Dakota Recreation Report

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Outdoor notes

- Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check with local bait shops for any ice condition information.

- Registration is now available for winter Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops for darkhouse spearing Jan. 26 at Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge or Feb. 22-24, Lake Metigoshe State Park. More information is available on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, (gf.nd.gov).

- Sunday: Archery deer, pheasant, partridge, sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse, and squirrel seasons close.

- Jan. 13: Fall turkey season closes.

Tournaments

- Jan. 19: Missouri River.

Fishing

- NDGF Department District game wardens: Lots of anglers on Lake Tschida but limited success. New Town area on Lake Sakakawea fair sauger and walleye. Van Hook Arm and White Earth somewhat slow for walleye. McGregor Dam fair for small perch. Smishek Lake fair for perch and pike. White Earth Dam fair for pike. Lake Audubon slow to fair for perch and walleye.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Some activity on area lakes but limited reports other than Lake Audubon fair walleye. Try Nelson Bay or the east corner. Moffit Creek producing pike. Some activity on Harmon Lake north of Mandan. Lake Tschida producing walleye.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lots of activity over the holidays with continued walleye success around Skunk Bay on Lake Sakakawea in 18 feet. Also try the petrified forest and Independence Point. Try 20 to 30 feet for sauger and walleye around Tobacco Garden. Indian Creek fair for perch and smaller walleye. Lake Tschida walleye bite expanding throughout more of the walleye. Try 20 to 25 feet with some nice-sized fish being taken. Lake Patterson producing 14- to 17-inch walleye.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Lake Audubon continues producing walleye success with most activity along the east side, including Velva Point. No reports from the Missouri River. Ice on Lake Sakakawea’s east end isn’t good enough for access yet.

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

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Continued small walleye success from the Missouri River wings walls when they’re not iced in. Weather and ice conditions permitting, boats going down river are still finding walleye.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Somewhat slow walleye success in the Van Hook Arm with more anglers working the river portion of Lake Sakakawea and finding better walleye success.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: More anglers starting to go to the confluence area of the Missouri River and finding fair walleye success. Work the south shore of Lake Sakakawea along Tobacco Garden for a mix of sauger and walleye. Springbrook, McGregor and Blacktail dams producing perch success.

Hunting

- Northwest North Dakota: Continued good predator hunting success with hunters finding numbers of coyotes.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Montana: 37- to 56-inch machine groomed, packed powder conditions with 148 runs and all lifts open and 8 jumps and 40 rails on Terrain Park.

- Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Bozeman, Montana: 38-inch machine groomed, packed powder base with all runs and lifts open.

- Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 12- to 20-inch powder and packed powder base and several inches new snow. 7 runs groomed and 2 chairs open.

- Red Lodge Resort, Red Lodge, Montana: 24- to 31-inch machine groomed, powder base. 22 runs and 5 lifts open.

- Terry Peak Ski Area, Lead, South Dakota: 16- to 20-inch base with 6 runs and 4 lifts open.

North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department cross-country ski trails

- Cross Ranch, Hensler: Trails open and groomed with about 6-inch base and new snow over the past week.

- Fort Lincoln, Mandan: Trails open and have about 5 inches of snow but aren’t groomed.

Snowmobile North Dakota

- Trails closed but will open as soon as grooming takes place.

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