Dakota Recreation Report for July 27, 2007

Jamestown Sun

Dakota Recreation Report

July 27, 2007

Patricia Stockdill

Fishing tournaments:

Today and Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Beulah Bay.

Aug. 4: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park.

Aug. 7: Devils Lake, Woodland Resort.

Fishing:

N.D. Game & Fish Dept. District Game Wardens: Mixed walleye success on Lake Sakakawea. No reports from southeastern lakes.

Devils Lake, C & M Bait, Black Tiger Bay: Continued good walleye activity with improving numbers of bigger fish.

Devils Lake, Ed's Bait & Tackle, Devils Lake: Most walleye success coming on spinners and bottom bouncers with leeches or nightcrawlers or crankbaits in 12 to 18 feet. Success generally throughout most of the lake.

Devils Lake, Randy's Bait Shop, Minnewaukan: Continued fair to good walleye success. Try jigs or slip bobbers with leeches or nightcrawlers in 8 to 14 feet. Also try spinners, crankbaits or harnesses working a little deeper in 12 to 20 feet. Try Golden Highway, Howard's Bay, Six-Mile Bay Bridge or mouth of Mauvais Coulee. Good white bass success using minnows or pitching smaller crankbaits and Mepps. Northern pike remain scattered throughout the lake.

Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Creel Bay: Lots of small walleye. Try trolling in 15 to 17 feet with spinners and bottom bouncers along the highways.

Jamestown Reservoir, Dan's Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Walleye activity becoming somewhat spottier with mixed success. Alkaline Lake remains good for walleye. Work a little bit deeper with warmer water temperatures.

Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Hot weather limiting angler numbers. However, those going out continue finding fair walleye success.

Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Lots of small walleye on Lake Sakakawea working variety of depths using crankbaits or live baits. Most fish in Douglas Bay coming from 10 to 20 feet. Try sunken humps in 12 to 20 feet on east end.

Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Improving walleye success. Try nightcrawlers or leeches in as shallow as 6 feet working on top of the humps along the north shore.

Missouri River, Dakota Tackle, Bismarck: Fishing activity on the Missouri River slowed with increased boating activity. Some small walleye. Some on-and-off reports from Missouri River tailrace.

Pipestem Reservoir, Dan's Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair to good for walleye using crankbaits with occasional northern pike. Try live bait for crappie.

Pipestem Reservoir, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Fair to good for variety of species but not anglers.

Spiritwood Lake, Dan's Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Good numbers of small perch and walleye.

Spiritwood Lake, Pioneer Bait Shop, Jamestown: Fair success with limited angler numbers.

Lake Sakakawea boat ramp access, as of July 25, elevation 1,817.3 feet above mean sea level:

Usable: Beaver Bay, Beulah Bay, Camp of the Cross, Charging Eagle Bay, Confluence, Dakota Waters Resort, Deepwater Creek first & second ramps, Douglas Creek, Fort Stevenson State Park, Four Bears, Garrison Creek Cabin Site, Government Bay main, Hazen Bay, Highway 85 Bridge, Indian Hills Resort first & second ramps, McKenzie Bay, New Town Marina, Parshall Bay, Pouch Point, Reunion Bay, Sakakawea State Park, Sanish Bay, Skunk Creek, Sportsmen's Centennial, Steinke Bay, Van Hook Gull Island and west ramp, White Earth Bay, Wolf Creek.

Missouri River:

Usable: Tailrace, Stanton (UPA), Washburn, Sanger, Steckel (Wilton), Hoge's, Kniefel Landing (north of old Burnt Creek), Grant Marsh, Fox Island, Kimball (Desert), Graner's Bottoms, Maclean Bottoms, Hazelton, Fort Rice, North Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Jennerville (Rivery).

Marginal: Sibley Park, Little Heart Bottoms.

Source: Army Corps of Engineers, N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Check with local entity for updates.

N.D. Rivers Report, as of July 25:

Missouri River, Garrison Dam average daily discharge: 16,800 cubic feet per second.

Red River, Fargo gauge: Streamflow, 1,340 cfs; river stage, 15.42 feet.

Sheyenne River, Bald Hill gauge: Streamflow, 98 cfs; river stage, 24 feet.

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 ).