Dakota Recreation Report

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Outdoor notes

- Saturday: Spring crow season opens.

- Saturday: Roughrider Archery Club tournament, Dickinson State University Indoor Arena, beginning at 8 a.m.

- Monday: Permanent ice houses must be off area lakes but can be used if removed daily. Darkhouse spearing season closes.

- Wednesday: Bighorn sheep, elk and moose licenses due.

- April 1: New fishing licenses due.

Fishing

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

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District Game Wardens: Limited fishing activity on Lake Sakakawea. Those going out are finding slow success. Reminder that it’s illegal to pursue wildlife, including coyotes, with snowmobiles.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Some northern pike and perch activity at Brush Lake. Try Sweetbriar for perch with an occasional crappie mixed in. Some activity on the Missouri River along the warm water discharge of the Heskett Plant. Missouri River tailrace remains good.

- Coleharbor, Audubon National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Audubon: Muddy roads continue making access difficult with only a few houses left on the lake portion of the refuge. Houses can’t be on refuge after they’re removed from the lake.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Indian Creek continues producing walleye and perch success. Missouri River tailrace remains fair to good for walleye from boats, although lots of traffic. Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: McKenzie Bay on Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye using jigging spoons and tip-ups. Indian Creek remains fair for walleye and perch using minnow heads and small Swedish pimples. Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye from boat using jigs and minnows.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Missouri River tailrace remains good for walleye, although fishing pressure can influence the bite. Try jigs and live bait or Gulp. No reports from Lake Sakakawea.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Some activity at Tobacco Garden on Lake Sakakawea.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea: Missouri River improving for sauger with snowmobile access only. River has water on the ice. Lake Sakakawea producing a mix of walleye and sauger with most activity on the south side of White Earth Bay. Look for deep water.

Snowmobiling

- Cattail (Steele, Cass and Traill counties): 13-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in fair to good condition.

- East Central Valley (Fargo, Casselton): 12-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition but not groomed due to warmer temperatures.

r Lake Region (Devils Lake area): 16-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition. Trails 3, 4 and 5 groomed but remainder of trails won’t be done, pending warmer temperatures. Beware of thin ice on water bodies.

- May-Port (Mayville-Portland areas): 10 to 12-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- Missouri Valley (Bismarck, Linton): 12-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed and in fair to good condition.

- North Central (Rugby, Leeds): 14-inch base with western portion of trail system open and in good condition but won’t be groomed. Beware of thin ice on water bodies.

- Northeast (Cavalier, Langdon, Edinburg): 14-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition with sections groomed.

- Peace Garden (Bottineau, Rolla): 16-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition. Trail 3 groomed before the last weekend with other trails groomed in early March. Beware of thin ice on water bodies.

- Red River North (Grafton): 12-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition. They will be groomed if equipment is available.

- Red River South (Grand Forks, Fordville, Manvel): 13-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition with West and East Loop trails groomed March 4. Remaining trails won’t be groomed.

- Sargent and Richland counties: 18-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition but ungroomed.

- Sheyenne Valley (Jamestown, Valley City, Lisbon, Oakes): 16-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition with sections groomed.

- Sno-Trails (Minot): 18-inch snow depth. Trails open, groomed, except for the Kramer Trail, and in good condition.

- Southern Valley (Wahpeton, Mooreton areas): 13-inch snow depth. Trails open and in good condition but not groomed.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky, Big Sky, Mont.: 43-to 68-inch base with all 150 runs open and 21 lifts operating.

- Huff Hills, Mandan: 15- to 20-inch base on groomed powder with all runs open and all lifts operating. Open Thursday through Sunday.

- Red Lodge, Red Lodge, Mont.: 41-inch base with all 65 runs open and seven lifts operating.

- Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: 18- to 30-inch base with 30 runs open and four 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: dakota report, lake sakakawea, missouri river, brush lake, huff hills, outdoors, fishing