Dakota Recreation Report

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Outdoor notes

*Marginal Missouri River ramps: Steckel, Fort Rice. All other ramps remain closed. Idle speed only from 1,000 feet south of the Steckel boat ramp on the Missouri River to MacLean Bottoms, including MacLean Bottoms. Boating closed on that same section from sunset to sunrise.

*Usable Lake Oahe ramps: Hazelton, Beaver Bay, Walker Bottoms, Cattail Bay, Langelier’s Bay.

*July 30: Killdeer Mountain History Hike. Call 701-328-3508 for more information.

*Audubon Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge: Refuge 3-mile section of the South Shore Auto tour Route now open. Remaining 5 miles closed until repairs are completed.

Tournaments

*Friday and Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Beulah Bay.

*Aug. 6 and 7: Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.

Fishing

*Lake Sakakawea elevation, Tuesday: 1,853.7 feet above mean sea level; 120,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) Garrison Dam average daily releases.

*North Dakota Game and Fish Department District game wardens: Continued good walleye success from Lake Tschida with some white bass mixed in. Sheep Creek producing some bluegill. Lake Sakakawea somewhat tough for walleye although some bass are being taken in the farther west areas of the lake. With high water elevations on Lake Sakakawea, avoid going too close to docks and shorelines at high boating speeds to help reduce accidents and shoreline erosion. No reports from other southwestern area lakes.

*Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Anglers are working hard for fish but the walleye taken are nice-sized. Try 13 to 18 feet using Lindy rigs or spinners with nightcrawlers for walleye. Also try crankbaits. Most activity remains west of the resort. A mix of sauger, perch, bass and northern pike also biting. Customer Appreciation Night and the resort’s 20th anniversary celebration takes place Saturday.

*Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Lots of activity on Lake Audubon with fair walleye success. A few smallmouth bass and northern pike mixed in. Try Cattail and Langelier’s bays on Lake Oahe for walleye. Bigger fish and better numbers seem to be farther south. Salmon anglers starting to work the face of Garrison Dam on Lake Sakakawea. Several small area lakes are starting to green up but New Johns is still fairly clear. Lots of activity at Lake Tschida.

*Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lake Sakakawea hit-and-miss for walleye. Try 16 to 22 feet using spinners and nightcrawlers. Lots of small northern pike. Try the north side of Parshall Bay in 18 feet using minnows. North and south of New Town and the bridge is producing walleye using nightcrawlers around Hunts-Along Bay. Camels Hump Dam continues producing trout. Davis Dam producing larger bluegill and trout. Bowman-Haley Dam fair for walleye using nightcrawlers

*Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Indian Creek Dam fair for walleye using light jigs or soft plastics. Some bass mixed in. Camels Hump Dam remains fair for trout using bobbers with nightcrawlers or Mepps silver spinners. McKenzie Bay on Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye using spinners and nightcrawlers or crankbaits in 12 feet. Skunk Bay good for walleye using spinners, crankbaits or jigs and leeches.

*Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea remains fair for walleye on the east end. Lake Audubon fair, as well.

*Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Spotty walleye success, perhaps due to weather fronts. Try 8 to 13 feet using bottom bouncers and minnows around the beacon.

*Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Lake Tschida continues producing walleye with some bass mixed in.

*Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Casino and state line area continue producing walleye on Lake Oahe.

*Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Heat and humidity limiting fishing activity, although those going are out finding some walleye.

*Pick City, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea remains spotty and inconsistent for walleye. Reports are limited with an upcoming tournament this weekend. Lake Audubon slowed for walleye.

*New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Continued fair to good for walleye with most activity still around the trestle area and east side by Shell Creek. Work deeper, though, including around Rodeo and Horsehead in 20 to 25 feet using bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers. Some success from shore continues, as well.

*Watford City, Tobacco Garden, Lake Sakakawea: Continued sporadic walleye success. Try variety of presentations and move around to locate fish. Weather fronts creating inconsistent success.

*Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea OK for walleye around the New Town and Van Hook area.

*Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Weather fronts slowed walleye activity on Lake Sakakawea. Lots of northern pike activity on the Little Muddy River.

River levels

*Bear Den Creek, Mandaree gauge: Creek stage, 4.28 feet; streamflow, 12 CFS.

*Cannonball River, Regent gauge: River stage, 1.89 feet; streamflow, 12 CFS.

*Green River, New Hradec gauge: River stage, 6.48 feet; streamflow, 4 CFS.

*Heart River, Richardton gauge: River stage, 3.59 feet; streamflow, 5.6 CFS.

*Knife River, Manning gauge: River stage, 7.36 feet; streamflow, 39 CFS.

*Little Missouri River, Marmarth: River stage, 2.91 feet; streamflow, 511 CFS.

*Little Missouri River, Medora gauge: River stage, 3.31 feet; streamflow, 362 CFS.

*Little Missouri River, Long X gauge: River stage, 1.04 feet; streamflow, 386 CFS.

*Missouri River, Williston gauge: River stage, 27.97 feet.

*Missouri River, Stanton: River stage, 22.03 feet.

*Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont. gauge: River stage, 14.02 feet; streamflow, 51,200 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, recreation