Jamestown Sun
Feb. 17, 2012
Patricia Stockdill
Outdoor Notes:
Saturday: Ducks Unlimited Waterfowl Hunters Party, 5:30 p.m., Bismarck, Doublewood Inn.
Feb. 21: Northern Great Plains USDA Research Results Conference, noon, Seven Seas, Mandan.
Feb. 23: West Cass Ducks Unlimited, West Fargo, 6 p.m., VFW.
Feb. 25: Northern Badlands Chapter Mule Deer Foundation banquet, 4:30 p.m., AMVETS, Bismarck.
Tournaments:
Saturday: Jamestown Reservoir; Lake Audubon; Missouri River, Marina Bay.
Feb. 25: Bader Lake.
Feb. 26: Silver Lake.
Fishing:
Ice is never completely safe. Use caution, especially in areas with vegetation and around bridges. Check conditions locally before venturing out.
Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 15: 1,453.36 feet above mean sea level (msl).
Stump Lake elevation, Feb. 15: 1,453.36 msl.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Feb. 15: 1,838.3 msl; 23,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Fair success throughout most small area lakes throughout Barnes, Stutsman, LaMoure, McIntosh, Sargent and Richland counties with perch and northern pike dominating success. Try jigging with Swedish pimples or buckshot rattling spoon and minnows, wax worms or even perch eyes, working in the mid-range of the lake’s depth. Move around, though, and search for active pockets of fish. Electronics and willingness to move are key to success. Some bigger perch showing up, however, Try smelt or hot dogs and tip-ups in shallow water for pike, working edges of structure, channels or drop-offs, depending on location. Red, Sheyenne and Maple river fishing remains dangerous with warmer temperature and unsafe ice conditions. It’s best to stay off all rivers. Coe, Adams and Hurdsfield lakes slow. Pipestem Reservoir good for crappie. Lake Audubon slowed. Continued walleye activity on the Missouri River but success is becoming more hit-and-miss. Some walleye activity at Centennial Bay on Lake Sakakawea.
Coal Mine Lake, Anamoose: Fair for pike but water remains too cloudy for spearing.
Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success around the west end of the Minnewaukan Flats, Doc Hagen’s, Mission Bay and Penny Bay working structured areas in 8 to 20 feet using rattling presentations with minnow heads. Try East Bay or Black Tiger Bay for perch. The north end of 6-Mile Bay and small lakes north of Devils Lake continue producing the best pike success.
Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Continued perch, walleye and pike activity with improving success after the recent cold snap. Move around.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Recent cold front slowed activity but warmer weather bringing back the perch bite on East Devils Lake. Try East Bay around Stromme’s Addition. Good numbers of small walleye throughout most of the lake. Work variety of depths. Continued northern pike success. Access remains good.
Goose Lake, Harvey: Continued good perch activity with fair pike and walleye success.
Harvey Dam, Harvey: Fair for pike.
Hurdsfield Dam, Hurdsfield: Continued good perch activity with fair pike and walleye success.
Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Lots of activity with limited reports. Small area lakes continue producing perch and crappie.
Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Good numbers of anglers on the ice with the Saturday tournament. Small area lakes slowed.
Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Continued fair for perch with a few bigger walleye showing up on occasion.
Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye. Lake Audubon fair but spotty for walleye.
Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Continued fair to good on the Missouri River for walleye. Try jigs and minnows or plastics anchoring or drifting. Better success in the morning with fair activity throughout the day. Slower, but fair, from shore.
Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Continued activity on small area lakes in east-central N.D. for perch. Success remains fair, although slowed somewhat. Missouri River tailrace remains fair to good for walleye. Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe fair for pike and walleye. Work both sides of the bridge but watch current under the bridge and around the mouth. Some activity at Fort Rice and Eckroth Bottoms.
Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued perch and crappie.
Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Continued walleye and crappie activity.
Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No recent reports.
Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Fair for walleye with an evening bite.
Downhill skiing, Feb. 15:
Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 8- to 16-inch base with groomed conditions. All runs and lifts open with 3 Tube Park runs and several jumps and rails on the Terrain Park.
Bears Den Mountain, Fort Ransom: Closed until snowmaking conditions improve.
Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: 15- to 25-inch base with all runs open.
Huff Hills, Mandan: 10- to 36-inch base with loose granular, packed powder conditions. 5 runs and 2 lifts open.
N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. cross-country ski trail conditions, Feb. 15:
Metigoshe State Park, Bottineau: Trails in poor condition.
Icelandic State Park, Cavalier: Trails remain open for skiing but there are some bare patches in areas. Good for hiking, however.
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).
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