Dakota Recreation Report

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Dakota Recreation Report

Outdoor notes

*Missouri River wing walls closed until further notice due to high Garrison Dam releases.

*Missouri River idle speed only from about 23 miles north of Bismarck (1,000 feet south of the Steckel boat ramp to about 19 miles south of Bismarck (MacLean Bottoms) and Heart River from its Missouri River confluence to the Highway 6 bridge to protect eroding shoreline due to flood conditions.

*Open Missouri River ramps: Tailrace, Stanton, Washburn, Steckel, Kimball Bottoms, Graner Bottoms, Maclean Bottoms, Hazelton, Fort Rice, Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Fort Yates, Catttail Bay and Langeliers Bay.

*June 4: Lake Ilo Kids Fishing Day, 9:30 a.m. registration.

*June 4 and 5: Free fishing weekend.

*June 8: Deer gun and muzzleloader applications due.

Tournaments

*June 4: Missouri River tailrace, Lake Audubon; Fish Creek Dam.

Fishing

*Lake Sakakawea elevation, Wednesday: 1,850.5 feet above mean sea level; Wednesday estimated Garrison Dam discharge is 73,300 cubic feet per second (CFS). Temperature, 40 degrees.

*North Dakota Game and Fish Department District Game Wardens: Properly dispose of non-game fish when bow-fishing. Also, don’t pick up baby or what appears to be abandoned wildlife. Animals can transmit diseases and the baby is likely not abandoned but has a mother nearby. Limited trout success on Camel Hump Dam. Rain limiting fishing throughout much of the region. Missouri River OK for walleye. Tailrace, Washburn, Steckel, Misty Waters, Desert and MacLean ramps are usable. Lake Audubon fair for walleye. Look for a morning and evening walleye bite along the east end county road embankment. A few nice-sized smallmouth bass mixed in.

*Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Weather continues limiting activity but when people can get out anglers are getting nice-sized northern pike.

*Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Some Missouri River activity but high releases are making fishing more difficult. Try area lakes.

*Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Weather continues limiting activity on Lake Sakakawea and area lakes.

*Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lake Tschida continues producing good numbers of small walleye below the spillway using jigs and minnows. Tunnel Point on Lake Sakakawea generally slow, although some walleye success using Lindy rigs and jigs. Good numbers of northern pike. Water temperatures starting to warm up in the Little Missouri Arm.

*Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Some walleye activity along the east end embankment on Lake Audubon. No reports from Lake Sakakawea or the Missouri River.

*Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Limited activity yet but the dock is in place. Resort opens Friday.

*Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: A few more anglers on the lake but the lake is rising in elevation.

*Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Some walleye success on Lake Oahe and the Missouri River, however access is limited in the immediate Bismarck-Mandan area. No reports from area lakes.

*Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Limited activity. Docks are in and the resort is open.

*Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Scattered walleye reports from Lake Audubon. Try trolling crankbaits or live bait. Lake Sakakawea remains fair for northern pike using smelt or herring. Also try casting crankbaits as water temperatures warm up. Missouri River producing nice-sized walleye but the key is finding slack water. Try drifting with crankbaits. Overall success is fair, in large part because boat control is difficult with high Garrison Dam releases. Tailrace boat dock isn’t in place.

*New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Occasional walleye starting to show up with continued northern pike and catfish success from shore in the Van Hook Arm.

*Watford City, Tobacco Garden, Lake Sakakawea: Fair for northern pike and catfish from shore.

*Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Continued northern pike from shore success around the beacon and Tobacco Garden. Some boat fishing activity but no reports on success.

North Dakota river levels and streamflow, Tuesday:

*Bear Den Creek, Mandaree gauge: Creek stage, 4.9 feet; streamflow, 42 CFS.

*Cannonball River, Regent gauge: River stage, 7.56 feet; streamflow, 717 CFS.

*Green River, New Hradec gauge: River stage, 8.53 feet; streamflow, 198 CFS.

*Heart River, Richardton gauge: River stage, 9.48 feet; streamflow, 829 CFS.

*Knife River, Manning gauge: River stage, 10.14 feet; streamflow, 478 CFS.

*Little Missouri River, Marmarth: River stage, 18.59 feet; streamflow, 28,800 CFS.

*Little Missouri River, Medora gauge: River stage, 19.68 feet; streamflow, 33,000 CFS.

*Little Missouri River, Long X gauge: Streamflow, 21,000 CFS.

*Missouri River, Williston gauge: River stage, 26.31 feet.

*Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont. gauge: River stage, 21.51 feet; streamflow, 162,000 CFS.

Numbers to know:

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

*NDGF Department Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

*Report All Poachers: 800-472-2121.

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

Tags: lake sakakawea, outdoors, fishing, boating