Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes

- Friday: Youth deer season opens.

-Saturday: Sandhill crane, woodcock and snipe seasons open.

- Saturday and Sunday: Youth waterfowl season.

- Sept. 25: North Dakota resident waterfowl season opens.

- Oct. 2: Nonresident waterfowl season opens.

- Oct. 2 & 3: Youth pheasant season.

Tournaments

- Saturday: Lake Oahe, Prairie Knights Casino; Lake Sakakawea, Tobacco Garden; Lake Tschida.

- Sept. 26: Missouri River, Rifle Range.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation, Wednesday: 1,841.9 feet above mean sea level; 27,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- ND Game and Fish Department District Game Wardens: Not many reports from Lake Sakakawea. No reports from southwestern lakes.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Some activity on the Missouri River with most anglers using crankbaits and working south of Bismarck-Mandan. Tailrace remains slow.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea and area lakes. Some reports from the Missouri River south of Bismarck. Try Lindy rigs and nightcrawlers.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lake Sakakawea producing walleye around the New Town area in 27 to 35 feet. Try Lindy rigs and minnows with heavy bottom bouncers. Also try crankbaits with leadcore.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: A few more anglers on Lake Tschida. Look for an improving fall walleye bite with cooler temperatures.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes:

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea has limited angling activity with limited walleye success. Try 20 to 30 feet with crankbaits, spinners or Lindy rigs or shallow in the trees in 10 to 12 feet with floating Lindy rigs and weedless hooks. Fair to good salmon bite with a mix of downrigging, longlining or shore-fishing. Try morning or evening from shore or longlining. Look for success with eggs or nightcrawlers with bobbers from shore soon. The lake turned. Missouri River quiet. A few walleye at night from the rocks. Try jigs and minnows or nightcrawlers during the day but the overall bite is slow.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Fewer anglers on the water with limited reports.

- Ray, Lund’s Landing, Whitetail Bay, Lake Sakakawea: Somewhat slow for walleye with more sauger showing up.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Fair for a mix of walleye and sauger. Look for a good fall bite.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Tobacco Garden on Lake Sakakawea somewhat slow for walleye.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea fair around Tobacco Garden for a mix of sauger and walleye. Missouri River has activity with anglers coming out of the Little Muddy.

Hunting

- Central: Moderate grouse hunting pressure with those going finding fair success. Partridge slow. Doves are concentrating and look for them to move with continued cooler weather.

- Northwestern: Not much grouse hunting pressure but those going out found fair numbers, likely fewer than last year. Lots of standing grain.

- Southwestern: Grouse hunters fared well with nice bird numbers. Improving elk harvest in the open units. Archery deer hunters finding good success.

Numbers to know

- Game and Fish Department main Bismarck office: 701-328-6300; website http://gf.nd.gov.

- Game and Fish Department Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

- Report poachers: 800-472-2121.

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

Tags: dakota report, outdoors