Dakota Recreation Report

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Outdoor notes

- Beware of dry grass conditions.

- Nonresidents can’t hunt North Dakota Game and Fish Department WMAs and PLOTS Oct. 13-19.

- Friday: Friends of the NRA banquet, Williston, Williams County Fairgrounds, 5:30 p.m.

- Saturday and Sunday: Youth pheasant season.

- Oct. 11: Van Hook Ducks Unlimited banquet, 4 Bears Casino, New Town, 6 p.m.

- Oct. 13: Pheasant, fall turkey seasons open.

- Oct. 13: McKenzie County Pheasants Forever (PF) banquet, Watford City Veterans Building, 6 p.m.

- Oct. 15: Friends of the NRA banquet, Mandan Eagles Club, 5 p.m.

- Oct. 19: Friends of the NRA banquet, Scranton Community Center, 5:30 p.m.

- Oct. 19: Knife River PF banquet, Beulah, Grandview Restaurant, 6 p.m.

- Oct. 20: Southwestern Area PF banquet, Dickinson Elks Club, 6 p.m.

- Oct. 21: Fall crow, Unit 2 sandhill crane seasons close.

Fishing

- NDGF Department District game wardens: No reports from southwestern area lakes. Walleye success slowed on Lake Sakakawea. Missouri River slowed for walleye but drum fishing is good.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Continued OK salmon success on the south side of Lake Sakakawea. Try No. 4 or 5 Mepps or spoons from shore. Some activity on the Missouri River from Double Ditch working north to the tailrace.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea, although those going are finding walleye in 18 to 20 feet using Lindy rigs and minnows. Patterson Lake continues producing pike using spoons.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Missouri River slowed and low water is resulting in some access issues in areas. Best activity for shore-fishing along the tailrace seems to be at night yet. Lake Sakakawea fair for salmon with fish moving shallow early in the morning or late evening. Try Scoria Bay trolling spoons or trolling along the face of the dam.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea has light walleye activity although salmon anglers are finding good success. A few anglers on Lake Audubon are finding fair walleye success. No reports from the Missouri River.

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

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Anglers finding a few more walleye on the Missouri River but fish remain small yet.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: South side of Lake Sakakawea remains fair for salmon from both boat and shore with best success before sunrise and at night with a few fish caught during the day. Try a variety of depths but they will continue to move shallower. Walleye scattered in a variety of depths. Try spinners and bottom bouncers or Lindy rigs. Missouri River continues producing catfish with some trout, salmon and walleye in the chutes. Best success is at night. Fair to good walleye bite down river during the day. Try nightcrawlers with Lindy rigs.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Walleye success tapering off. Try working deeper water around Shell Village or the slides in 25 to 35 feet using minnows or Gulp. Good for smallmouth bass. Try trolling in 10 to 12 feet with crankbaits or spinner baits.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Fewer anglers on the water but those walleye coming in are nice-sized.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea and area lakes: Fair for sauger with a few walleye mixed in around Tobacco Garden on Lake Sakakawea. Continued success on the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers.

Hunting

- NDGF Department District game wardens: No reports from the southwest. Light hunting pressure in the northwest. Hunters need permission to drive on PLOTS land.

- North-central North Dakota: Not much waterfowl movement other than local birds.

- Northwest North Dakota: Not many reports yet from the Watford City area. Mixed numbers of pheasants and grouse with some areas with good pockets of birds.

- Southwest North Dakota: Bow hunters finding nice success despite fewer deer on the landscape. Limited grouse success in the Badlands. Lots of geese east of Bismarck.

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, rec report, outdoors