFS.
Sheyenne River, Valley City gauge: Streamflow, 3,450 CFS.
Hunting:
Early Canada goose season: Light activity in east-central North Dakota, including around Lonetree WMA. Lots of standing grain limiting access. Fair to good success in extreme southeastern N.D., including Richland, Sargent and Cass counties. Area is still wet but small grain harvest is farther along than other areas of the Red River Valley. Geese remain in small family flocks and scouting for birds in smaller sloughs and wetlands near soybean or harvested fields was a good starting point. However, wet conditions are keeping many roads closed, bridges out and some open roads still require caution.
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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