Jamestown Sun
Dakota Recreation Report
April 27, 2012
Patricia Stockdill
Outdoor Notes:
Tuesday: Paddlefish snagging and nongame bow-fishing seasons open.
Tournaments:
Saturday: Red River, 29th Annual Vince Herding Youth fishing Derby, Kidder Recreation Area, Wahpeton. Contact the Parks & Recreation Department, (701) 642-2811, for more information; Missouri River, Graner’s Bottoms.
May 5: Missouri River, Lakewood/Southport.
May 6: Lake Elsie.
Fishing:
Devils Lake elevation, April 25: 1,453.52 feet above mean sea level (msl).
Stump Lake elevation, April 25: 1,453.34 msl.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, April 25: 1,836.1 msl; 26,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No reports from Devils Lake. Red River water levels remained high early in the week after recent rains. Many docks, piers and landings were unusable or marginal. Shore-fishing access difficult with flooded shorelines and muddy conditions as the river retreats. In general, the Red River slowed. Try the Wild Rice or Sheyenne rivers. Area lakes and reservoirs slow for walleye but generally producing steady pike success. Try shallow, warm water areas with Dardevles. Move around and try different locations and presentations. Some walleye along the lower levels of rivers, including the Sheyenne River, at lowhead dams and bridges between Valley City, down to Kathryn and Lisbon using jigs and minnows. Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye. Lake Audubon and McClusky Canal fair for northern pike. Parshall Bay on Lake Sakakawea fair to good for catfish.
Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Work any wind-blown shoreline in shallow water pitching crankbaits and plastics for pike. Hit-and-miss walleye success because of the spawn. Try bridges or shallow water on the west end of the lake, including 6-Mile Bay or Minnewaukan Flats with plastics or slip bobbers and leeches. Find warm water.
Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: A few boats are on the water but limited reports.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Continued good pike success with some nice walleye mixed in. Try Pelican Lake, Mauvais Coulee or the north end of 6-Mile Bay using slip bobbers and leeches or mimic minnows.
Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Some activity but reports remain limited.
Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: More anglers on the water with some success. Access is limited farther north up in the Buchanan Bridge area with low water.
Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: More activity from the docks than boats with fair to good walleye success casting crankbaits.
Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Missouri River fair for walleye but slowed. Lake Sakakawea still producing a few walleye from the east end working west towards Douglas Bay, however, success slowed somewhat. Continued pike success from shore. No report from Lake Audubon.
Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Continued walleye success from the Missouri River using jigs and minnows, plastics or crankbaits. Some trout, pike and salmon mixed in. Wing walls, boat ramp, fourth loop in the campground and rocks fair for walleye from shore using a variety of techniques, as well. Occasional catfish from shore. Limited reports from Lake Sakakawea.
Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Continued pike success on Goose Lake, Round Lake, Harvey Dam and the Sheyenne River. Walleye remain slow but look for improving success once water temperatures start to warm up.
Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Limited reports.
Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Nice activity in the river below the spillway and areas where there is access.
Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: High water after several inches of rain slowed fishing on the Red River in Wahpeton area. Small northern pike and eating-size catfish are being caught in Fargo area.
Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Not many reports.
Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Fair for smallmouth bass with a few walleye mixed in. Look for pike in the evening.
Usable Devils Lake ramps:
All ramps open.
Usable Missouri River boat ramps:
All ramps open except Hoge’s Island, Sibley Park and Maclean Bottoms. Kimball Bottoms ramp is slide-in metal.
N.D. rivers streamflow and river stage, April 25:
Baldhill Creek, Dazey: Creek stage, 6.92 feet; streamflow, 59 CFS.
Jamestown, Grace City: River stage, 4.98 feet; streamflow, 40 CFS.
James River, Jamestown: River stage, 4.64 feet; streamflow, 219 CFS.
Pipestem Creek, Pingree: Creek stage, 5.38 feet; streamflow, 48 CFS.
Sheyenne River, Cooperstown: River stage, 11.29 feet; streamflow, 494 CFS.
Sheyenne River, Valley City: River stage, 6.52 feet.
Turkey hunting:
Turkey hunters finding more reaction calling jakes more so than toms.
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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