Dakota Recreation Report

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Tournaments

- Sept. 27: Missouri River, Gun Range.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation Wednesday: 1,842 feet above mean sea level.

- North Dakota boat ramp update: Kimball and Little Heart bottoms boat ramps closed beginning Monday for construction. Work should be done by mid-October.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District Game Wardens: Raleigh Reservoir producing good numbers of small northern pike with some nicer keepers mixed in. Not many reports but anglers still finding some walleye success along the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Occasional salmon. Missouri River slow to fair for walleye.

- Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Resort closed for the season.

- Bowman, Bowman-Haley Dam Marina, Bowman-Haley Dam: Limited reports with fewer anglers on the water.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Walleye activity slowed south of Hazelton on the Missouri River. Other areas south of Bismarck-Mandan remain fair to good with occasional large walleye in the mix. Some improving salmon success on Lake Sakakawea. Look for improving success shallow or from shore in low light conditions.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Not many reports from Lake Sakakawea but try the beacon around McKenzie Bay in 35 feet. Try 17 to 25 feet around Whopper Island using minnows. Van Hook Arm fair for walleye using crankbaits. Tunnel Point producing a few smaller walleye using minnows.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Points around Tunnel Point on Lake Sakakawea are producing nice walleye. Also try the beacon in 40 to 60 feet for sauger. South of New Town bridge has sauger activity. Work points and bays in 40 to 80. Fish seem to be moving out of the river. Try Skunk Bay to the west for improving fall activity. No reports from small area lakes.

- Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Fair for walleye. Try 30 feet with nightcrawlers.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Activity slowed below the dam on Lake Tschida.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye from Graners to Fort Rice. Slower at Fox Island. Some activity around the Heskett Plant. Try casting spoons or floating No. 11 13 Rapalas.

- Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea, McKenzie Bay: Resort closed for the season.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Fair for sauger with occasional walleye mixed in. Work 40 to 60 feet around 8-pound flats.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/

Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea producing some salmon shallow in the spillway area or along the face of the dam. Try trolling or casting crankbaits. Also try from shore along the spillway or intake rocks. Walleye bite continues, wind conditions permitting, in 30 to 50 feet using Lindy rigs with nightcrawlers. Also try plastics. Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye. Try live bait around the coal veins with continued success from shore casting crankbaits. Also try trolling with crankbaits or three-way swivels at night in the chutes.

- Ray, Lund’s Landing, Lake Sakakawea, Whitetail Bay: Continued fair to good for walleye. Work 10 to 20 feet using spinners with bottom bouncers and minnows. Also try crankbaits. Vary location and presentation and move around with fish scattered.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Continued walleye activity around Tobacco Garden. Work deep with 1-ounce jigs.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort & Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Continued walleye activity in 10 to 20 feet using variety of presentations.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea: White Earth Bay slowed on Lake Sakakawea though continued activity around Lund’s Landing and Tobacco Garden.

Hunting

- NDGFD District Game Wardens: Good numbers of doves in south-central part of state, especially along the border. Not many grouse hunters opening weekend in that area. Not many grouse hunters in west-central North Dakota Fair grouse success for those going out but there’s lots of standing grain yet. Fewer bow hunters out in the southwest and not many out for sharptail opener with few birds taken. E3 and E4 elk hunters finding fair to good success. Youth waterfowl hunters need to be cautious with duck identification.

- Northwest: Fair grouse opener closer to the far northwestern part of the state but spotty in the southwest.

- Southwest: Limited grouse success for the opener. Bow hunters continue finding good success.

- West-central: Slow grouse opener.

Numbers to know

- NDGFD Bismarck office: 701-328-6300; Web site is http://gf.nd.gov.

- Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

- Report poachers to 800-472-2121.

- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bismarck, Web site is www.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice.

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