Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes

- Friday and Saturday: Burke County Birding Festival, Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge.

- Wednesday: Cormorant Colony Island Tour, Audubon NWR, call 701-442-5474, ext. 17 for reservations.

Tournaments

- Sunday: Sheep Creek Dam.

- Saturday and Sunday: Lake Oahe, State Line & Langelier’s; Lake Sakakawea, Parshall Bay; Lake Sakakawea, McKenzie Bay.

- June 19: Missouri River, Washburn Boat Ramp.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation, Wednesday: 1,842.4 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: Missouri River remains fair with most activity around Washburn or up in the honey hole. Lake Sakakawea improving slightly for walleye with fair success on the east end. Mid-section remains quiet.

- Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Somewhat improving walleye success with most anglers working west of the resort in 15 feet using Lindy rigs and minnows.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Not many reports from the Missouri River, which was muddy with last week’s rain.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lake Sakakawea improving for 13- to 17-inch walleye with most reports coming from the Little Missouri River Arm working from Mel’s Marina to Scoria Flats in 8 to 14 feet using spinners and minnows or nightcrawlers.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Tobacco Garden on Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye and sauger using jigs or Lindy rigs. Mel’s Marina and Tunnel Point fair for variety of species. McKenzie Bay slow but look for improving success with warming water temperatures. Missouri River remains good for walleye south of Bismarck. Lake Tschida fair for walleye working shallow water using jigs or Lindy rigs and minnows. Heart River in Dickinson continues producing some walleye and northern pike.

- Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Not much walleye activity although a few reports of smallmouth bass success. Try casting with small crankbaits east of the resort.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Lake Tschida fair for walleye.

- Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Improving walleye success in the bay with some sauger in deeper water. Try jigs and minnows or nightcrawlers.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Lake Audubon improving for walleye using live bait from boat along the U.S. Highway 83 embankment. Some northern pike success from shore. A few more anglers going on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with occasional walleye and bass. Work as deep as 20 feet. Some shore-fishing success for a mix of species. Missouri River remains fair to good with some morning success around the cable crossing, stumps, and coal veins using live bait or Gulp. Work as far south as the Knife River. Walleye seem to move to the holes during the day. Try the honey hole and stumps. Some walleye activity from rocks along the boat ramp with best success in the evening and towards dark. Trout moving into the chutes, with some up to 9 pounds. Look for panfish success at Harmony and Arroda lakes.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: A few more walleye taken around Parshall Bay and Flag Island in 12 feet using minnows, although much of Van Hook Arm remains somewhat slow. Some white bass success from the docks.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Most anglers working Tobacco Garden with fair walleye success.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Scattered fair walleye success on Lake Sakakawea. Work deep using Lindy rigs or jigs. A few angler trying spinners. Try Little Beaver Bay to White Earth Bay with the south shore a bit more stained.

ND river report

- Bear Den Creek, Mandaree: Streamflow, 2.2 cfs; creek stage, 4.45 feet.

- Cannonball River, Regent: Streamflow, 22 cfs; river stage, 2.4 feet.

- Green River, New Hradec: Streamflow, 2.9 cfs; river stage, 6.4 feet.

- Heart River, Richardton: Streamflow, 107 cfs; river stage, 5.79 feet.

- Knife River, Manning: Streamflow, 4.8 cfs; river stage, 6.56 feet.

- Little Missouri, Marmath: Streamflow, 348 cfs; river stage, 2.64 feet.

- Little Missouri, Medora: Streamflow, 403 cfs; river stage, 3.36 feet.

- Little Missouri, Long X: Streamflow, 462 cfs; river stage, 1.99 feet.

- Missouri River, Stanton: River stage, 9.78 feet.

- Missouri River, Williston: River stage, 19.86 feet.

- Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: Streamflow, 37,300 cfs; river stage, 11.7 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, fishing