Outdoor notes
- Today to Sunday: North Dakota Game and Fish Dept. Conservation and Outdoor Skills Park, North Dakota State Fair.
- Aug. 4: Aquapalooza, Fort Stevenson State Park, Garrison.
- Aug. 4 and 5: Great Plainers Salmon Club outing, Lake Sakakawea.
- Aug. 4-11: CANDISC Bicycle Tour.
- Aug. 11: Dog Days of Summer, Cross Ranch State Park, Hensler.
Tournaments
- Fri. and Sat.: Lake Sakakawea, Dakota Walleye Classic, Beulah Bay.
- Saturday: Lake Sakakawea; Parshall Bay, Upper Missouri River, Littlefield Bay.
- Sat. and Sun.: Lake Sakakawea, Skunk Bay.
- Aug. 4 and 5: Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.
Fishing
- NDGF Department District game wardens: Lake Tschida producing a few small walleye but limited activity. No reports from other southwestern area lakes. Lake Sakakawea remains fair for walleye. Lake Audubon fair for small walleye. Small area lakes are getting weedy but Crooked Lake is fair. Missouri River remains OK for walleye.
- Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Lots of activity throughout the area. Try leeches.
- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Mixed salmon reports from Lake Sakakawea. It’s a matter of being there when the feed is on. Those taken seem to be running a little bigger than in recent years. Good numbers of perch and smallmouth bass as well as walleye. Fewer Missouri River reports with lots of recreational boating in Bismarck-Mandan and anglers fishing Lake Sakakawea. Try north or south of Bismarck.
- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Continued good for walleye throughout Lake Sakakawea. Work deeper in 10 to 18 feet. Lots of 14- to 18-inch walleye. Try spinners with nightcrawlers. Fish are running a little bigger in the New Town area. Try 6 to 10 feet using spinners with leeches or nightcrawlers. Nice numbers of smallmouth bass throughout Sakakawea, as well, along with pike. Lake Tschida continues producing small walleye. Try minnows. Indian Creek also fair for small walleye using crankbaits or leeches. Camels Hump Dam remains fair to good for trout and bluegill with some limits. Look for pike from shore yet on Lake Patterson using smelt or spoons. Bowman-Haley Dam producing walleye up to 2 pounds. Try nightcrawlers.
- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/
area lakes: Continued good walleye success throughout Lake Sakakawea. Try a variety of presentations.
- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Continued fair to good walleye success throughout much of the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Douglas Bay also good. Improving salmon success along the bluffs and face of the dam. Try 75 to 85 feet. No reports from the Missouri River. Lake Audubon producing some bass but overall activity is focused more on Lake Sakakawea.
- Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Continued good for walleye using spinners with nightcrawlers or leeches in 10 to 12 feet. Work the points. Good numbers of small fish with nice keepers mixed in with some in the 5- to 6-pound range. Continued good for 8 to 10-pound pike.
- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Lighter fishing activity over the past few days with limited reports.
n Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Missouri River remains fair for walleye, although activity slowed somewhat.
- Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Continued good for walleye working 6 to 12 feet throughout the Little Missouri Arm and into the big water. Try spinners with nightcrawlers or leeches.
- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Walleye bite remains fair on Lake Sakakawea. Try shallow in 5 feet or as deep as 20 to 30 feet working northeast of Mallard Island, Douglas Bay or points. Try live bait on the points or crankbaits on the flats. Salmon remain fair along the face of the dam or Government Bay fishing 65 to 85 feet over bottom depth. Missouri River remains fair to good for small walleye. Try variety of presentations. Best success is in the morning and evening. Chutes fair for trout with a few walleye mixed in. Try crankbaits or 3-way swivels. A smattering of salmon mixed in. Catfish fair. Shore-fishing slowed somewhat with best success at night with crankbaits off the rocks.
- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Continued fair to good walleye success in the river portion of the lake and the Van Hook Arm.
- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Continued good walleye success. Try variety of bait and presentations with most activity still east of the resort. However, more anglers are starting to work west.
- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Upper end of Lake Sakakawea good for walleye using a variety techniques. Good numbers of smallmouth bass with accidental catches of crappie, as well. Small lakes continue producing walleye and a mix of panfish. Lots of shore-fishing, as well.
North Dakota rivers streamflow and river stage
- Bear Den Creek, Mandaree: Creek stage, 3.44 feet; streamflow, 0 CFS.
- Cannonball River, Regent: River stage, 4.62 feet.
- Green River, New Hradec: River stage, 5.87 feet; streamflow, 0.26 CFS.
- Heart River, Richardton: River stage, 4.61 feet; streamflow, 5.1 CFS.
- Knife River, Manning: River stage, 5.86 feet; streamflow, 0.39 CFS.
- Little Missouri River, Marmath: River stage, 1.91 feet; streamflow, 46 CFS.
- Little Missouri River, Medora: River stage, 2.28 feet; streamflow, 93 CFS.
- Little Missouri River, Trotters: River stage, 1.75 feet; streamflow, 2.6 CFS.
- Missouri River, Williston: River stage, 15.73 feet.
- Missouri River, Stanton: River stage, 8.95 feet.
- Missouri River, Bismarck: Streamflow, 25,700 CFS.
- Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: River stage, 5.47 feet; streamflow, 7,300 CFS.
Numbers to know
- NDGF Department main Bismarck office: 328-6300; website (http://gf.nd.gov).
- NDGF Department Dickinson office: 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, rec report, outdoors
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