Dakota Recreation Report

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Notes

- Spring turkey applications are available at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website gf.nd.gov.

- Saturday and Sunday.: Buffalo Valley Archers archery tournament, Riverdale High Lodge, Riverdale, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday.

- Feb. 1: Spring turkey applications available at vendors.

- Feb. 2: Wildlife Wednesday, 7 p.m., NDGFD, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway. Topic: Wildlife tracks.

- Feb. 5 and 6: NDBA State 300 qualifier archery tournament, Metro Rec Center, Fargo, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Sunday.

- Feb. 16: Spring turkey applications due.

Tournaments

- Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Tobacco Garden.

- Feb. 5: Lake Sakakawea, Van Hook Arm.

Fishing

- Ice is never safe. Use caution, especially around bridges and areas with vegetation. Check local conditions before venturing onto ice. Let someone know your location and estimated return time.

- Lake Sakakawea elevation Wednesday: 1,840.2 feet above mean sea level; 25,500 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- NDGFD Game Wardens: Ice depth varies greatly on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. No reports from Lake Audubon. When fishing the Missouri River wing walls remember to lower any non-keeper fish back into the water and don’t toss them 20 feet down to the water.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Good number of small walleye from Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: McKenzie and Mossett bays on Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye and sauger in 20 to 40 feet, depending on the time of the day. Try minnows. Crappie Creek continues producing walleye in variety of depths on Lake Tschida. Try 22 feet. Camels Hump Dam fair to good for rainbow trout and bass. Larson Lake remains fair for small northern pike using smelt or minnows.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lake Tschida fair for small walleye and northern pike. Try 25 feet using buckshot spoons and half minnow. Indian Creek Dam fair for small walleye and perch using silver Flyer spoons. Larson Lake producing nice, eater-sized northern pike using tip-ups and smelt. Access Lake Sakakawea with snowmobiles. Skunk Bay fair for walleye and sauger.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea. No reports from Lake Audubon. Weather permitting, the Missouri River tailrace remains fair for nice-sized walleye.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Activity remains light on Lake Tschida.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Froehlich Dam producing some walleye. Beaver Bay continues producing small northern pike and perch on Lake Oahe. Lake Audubon somewhat slow, although producing a few walleye and perch along the north end. In general, though, limited access continues to be a problem on many area lakes.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: No reports from Lake Audubon with access remaining difficult on both Audubon and Lake Sakakawea. Missouri River tailrace remains fair to good but inconsistent for walleye, weather and wind permitting. Try jigs and minnows or Gulp. Also try the rocks using crankbaits. Lots of small walleye from the wing walls. Lower the non-keepers back, don’t throw them, which kills the fish.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: No activity on the Van Hook Arm with some anglers trying to access Tobacco Garden.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Missouri River fair for sauger and walleye with most anglers accessing off the pumphouse. Yellowstone River producing more walleye than sauger. A few houses at Lund’s Landing and White Earth Bay on Lake Sakakawea with a mix of northern pike and sauger with the better success farther up the lake. Not many reports from small area lakes.

Snowmobiling

- Cattail (Steele, Cass and Traill counties): 15-inch snow. Trail open, groomed and in good condition.

- East Central Valley (Fargo, Casselton area): Trails open, in good condition and groomed: 16-inch snow.

- Lake Region (Devils Lake area): 12-inch snow. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- May-Port (Mayville, Portland area): 10-inch snow. Trail open, groomed and in good condition.

- Missouri Valley (Bismarck, Linton area): 9-inch snow. Trails open, groomed and in good condition.

- North Central (Leeds, Rugby area): 11-inch snow. Trails open, groomed and in good condition with fluffy snow.

- Northeast (Cavalier, Langdon, Edinburg area): 7-inch snow. Trails open and in good condition. Southern trails, including Fairdale, Adams and Milton are groomed with remaining trails groomed as weather permits.

- Peace Garden (Bottineau, Rolla area): 8-inch snow. Trails open, groomed and in good condition. Several sections re-routed due to thin ice.

- Red River North (Grafton): 7-inch snow. Trails open and in good condition with grooming underway as weather permits.

- Red River South (Grand Forks, Fordville, Manvel area): 10-inch snow. Trails open, in good condition and groomed if weather permits.

- Sargent County (Sargent and Richland counties): 13-inch snow. Trails open but no update available on conditions.

- Sheyenne Valley (Jamestown, Valley City, Lisbon, Oakes area): 10-inch snow. Trails open and in good condition with grooming pending weather conditions.

- Sno-Trails (McHenry and Ward counties): 19-inch snow. Trails opened, groomed and in good condition.

- Southern Valley (Wahpeton, Mooreton area): 11-inch snow. Trails open, in good condition and groomed.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky, Big Sky, Mont.: 51- to 76-inch base with packed powder, machine groomed conditions. All runs open with 19 lifts operating.

- Deer Mountain, Lead, S.D.: 30- to 34-inch base with powder and machine groomed conditions. All runs open with all lifts operating.

- Huff Hills, Mandan: 22- to 28-inch base with an inch of new snow early in the week. All runs open with two lifts and bunny tow operating.

- Red Lodge, Mont.: 32- to 34-inch base with powder and machine groomed conditions. Fifty-three runs open with six lifts operating.

- Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: 12- to 24-inch base with machine groomed, packed powder conditions. All runs open with all lifts operating.

- North Dakota State Parks and Recreation Department cross-country trail report. Annual or day use pass needed:

- Cross Ranch, Hensler: All trails open with about 20- to 24-inch snow. Groomed, weather permitting. Warming house/visitor center open Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

- Fort Lincoln, Mandan: 19- to 25-inch snow with trails in good condition but ungroomed.

- Fort Stevenson, Garrison: Trails remain in good condition and groomed, weather permitting.

Numbers

- NDGFD main Bismarck office: 701-328-6300; website:http://gf.nd.gov.

- NDGFD Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

- NDGFD Report poachers: 800-472-2121.

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

fieldoffice.

Tags: outdoors, recreation, fishing, ski, skiing