Jamestown Sun
Dakota Recreation Report
March 15, 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.
Friday: Darkhouse spearfishing season closes.
Friday: Permanent Fish houses must be moved off state lakes but can be used if removed daily.
Friday: Bobcat and weasel hunting and trapping seasons close.
Friday: Ducks Unlimited (DU) Waterfowl Hunter’s Party, Devils Lake KC, 6 p.m.
Saturday: Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation banquet, Bismarck.
Monday: Lakes Region Pheasants Forever banquet, Devils Lake Memorial Building, 5:30 p.m.
March 20: First day of spring.
March 21: DU banquet, Valley City Eagles, 5:30 p.m.
Fishing:
Devils Lake elevation, March 12: 1,451.48 feet above mean sea level (MSL).
Stump Lake elevation, March 12: 1,451.54 MSL.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, March 12: 1,827.3 MSL; 17,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Perch bite across Barnes, Stutsman, LaMoure, Dickey, and McIntosh counties continues producing good results using minnows or wax worms and bright jigs. Success varies lake-to-lake, however. Move around and check different lakes. Improving walleye bites across LaMoure, Barnes, Sargent, and Richland county lakes. Try hook and minnow or minnow heads in 10 to 16 feet on the edge of points and along deeper reservoir channels. Pike success continues, as well, especially for eater-sized fish. Best success seems to be in back bays in water as shallow as 4 to 6 feet. Try smelt or hot dogs with tip-ups.
Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Anglers marking good numbers of fish in East Devils Lake. Black Tiger Bay slowed somewhat. Tracked vehicles needed to get around on the lake. Limited trails due to wind and snow.
Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Devils Lake: Anglers are marking fish with limited catching success.
Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Snow and limited access continues limiting activity on Devils Lake.
Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Weather limiting angler numbers but those going to small area lakes continue finding fair success. Most activity is on area lakes south and southwest of Jamestown Limited activity on the reservoir itself with limited access.
Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Most activity is on small area perch lakes, including those around Woodworth.
Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Minimal access and activity on much of Lake Ashtabula.
Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Lake Sakakawea’s east end continues producing a mix of walleye and pike working from deTrobriand Bay to the east. Some activity at Douglas Bay, although slightly slower success. Be careful with shoreline access. Limited reports from Lake Audubon. A few anglers going to the Missouri River tailrace but limited reports.
Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Overall success is becoming more sporadic but Coal Mine Lake still has pike activity. Harvey Dam producing a few pike. Hurdsfield Lake fair to good for perch and walleye. Goose Lake sporadic for pike, walleye, and perch. Antelope Lake spotty for walleye and perch.
Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Some activity on Lake Audubon. Harmon Lake continues producing pike using smelt or herring. Some activity on the Missouri River around Washburn. 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: Fair to good for crappie.
Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair for nice-sized pike.
Red River, River Keepers, Fargo: Lake Traverse and Orwell Dam releases have swelled Bois de Sioux and Red Rivers, making them dangerous and unusable for ice fishing.
Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Quiet.
Spiritwood Lake, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Limited activity.
Downhill skiing:
Bears Den Mtn., Fort Ransom: Good base with ski area open Friday through Sunday.
Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 22- to 24-inch base with 13 runs and both lifts open.
N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. cross-country ski trails:
Fort Ransom, Fort Ransom: Trails groomed but warm weather put a crusty layer on top.
Grahams Island, Devils Lake: Trails open and in good condition with 28- to 30-inch base.
Icelandic, Cavalier: Campground trails packed, groomed, and in good condition. Nature Preserve trails packed but not groomed due to heavy snow.
Lake Metigoshe: Trails groomed and in excellent condition, including snowshoeing trails. Sledding hill also good.
Turtle River, Arvilla: Trails open and in good condition with 8- to 14-inch base.
Snowmobile North Dakota:
Conditions could change with snow early in the week.
East Central Valley (Cass & Richland counties): 4- to 30-inch base with all trails open.
Lake Region (Nelson & Ramsey counties): 6- to 8-inch base with all trails open and groomed.
Sargent (Richland & Sargent counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails open and groomed.
Sheyenne Valley (Barnes, Dickey, LaMoure, Ransom, & Stutsman counties): 4- to 7-inch base with all trails open except M-1 and McKinnes trails, which remain closed.
Sno-Trails (Bottineau, McHenry, Renville, & Ward counties): 6- to 10-inch base with all trails open.
Southern Valley (Richland): 5- to 7-inch base with all trails open.
Mayville-Portland, Cattail, & Missouri Valley: Trails closed.
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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