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 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, eholland@nd.gov, or register at (history.nd.gov/events/heritageoutbound.html).

- Saturday: Dakota Pheasants Forever chapter banquet, Bismarck AMVETS, 5:30 p.m.

- Feb.9: Outbound Winter Adventures, Fort Clark State Historic Site.

- Feb. 9: Northern Badlands Mule Deer Foundation chapter banquet, Bismarck AMVETS.

Tournaments

- Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Van Hook Arm.

Fishing

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District game wardens: No reports from the east end of Lake Sakakawea. West end of Lake Sakakawea continues producing walleye, sauger, and pike. Weather permitting, a few boats are on the open water of the Missouri River tailrace, finding a few small walleye. Some pike success from shore. Lake Audubon slowed. Small northwestern lakes also fair to good.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Most activity remains on Lake Audubon with some activity at Crooked Lake. Try Fish Creek Dam for trout and crappie. Some darkhouse spearing activity. Missouri River and Lake Oahe remain quiet.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lots of activity on Lake Sakakawea and small area lakes but limited reports.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Tobacco Garden continues producing walleye around the beacon on Lake Sakakawea. Try 25 to 30 feet during the day, working shallower in 12 to 20 feet in low light hours. Try Independence around Skunk Bay, as well. No reports from Lake Tschida. Indian Creek Dam continues producing small walleye. Patterson Lake has occasional small pike and walleye.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: More houses moving out to Garrison Bay on Lake Sakakawea with continued walleye success at Douglas, Centennial, and Steinke bays. Some pike mixed in. Watch pressure ridge around the mouth of Garrison Bay and don’t cross because of thin and dangerous ice. Lake Audubon fair for walleye around the U.S. Highway 83 embankment and East Totten Trail. Some pike, as well. No Missouri River reports.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: More anglers on the lake but no recent reports.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Fort Rice and Eckroth Bottoms producing small walleye on Lake Oahe. Lake Audubon slowed. Sweetbriar fair for small perch with occasional walleye.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Continued Missouri River wing wall success for small walleye when backwaters aren’t iced over. Limited boat and shore activity due to cold weather. Not much success from Lake Audubon.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Fair walleye activity with best success at night in the Van Hook Arm.

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

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Try Tobacco Garden or Lund’s Landing for walleye on Lake Sakakawea. Good pike success on Trenton Lake. Springbrook and Kota-Ray dams remain the best area small lakes for panfish.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Mont.: 43- to 65-inch machine groomed, powder base. All runs and lifts open with 8 jumps and 40 rails in the Terrain Park.

- Bridger Bowl, Bozeman, Mont.: 50-inch machine groomed, variable base. All runs and lifts open.

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

- Red Lodge Ski Area, Red Lodge, Mont.: 24- to 31-inch base with 21 runs and 5 lifts.

- 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 fair condition.

- Fort Stevenson, Garrison: Trails open and in fair condition.

- Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau: All trails open and in good condition with about 28-inch base.

Snowmobile North Dakota

- Lake Region, Ramsey and Benson counties: Trails 1, 2, and 3 open. 3- to 6-inch base.

- North-central, Pierce and Towner counties: Rugby Loop open, including Rush Lake, Red Lake, Sand Slough, Jordan Lake, Gun Lake, and Midway Lake. 3- to 6-inch snow depth.

- Northeast, Walsh, Pembina and Cavalier counties: Border, Moonlight Gorge, Nekoma Trailblazers, Sandhills, Neche, Par Site, and Pembina trails open. East side of the Tri-County Trail open.

- Peace Garden, Bottineau, Rolette counties: Trails 1, 2, 4, and 5 open and groomed. 3- to 5-inch depth.

- All other trails remain closed until more snow for grooming.

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