Dakota Recreation Report

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Tournaments

- Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Tobacco Garden.

- Saturday and Sunday: Lake Sakakawea, Skunk Bay.

Fishing

- Ice is never completely safe. Use caution, especially in areas with vegetation and around bridges and check conditions locally before venturing out.

- Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,837.9 msl; 16,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District Game Wardens: Camels Hump Dam continues producing nice trout. No activity at Odland Dam. Lake Audubon continues to be slow. Reminder that it’s illegal to pursue wildlife, including coyotes, with snowmobiles.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Weight of snow is creating water on areas of Devils Lake, although anglers still finding fair success. Some activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea but Lake Audubon remains slow. Sweetbriar Dam still has angling activity off the west end boat ramp. A few anglers trying Cattail Bay on Lake Oahe.

- Coleharbor, Audubon National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Audubon: Access remains difficult at best with fewer houses on the refuge portion of the lake.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Indian Creek remains good for perch and walleye jigging with Gulp or twister tails. Lake Sakakawea producing a few sauger and walleye but activity somewhat slow. Camels Hump Dam fair to good for trout. Bowman-Haley Dam producing a few small walleye.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Tobacco Garden on Lake Sakakawea remains steady for a mix of walleye and sauger in 40 to 55 feet. Not much activity at Skunk Bay although a tournament is slated for this weekend. McKenzie Bay slow to fair. Indian Creek fair for walleye and perch in 14 feet with jig heads and minnow tails or heads as well as wax worms.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Lots of activity on Sweetbriar Dam. Not many reports from Lake Tschida.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Access continues limiting activity and in general those going out are finding slow success.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Access is OK but lake has lots of snow. Occasional walleye but not much fishing pressure.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Limited fish taken through the ice on Lake Sakakawea due to access problems. Continued walleye activity from the Missouri River tailrace using jigs and minnows. Limited activity from the wing walls and shore due to weather. Look for that to improve with warmer weather conditions.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Access continues limiting activity.

Snowmobiling

- Cattail (Steele, Cass and Traill counties): 14-snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- East Central Valley (Fargo, Casselton): 11-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition. Portions groomed the week of Feb. 8.

- Lake Region (Devils Lake area): 12-inch snow depth. Trail open, groomed and in good condition. Beware of thin ice on all water bodies.

- May-Port (Mayville-Portland areas): 12-snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- Missouri Valley (Bismarck, Linton): 11-snow depth. Trails open with northern trails groomed and in good condition.

- North Central (Rugby, Leeds): 10-inch snow depth. All trails in the western part of the system are open, groomed and in good condition. Beware of thin ice. Remaining portion of the trail system closed.

- Northeast (Cavalier, Langdon, Edinburg): 12-snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- Peace Garden (Bottineau, Rolla): 10-inch snow depth. Trails open and groomed. Beware of thin ice.

r Red River North (Grafton): 8-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- Red River South (Grand Forks, Fordville, Manvel): 13-inch snow depth. Trail open, groomed and in good condition.

- Sargent and Richland counties: 14-snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- Sheyenne Valley (Jamestown, Valley City, Lisbon, Oakes): 12-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- Sno-Trails (Minot): 17-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- Southern Valley (Wahpeton, Mooreton areas): 9-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky, Big Sky, Mont.: 47- to 72-inch base with machine groomed, packed powder snow conditions. All runs, lifts and Terrain Park open.

- Huff Hills, Mandan: 21- to 36-inch base with all runs and lifts open. Terrain Park also open. Open Thursday through Sunday.

- Red Lodge, Red Lodge, Mont.: 38- to 40-inch base with powder and packed powder snow conditions. Fifty nine runs open with six lifts operating. Terrain Park open.

- Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: 18- to 32-inch base with machine made, machine groomed snow conditions. Twenty seven runs open with all lifts operating.

Numbers to know

- NDGF main Bismarck office: 701-328-6300; Web site, http://gf.nd.gov.

- NDGF Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

- Report poachers: 800-472-2121.

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

Tags: lake sakakawea, lake tschida, dakota report, outdoors