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.

- Don’t chase, harass, or pursue coyote or other wildlife with any motorized vehicle.

- Sunday: Fall turkey season closes.

Tournaments

- Jan. 19: Missouri River, Bismarck-Mandan area.

Fishing

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District game wardens: Good numbers of perch from North Lemmon Lake but they’re small. A good lake for kids but otherwise, they’re mostly non-keepers. Access to most southwestern lakes is fair with some drifting on section line trails. Bowman-Haley Dam producing 6- to 8-pound pike. Sheep Creek producing bluegill with an occasional crappie mixed in using was worms. Lake Tschida producing 13- to 17-inch walleye in many locations and depths with consistent evening bite. Indian Creek Dam producing good numbers of small 4- to 6-inch perch. Fish Creek Dam continues producing trout. Danzig Dam is being drained for a Save Our Lakes project. Hit-and-miss success on Lake Sakakawea’s upper end and Missouri and Yellowstone river systems. Last week was fair to good but fishing slowed since then. However, anglers are still picking up a few sauger and the occasional walleye. Smaller northwestern lakes have been producing northern pike and smaller perch. A few anglers starting to venture onto the east end of Lake Sakakawea and finding a few pike. Ice depth varies.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Most activity on Lake Audubon is around Nelson Bay and the northeast corner. Low water limiting activity on Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe. No recent reports from Lake Tschida.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: 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 lake. Try 20 to 25 feet with some nice-sized fish taken. Lake Patterson producing 14- to 17-inch walleye.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: McKenzie and Skunk bays on Lake Sakakawea continue producing walleye. Tobacco Garden fair for walleye but success slowed slightly. Indian Creek fair to good for small perch. Lake Tschida fair for walleye.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Continued good activity on Lake Audubon. The east end of Lake Sakakawea and Douglas Bay are starting to see some walleye and pike activity using a variety of presentations. Ice conditions are variable and anglers need to check depth frequently.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: More anglers on Lake Tschida.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Missouri River wing walls continue producing walleye using jigs and minnows. Try a morning and evening bite for pike in the river. More anglers going onto Lake Audubon with fair walleye success using jigs and minnows. Try wax worms for perch.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Overall slow walleye success in the Van Hook Arm with better success in the river portion of the lake near the New Town area.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Continued sauger success around Tobacco Garden.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Continued good walleye and sauger bite on Lake Sakakawea with best activity around Tobacco Garden. Also try Lund’s Landing or Lewis and Clark State Park areas. Try Skunk Hollow or Trenton Lake for pike. Kota-Ray and Epping dams producing perch.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Mont.: 37- to 56-inch machine groomed, packed powder base. 148 runs and all runs open with 8 jumps and 40 rails in Terrain Park.

- Bridger Bowl Resort, Bozeman, Mont.: 38-inch machine groomed, hard packed base. All runs and lifts open with Terrain Park open.

- Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 12- to 20-inch base with 7 groomed runs, 2 lifts, and bunny tow open.

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

- Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: 16- to 24-inch base with 10 runs and 4 lifts open.

North Dakota Parks and Recreation Dept. cross-country ski trails

- Cross Ranch, Hensler: Trails open and in good condition with about 6-inch snow depth.

- Fort Stevenson, Garrison: Trails open, packed and groomed with a nice base.

- Fort Lincoln, Mandan: Trails open but ungroomed.

Snowmobile

North Dakota

- Peace Garden trail opens this weekend with 4 trails testing for conditions. Other trails remain closed.

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