Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes

- Saturday: Nonresident waterfowl season opens.

- Saturday and Sunday: Youth pheasant season.

- Oct. 9: Pheasant and fall turkey seasons open.

Tournaments

- Saturday: Nelson Lake.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation, Wednesday, 1,848.4 feet above mean sea level; 27,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department district game wardens: Continued salmon success on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with a combination of shore-fishing or longlining from boats. Most activity around Sakakawea State Park. Lake Audubon fair for bass.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Continued salmon activity from shore and longlining on Lake Sakakawea.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lake Sakakawea generally slow, although some anglers are getting sauger in 40 to 80 feet. Limited walleye success.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Little activity on Lake Sakakawea. Lake Tschida producing walleye in 5 to 12 feet pulling crankbaits.

- Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Some activity around Indian Hills working deep in 50 feet.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Few reports from Lake Tschida.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea remains quiet for walleye, in part because of limited angler numbers. Look for fish to move deeper. Salmon remain 30 feet and shallower. Try longlining crankbaits along the spillway. Missouri River producing catfish in the chutes with a few salmon and walleye mixed in. Try crankbaits from shore. Some walleye success down river during the day.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Occasional sauger in the river portion of Lake Sakakawea. Bait shop closed for the season.

- Ray, Lund’s Landing, Whitetail Bay, Lake Sakakawea:

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Generally quiet from boats, although continued shore-fishing success.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Not much activity on Lake Sakakawea.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Increasing activity and success on the Missouri River. Look for the ramp to get cleaned out soon. Activity on the Muddy, as well. West end of Lake Sakakawea also improving for sauger with a few walleye mixed in around Lewis and Clark. Some activity around White Earth Bay, as well.

Hunting

- West-central N.D.: Fair numbers of waterfowl hunters with overall fair success. Good numbers of ducks and resident Canada geese but little migration yet. Lots of water. A few cranes in eastern McLean County and Sheridan County but not in large, huntable numbers.

- Northwest N.D.: Bow hunters finding fair success. Fair to good grouse success with some goose hunting activity, as well.

- Southwest N.D.: Grasslands area continues producing some grouse success with bow hunters also finding good success. Youth deer season went well.

Numbers to know

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

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

- Report poachers: 800-472-2121.

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

Tags: dakota report, outdoors