Dakota Recreation Report

Talk about it

Notes

- Saturday: National Wild Turkey Federation, Bismarck, AMVETS.

- March 15: Permanent houses must be removed from all state lakes but can be used if taken off daily. Darkhouse spearing season closes.

- March 16: Wildlife Wednesday, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 7 p.m., fishing basics.

Fishing

- Ice is never completely 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: 1,838.5 feet above mean sea level; 26,000 cubic feet per second Garrison Dam average daily releases.

- NDGF Game Wardens: Some perch biting along the north shore of Lake Tschida but success is sporadic. A little activity around Reunion and White Earth bays of Lake Sakakawea with limited walleye and sauger success. Missouri River tailrace remains fair for walleye from boats.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Moffitt Creek producing 7- to 8-pound northern pike in the channel. Harmon Lake producing trout. Fish Creek fair for nice trout with walking the best access. Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe remains fair for northern pike, perch and walleye. Best walleye success is at night. Look for crappie around Langelier’s Bay. Eckroth Bottoms slowed. Cold weather limiting Missouri River tailrace activity.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Not many anglers out but a few anglers going to McKenzie Bay. Try 21 to 28 feet using jigs and minnows for walleye. Some northern pike moving into Skunk Bay in 12 to 25 feet with sauger success in 30 to 40 feet. Try minnows for walleye; smelt for pike. Camels Hump Dam continues producing trout. Bowman-Halley fair for small walleye. Perch and walleye success continue from Indian Creek Dam.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Limited activity with no new reports.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Missouri River tailrace slowed during the day from boats. Best success from shore off the rocks at night casting crankbaits. Use caution on icy rocks. Lake Audubon slow to fair for small walleye.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Limited activity on Lake Tschida and Sweetbriar Dam.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Increasing activity on Crooked Lake with fair perch success using jigs and minnows. Continued activity on the Missouri River tailrace, weather permitting, from boats using jigs and minnows or Gulp. Wing walls and from shore off the rocks also producing some success.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Van Hook Arm activity remains limited.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Access remains limited but anglers still finding some sauger success at Tobacco Garden.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: A few more anglers on the ice with some sauger success at White Earth Bay. Work deeper. Missouri River remains somewhat fair but access is still a problem in areas.

Snowmobiling

- Cattail (Steele, Cass and Traill counties): 8-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but won’t be groomed.

- East Central Valley (Fargo, Casselton area): 8-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but not groomed.

- Lake Region (Devils Lake area): 8-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition. Trail 3 and part of Trail 4 groomed.

- May-Port (Mayville, Portland area): 4-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but not groomed.

- Missouri Valley (Bismarck, Linton area): 4-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but won’t be groomed.

- North Central (Leeds, Rugby area): 7-inch base. Trails open and in fair to good condition but not groomed.

- Northeast (Cavalier, Langdon, Edinburg area): 5-inch base. Trails open with some sections groomed. Eastern trails around Cavalier won’t be groomed and need more snow to continue any grooming. Trails groomed around Nekoma, Langdon, Osnabrock and Milton. Conditions held up better in the western portion of the system and have fair to good snow conditions.

- Peace Garden (Bottineau, Rolla area): 6-inch base. Trails open but not groomed. Snow conditions fair with good trail conditions. Several sections re-routed due to thin ice.

- Red River North (Grafton): 6-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but not groomed.

- Red River South (Grand Forks, Fordville, Manvel area): 5-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but not groomed.

- Sargent County (Sargent and Richland counties): 8-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but not groomed.

- Sheyenne Valley (Jamestown, Valley City, Lisbon, Oakes area): 6-inch base. Trails open and in fair to good condition.

- Sno-Trails (McHenry and Ward counties): 7-inch base. Trails opened and in fair to good condition.

- Southern Valley (Wahpeton, Mooreton): 11-inch base. Trails open and in fair condition but not groomed.

Skiing

- Big Sky, Big Sky, Mont.: 57- to 85-inch base with packed powder, machine-groomed conditions. All runs open; 19 lifts operating.

- Huff Hills, Mandan: 22- to 26-inch base 13 runs open. Two lifts and the Bunny tow operating. Spring Fest scheduled March 12.

- Red Lodge, Red Lodge, Mont.: 32- to 35-inch base with packed powder, machine-groomed conditions. Sixty one runs open; six lifts operating.

- Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: 24- to 32-inch base with packed powder, hard packed conditions. All runs open and all lifts operating.

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

- Cross Ranch, Hensler: 18-inch base with poor trail conditions.

- Fort Lincoln, Mandan: 18 to 23-inch base but trails not groomed.

- Fort Stevenson, Garrison: Trails open and groomed with good snow cover but fair conditions with trail ice-covered.

Numbers

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

- NDGF Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

- Report All Poachers: 800-472-2121.

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

Tags: outdoors, fishing, wildlife, ski, snowmobile