Dakota Recreation Report

Talk about it

Outdoor Notes:

- Saturday: Knife River Ducks Unlimited banquet, 6 p.m., Grandview Steakhouse, Beulah.

- Monday: CRP landowner workshop, 11:30 a.m., Dickinson; CRP landowners workshop, 1 p.m., Hettinger.

- Tuesday: CRP landowner workshop, 11:30 a.m., Mott.

- Wednesday: Moose, elk and bighorn sheep application deadline.

- March 31: Cedar Creek Pheasants Forever banquet, Hettinger.

- March 31: Zone 2 mountain lion season closes.

- April 1: New fishing and furbearer licenses due.

Fishing:

- Ice is never completely safe. Use caution, especially in areas with vegetation and around bridges. Check conditions locally before venturing out.

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District game wardens: Southwestern lakes have little to no ice with Patterson Lake producing northern pike. Lake Tschida is open with some catfish success downstream of the dam. Missouri River fair for walleye and pike with most success from boats. Bismarck-Mandan area also producing walleye. Lake Sakakawea fair for pike. Bow-fishing opens May 1.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Missouri River has walleye activity up and down the river from the tailrace past Bismarck. Best success seems to be around the Washburn area.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Shorelines opening up with lots of anglers shore-fishing for pike. Overall fair success for 6- to 18-pound pike using smelt. Activity is throughout Lake Sakakawea from Beulah Bay to the west along the south shore. Lots of boat fishing activity on the Missouri River around Bismarck in 18 to 22 feet using vertical jigs and minnows. Continued activity in the tailrace including the coal veins and down river. Lots of nice-sized walleye. Try jigs and minnows. Huskee jerks continue producing walleye at night from shore off the rocks. Smaller lakes are open but no reports.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Ice-fishing is done for the season, including small area lakes. No reports from Lake Sakakawea but look for pike activity soon from shore. Missouri River good for walleye from the tailrace down river to Bismarck. Lots of nice-sized fish using jigs and minnows in 6 to 15 feet. Remember to release pre-spawn females.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Missouri River remains good for walleye with better success from boat. Lake Sakakawea opening along the shorelines but limited pike activity from shore yet. Look for more action with warm weather and wind.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Limited activity with Lake Tschida open.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Lots of walleye activity on the Missouri River from UPA to Fort Rice using jigs or crankbaits.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Continued Missouri River walleye success from boats anchoring with jigs and minnows or plastics. 3-way swivels producing a few walleye in the chutes. Not many catfish or ling but a few trout. Limited crankbait bite off the rocks from the shore. Best success is with jigs or bobbers with bait. Limited pike activity from shore on Lake Sakakawea but look for it to start soon.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Open water starting to show up in the Van Hook Arm. Look for pike activity from shore to start soon.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea producing some northern pike from shore with rapidly deteriorating ice conditions. A few catfish mixed in.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Good pike success from shore in areas with open water. Try Skunk Hollow or Trenton Lake. A little boat activity on the Missouri River with fair success although water is still a little dirty.

Open Missouri River boat ramps:

- Tailrace, Stanton, Washburn, Sanger, Steckel, Kimball Bottoms (slide-in metal), Graner’s Bottoms (limited parking), Little Heart, Hazelton (no dock), Fort Rice. Docks in at Grant Marsh and Fox Island.

Light goose migration:

- North Dakota: Lots of snow goose in a line from Rugby to Grand Forks. The rapid transition into spring with no snow line and little sheet water is allowing birds to spread out as they move north. Snow goose reports coming from South Dakota up into Saskatchewan and farther west than usual with birds moving through along the Missouri River corridor over the past weekend up to Minot and over to Devils Lake. A few stragglers in the northwest but most moved through. Lots of birds around and north of Devils Lake. A few stragglers in the northwest but most moved through. Birds are tough pattern and decoy. Scouting and ability to move are key to any success.

- South Dakota: Most birds moved north with a few lingering in the northern tier.

Downhill skiing:

- Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Montana: 67- to 101-inch base with machine groomed conditions. All runs and lifts open.

- Bridger Bowl, Bozeman, Montana: 71-inch base with packed powder, machine groomed conditions. All runs and lifts open.

- Red Lodge, Red Lodge, Montana: 50 to 60-inch base with spring conditions. 64 runs and 6 lifts open.

- Terry Peak, Lead, South Dakota: 16- to 20-inch base with spring conditions. 18 runs and all lifts open.

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).

Patricia Stockdill

Tags: dakota recreation report, outdoors