Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes

- Wednesday: Pancake Island duck nesting tour, Audubon National Wildlife Refuge. Call 701-442-5474, ext. 17, for reservations.

- June 30: Fall turkey applications due.

Tournaments

- Saturday: Missouri River, Washburn.

- June 26: Lake Oahe, Beaver/Cattail bays; Lake Sakakawea, Skunk Bays; Raleigh Reservoir.

- June 26-27: Lake Audubon.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation, Wednesday: 1,844.0 feet above mean sea level; 14,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department district game wardens: Missouri River remains fair down river from the tailrace. Lake Audubon and West Park Lake improving for walleye. Lake Sakakawea fair at best for walleye.

- Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Stable, warmer weather bringing more anglers out and improved walleye success. Try 15 to 20 feet using Lindy rigs or jigs with minnows. Work west of the resort, as far west as up into the Little Missouri Arm. Some reports of northern pike and salmon mixed in.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Best activity on Lake Oahe is from Beaver Bay to the south using variety of presentations and bait. Try Cattail Bay.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Most success on Lake Sakakawea is from Tunnel Point to Scoria Flats using spinners or Lindy rigs with minnows or nightcrawlers in 8 to 15 feet. Skunk Bay remains slow. Van Hook Arm starting to produce a few walleye and sauger. Those taken are nice-sized. Try Parshall Bay. Also try the river portion for sauger south of the New Town Bridge in deep water. Tobacco Garden fair for walleye and sauger using crankbaits in 6 to 12 feet. Indian Creek good for bluegill and perch using Lindy rigs and nightcrawlers. Lake Tschida fair for walleye in the shallows pitching jigs in the back bays.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Tobacco Garden on Lake Sakakawea is fair for walleye and sauger using Lindy rigs, jigs or spinners with minnows or nightcrawlers. Mel’s Marina and McKenzie Bay slow to fair for walleye. Try Lindy rigs or jigs with minnows in 7 to 15 feet. Van Hook Arm remains slow. Missouri River south of Bismarck fair for walleye. Try trolling spinners, Lindy rigs or jigs with minnows or nightcrawlers. Also try leeches. Lake Tschida remains fair for walleye working shallow with jigs or Lindy rigs.

- Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Improving walleye activity with warming water temperatures. Most reports from the Little Missouri Arm with some success on south side along the pumphouse. Try 18 to 24 feet.

- Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Fair for walleye but still somewhat inconsistent. Try 6 to 22 feet using variety of presentations and bait. Be sure to experiment with presentations.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Best Missouri River success is south on Lake Oahe towards Cattails Bay using crankbaits or spinners and nightcrawlers.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Improving, although still somewhat inconsistent, walleye success in the Van Hook Arm using minnows or nightcrawlers in 12 to 14 feet. Some limits.

- Ray, Lund’s Landing, Whitetail Bay, Lake Sakakawea: Scattered walleye success working to Red Mike, 3 Sisters, Little Beaver Bay, Phelps Bay, and the Whitetail Bay using jointed crankbaits in 7 to 12 feet.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Improving walleye activity with better water clarity and warmer water temperatures.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Tobacco Garden fair with scattered walleye success. Move around; there’s no set pattern or presentation.

- White Earth, White Earth Bay Trading Post, Lake Sakakawea: Better success beginning with the past weekend with sauger biting on minnows. Fair for northern pike along the north shore from boat and shore. Some bass from shore, as well. Catfish activity in the upper end of White Earth Bay.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Walleye and sauger remain deep on Lake Sakakawea working 20 to 35 feet and deeper. More sauger than walleye. Try dark Lindy rigs or jigs and crankbaits when the bite is slower. Not as many northern pike and bass but work.

River report

- Bear Den Creek, Mandaree: Streamflow, 8.5 cfs; creek stage, 4.78 feet.

- Cannonball River, Regent: Streamflow, 9.3 cfs; river stage, 2.1 feet.

- Green River, New Hradec: Streamflow, 0.63 cfs; river stage, 6.07 feet.

- Heart River, Richardton: Streamflow, 96 cfs; river stage, 5.7 feet.

- Knife River, Manning: Streamflow, 2.6 cfs; river stage, 6.36 feet.

- Little Missouri, Marmath: Streamflow, 181 cfs; river stage, 2.05 feet.

- Little Missouri, Medora: Streamflow, 197 cfs; river stage, 2.69 feet.

- Little Missouri, Long X: River stage, 1.1 feet.

- Missouri River, Stanton: River stage, 9.4 feet.

- Missouri River, Williston: River stage, 22.05 feet.

- Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: Streamflow, 43,200 cfs; river stage, 12.69 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