Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes

- Zone 1 mountain lion season now closed.

- Saturday: Mink, muskrat, and weasel hunting seasons open.

- Sunday: Deer gun season closes.

- Nov. 26 Muzzleloader deer season opens.

Fishing

- Lake Sakakawea elevation, Wednesday: 1,843.9 feet above mean sea level; 31,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District Game Wardens: No reports from southwestern lakes, Lake Sakakawea or Lake Audubon.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Try floating jigs or casting shallow diving crankbaits from shore on the Missouri River. Tailrace OK for walleye but most success is around Bismarck-Mandan. Fish Creek producing trout, weather permitting.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Little activity on Lake Sakakawea and small area lakes.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Continued fair walleye success south of Bismarck on the Missouri River. Try jigs and minnows. Tailrace slowed somewhat but try No. 11 Husky Jerks from shore at night from the rocks.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: No activity.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Little to no activity on Lake Tschida.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Boat traffic slowed on the Missouri River but some shore-fishing success from Fox Island to the south.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: No activity on Lake Sakakawea. Continued walleye success with occasional salmon from shore using crankbaits at night in the Missouri River tailrace. So-so success from boats during the day.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Limited activity but try Hunts-Along Point for sauger in 35 to 40 feet.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Quiet.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: No reports from Lake Sakakawea.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Weather limiting activity. Missouri River muddied up and slowed. Lake Sakakawea has limited activity but try jigging for sauger.

Hunting

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District Game Wardens: Marginal deer success in the southwest. Lots of waterfowl in the area around the east end of Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon.

- Northwest N.D.: Good deer success. Good goose numbers around the midsection of Lake Sakakawea.

- Southwest N.D.: Hunters finding fair to good deer success. Rut is getting underway. Continued pheasant activity with fair to good success. More birds showing up with row crop harvest wrapping up. Good numbers of coyotes for predator hunters.

- West-central N.D.: Lots of ducks and geese along the east end of the Missouri River System and northern McLean County. Bigger wetlands still open. Pheasant numbers remain strong. Fair deer success.

Numbers to know

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

- N.D. 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