Dakota Recreation Report for Feb. 29, 2008

Patricia Stockdill

Tournaments:

March 1: Dry Lake (Ashley).

Fishing:

Ice conditions are never completely safe. Use caution and avoid springs, bridges, vegetation, and areas with moving water beneath the ice. Check ice depths with a bar.

N.D. Game & Fish Dept. District Game Wardens: Overall fishing is slow on many central area lakes. Most activity centered on the Missouri River, weather permitting, which continues producing good walleye success from boats. Northern pike success remains slow, as well, on many lakes.

Coal Mine Lake, Anamoose: Good for northern pike.

Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Continued northern activity with most anglers working Lake Irvine. Improving walleye success but perch remain spotty. Try East Bay across from Camp Grafton, the casino, Ziebach Pass, and shallow bays for walleye. Access is improving but four-wheel drive still recommended.

Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Some walleye activity around Six-Mile Bay and Mauvais Coulee. Try Lake Irvine or Pelican Lake for northern pike.

Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay: Continued good northern pike activity at Lake Irvine. Improving perch and walleye success. Look for continued improvement with stable weather. Access improving.

Goose Lake, Harvey: Fair for walleye and perch.

Harvey Dam, Harvey: Fair for northern pike.

Jamestown Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Increasing activity with warmer weather but not many reports.

Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: No new reports.

Lake Audubon, Audubon Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge, Coleharbor: Auto tour route now accessible on refuge. Fishing remains slow.

Lake Josephine, Tuttle: Work 4 to 6 feet for keeper walleye and perch.

Lake Ashtabula, Bay Shore Resort, Valley City: No reports are available.

Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Missouri River good for walleye and trout with success from both boat and shore. Lake Sakakawea has activity on the east end. Try back side of Mallard Island in the shallows or around the pumping plant. Some activity at Douglas Bay but reports slowed. Lake Audubon fair but spotty. Try working deeper water.

Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Lake Audubon and Lake Sakakawea slow to fair for walleye. Try evening bite in 20 feet working structure around islands using jigs and minnows. Try smelt or herring for northern pike in 12 to 15 feet but success is generally slow. Missouri River remains good from boat and shore using jigs and minnows.

Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Missouri River tailrace remains good. Improving activity around the state line and Hazelton.

Pipestem Reservoir, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No reports available.

Spiritwood Lake, Dan’s Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No new reports.

Downhill Ski Report, as of Feb. 27:

Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 12- to 24-inch base with packed powder conditions. All runs groomed and all lifts open.

Huff Hills, Mandan: All runs open on 26-base with packed powder, hard packed conditions. 75 percent of Terrain Park open.

Snowmobile N.D. Report, as of Feb. 21. Conditions could change with warm weather:

East Central Valley, Casselton-Fargo: Entire trail system now open and in fair to good condition. 6- to 7-inch snow depth. Western trails groomed but not the eastern trails.

Lake Region Trail, Devils Lake: Open and in fair to good condition. 6- to 8-inch snow depth with 2 feet in the ditches. Western trails groomed. Section from Lawton, Brocket, Lakota, and into Devils Lake now open and will be groomed once groomer is repaired. Maddock loop closed.

North Central Trail, Leeds: 6- to 11-inch snow depth. Eastern trail around Churchs Ferry open but ungroomed. Western trail section around Rugby open and groomed. Trails in overall fair to good condition.

Peace Garden Trail, Bottineau: 5- to 8-inch snow depth. Western trail around Bottineau is open and in good condition.

Red River North Trail, Grafton: Trail open, groomed, and in good condition. 8- to 9-inch base.

Sheyenne Valley Trail, Marion, Jamestown, Valley City): 4- to 6-inch snow depth with trail from Marion to Jamestown and from Valley City to Sanborn and Marion open, groomed, and in fair to good condition. Remainder of trail closed.

Southern Valley, Wahpeton: Trail open, groomed, and in good condition. 6-inch snow depth.

Numbers to know:

N.D. Game & Fish Department, main Bismarck office: 328-6300; Web site: (http://gf.nd.gov).

N.D. Game & Fish Department, Jamestown office: 253-6480.

Rare Bird Alert: 355-8554.

Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bismarck, Web site: (http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice).

Tags: northland, outdoors, recreational, sports