Dakota Recreation Report

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Outdoor Notes

- Saturday: International Migratory Bird Day.

- May 16: Spring turkey season closes.

Tournaments

- Today: Missouri River, Rifle Range.

- Saturday: Lake Oahe, Hazelton.

- May 15: Lake Audubon, Totten Trail; Missouri River, Graner’s Bottom; Nelson Lake.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation, May 4: 1,839.9 feet above mean sea level; 16,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Deptartment District Game Wardens: Lots of activity below the dam at Lake Tschida but most success is for small walleye. Raleigh Reservoir producing occasional small northern pike. Lake Sakakawea generally remains slow. Lake Audubon OK for smallmouth bass. Missouri River remains fair at best in the tailrace with most walleye activity down river from Washburn south.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area Llakes: Weather permitting, Missouri River remains good for walleye. No reports from Lake Audubon. Try Hazen and Beulah bays on Lake Sakakawea.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/Area Lakes: Weather continues limiting activity on Lake Sakakawea, although some sauger activity at Bear Den. McKenzie and Mossett bays remain slow. Heart River remains for walleye through Dickinson.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area Llakes: Paddlefishing in full swing. Not many reports from Lake Sakakawea with weather limiting activity. Bowman-Haley continues producing walleye from boat and shore. Nelson Lake remains fair for bass from boat. No reports from Lake Tschida. Heart River south of Taylor continues producing walleye using jigs and minnows.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Not many reports with weather continuing to limit activity.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Weather limiting activity on the Missouri River. No reports from small area lakes.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea producing occasional northern pike with more anglers now shore-fishing. Try smelt or herring or with warmer water temperatures, try spoons or crankbaits. Missouri River tailrace remains slow for walleye although a few catfish moving in. Try three-way swivels. Some northern pike activity from shore and the wing walls but overall somewhat slow. Better walleye is down river below the Knife River.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: A few northern pike starting to show up in the Van Hook Arm. Try farther west from White Earth Bay to Lund’s Landing for walleye.

- Ray, Lund’s Landing, Whitetail Bay, Lake Sakakawea: Steady northern pike success using smelt from shore or pulling crankbaits. No crappie yet but look for that to turn on with warmer water temperatures. Occasional sauger and walleye using jigs and minnows. Marina and facilities open.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Still somewhat quiet for walleye but fair to good for northern pike from shore. Resort now open daily.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Most fishing activity is around the paddlefish open area near Williston. Not much activity on Lake Sakakawea.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: White Earth Bay starting to produce a few walleye on Lake Sakakawea. Look for lots of paddlefish interest.

- Lake Sakakawea boat ramps, May 4.

- Usable: Beaver Bay, Beulah Bay, Camp of the Cross, Charging Eagle Bay, Dakota Waters Resort, Deepwater Creek, Douglas Creek, Fort Stevenson State Park, Four Bears Park, Garrison Creek Cabin Site, Government Bay, Hazen Bay, Indian Hills, Lewis and Clark State Park, Little Beaver Bay, Little Missouri, Lund’s Landing, McKenzie Bay, New Town Marina, Parshall Bay, Pouch Point, Sakakawea State Park, Skunk Creek Recreation Area, Sportsmen’s Centennial Park, Steinke Bay, Tobacco Garden, Van Hook, West Totten Trail, White Earth Bay, Wolf Creek Recreation Area.

- Marginal: Littlefield Bay.

ND River Report

- Bear Den Creek, Mandaree: Streamflow, 0.46 cfs; river stage, 5.01 feet.

- Cannonball River, Regent: River stage, 2.37 feet.

- Green River, New Hradec: Streamflow, 1.4 cfs; river stage, 6.39 feet.

- Heart River, Richardton: Streamflow, 98 cfs; river stage, 5.71 feet.

- Knife River, Manning: Streamflow, 2.2 cfs; river stage, 6.5 feet.

- Little Missouri, Marmath: Streamflow, 596 cfs; river stage, 3.33 feet.

- Little Missouri, Medora: Streamflow, 1,030 cfs; river stage, 4.68 feet.

- Little Missouri, Long X: Streamflow, 135 cfs; river stage, 1.48 feet.

- Missouri River, Stanton: River stage, 8.49 feet.

- Missouri River, Williston: River stage, 14.85 feet.

- Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: Streamflow, 10,400 cfs; river stage, 5.95 feet.

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, outdoors