Jamestown Sun
Dakota Recreation Report
March 8, 2013
Patricia Stockdill
Outdoor Notes:
Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check with local bait shops for any ice condition information.
Do not chase or harass wildlife, including coyotes.
Friday: James Valley Pheasants Forever (PF) banquet, KC Club Jamestown.
Saturday: Delta Waterfowl banquet, Speedway, Fargo, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: Spring crow season opens.
Saturday: Lonetree Big Game Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation (RMEF), Harvey.
Saturday: Snowshoes and Snowy Owls, Sully Hills Nat’l. Game Preserve, Devils Lake.
March 15: Ducks Unlimited (DU) Waterfowl Hunter’s Party, 6 p.m., KC Club, Devils Lake.
March 15: Darkhouse spearfishing season closes.
March 15: Fish houses must be moved off state lakes but can be used if removed daily.
March 15: Bobcat and weasel hunting and trapping seasons close.
March 16: Sakakawea Big Game RMEF banquet, Bismarck.
March 18: Lakes Region PF banquet, 5:30 p.m., Devils Lake Memorial Bldg.
March 20: DU banquet, 7 Seas, Mandan, 5:30 p.m.
March 21: Barnes County DU banquet, 5:30, Valley City, Eagles Club.
March 23: Sargent County PF banquet, Cayuga Community Center, 5:30 p.m.
Fishing:
Devils Lake elevation, March 6: 1,451.49 feet above mean sea level (MSL).
Stump Lake elevation, March 6: 1,451.52 MSL.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, March 6: 1,827.3MSL; 21,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Prior to the storm earlier in the week, success on southeastern lakes in Richland, Sargent, and LaMoure counties was fair for pike and perch with a few walleye mixed in. Try 8- to 12- feet, moving around and trying various holes to mark fish. Try minnows, minnow heads, or wax worms for perch. Try dead sticks or tip-ups with smelt, hot dogs, or maybe even venison scraps for pike. Hobart Lake, North Eckelson, Olson Slough, and other Barnes County lakes are hit-and-miss. North Golden Lake producing steady action for small perch. The key is to try to mark fish. Several inches of new snow in the Devils Lake area and access is limited. About 3 inches of heavy snow in the Steele area earlier in the week with improving fishing success. Several inches of new snow in the Devils Lake area and access is limited. Prior to the storm, however, anglers were finding overall fair success. Try 25-40 feet for perch in flooded timber with buckshots, Lindy flyers, Genz worms or dropper-rigs with minnow heads or wax worms. Walleye are mixed in with the perch with occasional pike. Some Devils Lake areas have good pike Try tip-ups or jigging spoon tipped with minnow.
Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Access is now limited to tracked vehicles on Devils Lake. However, overall success was improving prior to the storm earlier in the week.
Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Access is difficult on Devils Lake with nearly a foot of new snow. Use tracked vehicles to get off plowed lake trails. Perch are showing signs of improving success once there is stable weather. Walleye seem to be starting to move around more.
Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Recent heavy snow is limiting access and activity on Devils Lake.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay, Devils Lake: Trails are opening up to try to get lake access but travel is difficult off-trails. Limited activity after the recent storm with limited reports.
Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Limited activity due to recent storm.
Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fishing activity slowed with snow and limited access on area lakes.
Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Snow on the lake limiting activity.
Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Many anglers are moving fish houses off area lakes. East end of Lake Sakakawea was producing walleye with a few pike mixed in prior to the earlier storm. No reports from Lake Audubon or Missouri River.
Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Anglers are getting some walleye from the Missouri River wing walls using jigs and minnows. Success and time of day for when the fish move in are inconsistent, however. Weather permitting, anglers can still find pike down river. Good pike numbers coming from areas along the east end of Lake Sakakawea, including Wolf Creek. Many anglers are moving their fish houses off.
Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Coal Mine Lake good for pike but slow for perch. Harvey Dam continues producing pike. Hurdsfield Lake fair to good for walleye and perch. Goose Lake good for pike, walleye, and perch. Antelope Lake fair for walleye and perch.
Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Access could be difficult and limited on many lakes north and east of Bismarck. Some activity on Lake Audubon. Stink Lake east of Crystal Springs continues producing perch. Davis Lake north of Wing fair to good for small perch. Sort through for the occasional keeper. Try Sibley Lake for walleye.
Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Not much activity.
Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Limited reports with poor access.
Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: Walleye biting below Fargo’s north rock rapids areas with stretches of open water. Lake Traverse releases and Ottertail River rise are creating hazardous ice conditions in Wahpeton area.
Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Little activity.
Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No reports.
Downhill skiing:
Bears Den Mtn., Fort Ransom: Ski area open Friday through Sunday with about 4 inches new snow.
Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 10- to 14-inch packed powder base with new snow early in the week. All runs and lifts open. March 17 tentative closing date.
Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: About 12 inches new snow with good base and all runs and lifts open. Ski area open Thursday through Sunday.
Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 18- to 20-inch base with new snow early in the week. 13 runs and 2 lifts open.
N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. cross-country ski trails:
Fort Ransom, Fort Ransom: Trails open, groomed, and in good condition with about 4 inches new snow.
Grahams Island, Devils Lake: Trails open and in good condition with at least 18 inches of snow.
Icelandic, Cavalier: Several inches new snow earlier in the week but trails will be groomed by the weekend.
Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau: At least 6 inches new snow earlier in the week. Trails are in good condition and, weather permitting, they will be groomed. Warming house open daily.
Turtle River, Arvilla: Trails open and in good condition.
Snowmobile North Dakota:
Conditions could change with snow early in the week.
East Central Valley (Cass & Richland counties): 4- to 28-inch base with all trails open and groomed.
Lake Region (Nelson & Ramsey counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails open and groomed.
North-central (Benson, McHenry, Pierce, Ramsey, & Towner counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails except NC Trail 6 open.
Sheyenne Valley (Barnes, Dickey, LaMoure, Ransom, & Stutsman counties): 4- inch base but open trails are in poor condition. Trails M-1 and McKinnes trails remain closed.
Southern Valley (Richland): 5- to 7-inch base with all trails open and groomed.
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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