Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes

- Monday: Memorial Day.

- Wednesday: Deer gun and muzzleloader applications due.

- June 5-6: Free fishing weekend, no licenses required.

- June 9: Pancake Island duck nesting tour, Audubon Nationsal Wildlife Refuge. Pre-registration required, 701-442-5474, ext. 17.

Tournaments

- Sunday: Lake Sakakawea, Government Bay.

- June 5: Lake Tschida; Lake Oahe, Beaver and Cattail bays; Missouri River, Trenton, and tributaries; Lake Audubon.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation, May 25: 1,839.9 feet above mean sea level; 16,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department. District Game Wardens: Weather permitting, many southwestern lakes are enjoying more boating activity than fishing. Lake Tschida has good numbers of small walleye but most aren’t keepers. Some smallmouth bass mixed in. A nice variety of species being taken below the dam. Missouri River remains fair. Most success is from Stanton to Wilton with some activity up as far as the tailrace. New Town area remains slow on Lake Sakakawea with somewhat improving success around White Earth Bay. Angler numbers remain light yet.

- Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Weather continues limiting activity.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: No reports from the Missouri River tailrace. Try Langelier’s and farther south for the best activity in the Bismarck-Mandan area.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Some activity on Lake Sakakawea accessing Tunnel Point from Mel’s Marina. Try vertical jigging with minnows in 8 to 12 feet for walleye, sauger, and white bass. McKenzie, Mossett, and Skunk bays remain slow. Camels Hump Dam fair to good for trout. Bowman-Haley fair for walleye. Heart River through Dickinson continues producing walleye, crappie, and northern pike.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Weather permitting, Lake Sakakawea producing walleye and small northern pike around Tunnel Point using jigs and minnows. Try 12-to-30 feet. Indian Creek fair for walleye from boat and shore using jigs and minnows or Lindy rigs. No report from Nelson Lake. Lake Tschida steady for walleye in 10-to-30 feet.

- Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Anglers are marking fish in the back bays in 7-to-20 feet but the bite remains light yet. Look for better with warmer water temperatures.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: A few anglers out, weather permitting, but no reports.

- Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Some activity in the Little Missouri Arm but weather continues limiting angler numbers.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Weather continues limiting activity on the Missouri River and area lakes. Those going out, though, are finding fair walleye success.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Missouri River remains fair to good with most activity down river. Most success with jigs and minnows or plastics. A few trout from the tailrace with occasional walleye mixed in. Lake Sakakawea remains slow.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Weather continues limiting activity.

- Ray, Lund’s Landing, Whitetail Bay, Lake Sakakawea: Weather permitting, anglers are finding a mix of walleye, catfish, crappie, and northern pike.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Continued northern pike success from boat and shore. Try minnows or crankbaits. Anglers marking walleye but not much of a bite yet.

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

- White Earth, White Earth Bay Trading Post, Lake Sakakawea: Walleye remain somewhat slow. Try 8-to-12 feet using Lindy rigs and minnows. Some northern pike working deeper. Catfish slowed, as well, with better success from shore than boat. Bass slow.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Shorelines muddy due to wind and rain but look for more activity with stable weather. Those getting out on Lake Sakakawea are seeing some fish from both boat and shore, especially northern pike.

Lake Sakakawea ramps

- Usable: American Legion (Raums), 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 & Clark State Park, Little Beaver Bay, Littlefield Bay, Little Missouri, Lund’s Landing, McKenzie Bay, New Town Marina, Parshall Bay, Pouch Point, Sakakawea State Park, Sanish Bay, Skunk Creek Recreation Area, Sportsmen’s Centennial Park, Steinke Bay, Tobacco Garden, Van Hook, West Totten Trail, White Earth Bay, Wolf Creek Recreation Area.

Missouri River ramps

- Usable: Tailrace, Stanton, Washburn, Sanger, Steckel, Kneifel, Grant Marsh, Fox Island, Little Heart Bottoms, Kimball Bottoms, Graner’s Bottoms, MacLean Bottoms, Hazelton, Fort Rice, Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Fort Yates, Cattail Bay, Langelier’s Bay, State Line.

ND river report

- Bear Den Creek, Mandaree: Streamflow, 595 cfs; river stage, 6.41 feet.

- Cannonball River, Regent: Streamflow, 189 cfs; river stage, 5.03 feet.

- Green River, New Hradec: Streamflow, 438 cfs; river stage, 9.95 feet.

- Heart River, Richardton: Streamflow, 514 cfs; river stage, 8.34 feet.

- Knife River, Manning: Streamflow, 233 cfs; river stage, 8.88 feet.

- Little Missouri, Marmath: Streamflow, 1,750 cfs; river stage, 5.48 feet.

- Little Missouri, Medora: Streamflow, 1,230 cfs; river stage, 5 feet.

- Little Missouri, Long X: Streamflow, 1,900 cfs; river stage, 3.46 feet.

- Missouri River, Stanton: River stage, 9.11 feet.

- Missouri River, Williston: River stage, 17.38 feet.

- Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: Streamflow, 23,400 stage, 9.07 feet.

Numbers to know

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

- NDGF Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bismarck, website: www.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice.

- Report poachers: 800-472-2121.

Tags: dakota report, outdoors