Dakota Recreation Report

Talk about it

Outdoor notes

- Friday: Deer gun season opens. Any anglers should wear blaze orange when on the water for safety.

- Saturday: Bobcat hunting, archery and trapping seasons open.

- Sunday: Unit 1 sandhill crane season closes.

Fishing

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District game wardens: No reports from Lake Sakakawea, Lake Audubon or the Missouri River.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Limited reports, although a few anglers still looking for pike in some backwater areas.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: No reports from area lakes, including Lake Sakakawea.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Limited reports throughout the area due to weather.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: No activity on Lake Sakakawea, Lake Audubon or the Missouri River.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: A few anglers still going to Lake Tschida with good walleye success.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Missouri River activity remains light with a few boat anglers finding better success than those from shore. Walleye remain on the small side.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Some northern pike and salmon success from shore on Lake Sakakawea but angler numbers are limited. Continued fair to good for walleye on the Missouri River but there are also few anglers on the water. Try jigs or Lindy rigs down river. Lots of small walleye but sort through for the keepers. Fair night bite for a few trout or salmon with some pike from shore but success isn’t what it normally is for this time of year. Try waders or from the rocks. Look for small walleye from the wing walls.

- Watford City, Tobacco Garden Resort, Lake Sakakawea: No recent activity.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Missouri River remains good from shore at the Williston Bottoms and confluence.

Hunting

- NDGF Department game wardens: Good numbers of snow geese throughout much of central North Dakota with fair duck numbers in pockets. Good numbers of waterfowl around the midsection of Lake Sakakawea with variable success. Wet weather slowing pheasant hunting activity.

- Northwest North Dakota: Waterfowl, including ducks, concentrating on larger water with small wetlands icing over in the Williston area. Some whitefronts and snow geese remain in the northwestern corner. Predator hunters finding good coyote success already. Weather limiting pheasant hunting in the Watford City area.

- Southwest North Dakota: Good numbers of waterfowl along the Missouri River corridor with birds along the snow line. Patterson Lake has good duck numbers. Continued good pheasant success but some areas have spotty numbers. Look for areas with creeks and cover nearby.

- West-central North Dakota: Lots of waterfowl remain along the eastern end of Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon with fair to good pheasant numbers yet.

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, sports