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.

- Don’t set ice-houses closer than 50 feet from other houses.

- 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).

- Registration is now available for the Feb. 9 Outbound Winter Adventures, Fort Clark State Historic Site and Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site. Call the State Historical Society of North Dakota for information and registration, 701-328-2792, email Erik Holland at eholland@nd.gov or register at (history.nd.gov/events/heritageoutbound.html).

- Jan. 26: Mon-Dak Big Game Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation banquet, Williston.

- Jan. 26: BOW darkhouse spearing workshop, Upper Souris NWR.

- Feb. 2: Dakota Chapter of Pheasants Forever banquet, 5:30 p.m., Bismarck AMVETS.

Tournaments

- Saturday: Lake Sakakawea; Tobacco Garden, Missouri River; Bismarck-Mandan.

- Feb. 2: Lake Sakakawea, Van Hook Arm.

Fishing

- NDGF Department District game wardens: Light activity on west-central lakes. Limited reports from the east end of Lake Sakakawea with mixed accessibility in areas. Some pike activity in Beulah Bay or Dakota Waters. Missouri River is quiet, although some anglers are fishing the wing walls and getting numbers of small, 12-inch walleye.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Increasing activity continues on area lakes but reports are limited. Try the mouth of Beaver Creek in 8 to 15 feet in the evening for walleye on Lake Oahe but use caution on the ice. A few crappie coming from the creek and bridge area but it’s a narrow channel. Lake Audubon remains steady. Increasing pike activity for darkhouse spearing but overall success is still somewhat slow.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lots of activity around Skunk Bay on Lake Sakakawea. Try the Petrified Forest or Independence Island in 18 to 40 feet for nice-sized walleye using jigs and minnows. Tobacco Garden slowed a little but still has lots of sauger and walleye with good angler numbers. Indian Creek continues producing small perch and small walleye. Patterson Lake producing 13- to 16-inch walleye and a few 10- to 12-inch perch. Lake Ilo fair for 5- to 7-pound pike with a few perch mixed in.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Skunk Bay on Lake Sakakawea fair to good for walleye in 12 to 15 feet. Continued success at Tobacco Garden. Try the islands on Lake Tschida for perch.

- 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: Light activity in recent days.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Eckroth Bottoms on the Missouri River producing small walleye. Fair for walleye around Langeliers Bay on Lake Oahe. Sweetbriar Dam fair for small perch.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Weather permitting, anglers are still finding walleye from the Missouri River wing walls. Some boat activity at times, as well as walleye from shore casting crankbaits from the rocks.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Improving walleye success in the Van Hook Arm. Work deep in 30 feet. Some sauger mixed in. Try tip-ups with jigs and minnows.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Continued fair to good walleye and sauger success at Tobacco Garden.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Continued perch success at Kota-Ray and Springbrook dams. Lund’s Landing and Lewis and Clark State Park improving for walleye on Lake Sakakawea. Ice conditions are dangerous on the Missouri River with increased Fort Peck dam releases into the river.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Mont.: 38- to 58-inch machine groomed, powder base with 148 runs and all lifts open. 8 jumps and 40 rails available in the Terrain Park.

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

- Huff Hills, Mandan: 12- to 20-inch packed powder, powder base with 7 groomed runs open, 2 chair lifts and Bunny Tow. Snowmaking underway.

- Red Lodge Resort, Red Lodge, Mont.: 24- to 31-inch base with machine groomed, packed powder base. 23 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 Department cross-country ski trails

- Cross Ranch, Hensler: Trails open and in good condition.

- Fort Lincoln, Mandan: Trails open but ungroomed.

- Fort Stevenson, Garrison: Trails remain in good condition with about 5-inch groomed base.

Snowmobile North Dakota

- North-central Trail: Rugby Loop open with Rush Lake, Red Lake, Sand Slough, Jordan Lake, Midway Lake, and Gun Lake trails groomed with 3- to 6-inch base.

- Peace Garden: Trails have 3- to 5-inch base.

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: rec report, dakota recreation report, outdoors