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. Watch for fish houses icing with warmer daytime temperatures.

Fishing

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District game wardens: West-central lake activity slower in recent days. Missouri River slow and those walleye taken from the wing walls are small and thin. Fair pike success on Lake Sakakawea for both spearing and hook-and-line. Hit-and-miss walleye success. Lake Audubon fair at best.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Fish Creek OK for trout and crappie. Some pike activity from Harmon Lake using smelt or herring. Lake Audubon still has walleye activity.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Continued activity at Skunk and Mossett bays on Lake Sakakawea in 18 to 40 feet for a few walleye. Look for pike in 8 to 15 feet in the same areas. Bowman-Haley Dam fair for walleye. Lake Ilo fair for 5- to 7-pound pike with occasional pike. Indian Creek good for smaller perch.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Skunk Bay on Lake Sakakawea fair to good for walleye. Try 15 to 25 feet using jigging spoons and minnows. Beaver Bay starting to produce nice-sized pike spearing. Indian Creek Dam has lots of activity but still producing mostly small perch and walleye. No reports from Lake Tschida.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea fair but move around to different bays to locate active walleye. Lake Audubon fair but spotty for walleye. Move around and try shallow water in 4- to 5-feet in low light early morning and late evening hours. No Missouri River reports.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: More anglers on the ice but reports remain limited.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Lake Oahe producing walleye along the N.D.-S.D. border. Eckroth Bottoms spotty for walleye. Lake Audubon remains spotty, as well. Sweetbriar Dam continues producing smaller perch. Fish Creek fair for trout.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Continued pike spearing success on Lake Sakakawea along with pike and walleye through the ice. Try smelt for pike or jigs and minnows for walleye. Missouri River remains good for pike with scattered walleye success up and down the river. Wing walls producing walleye, as well, with a better morning bite.

- New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Slow and spotty, inconsistent walleye success in the Van Hook Arm.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Activity remains slower on Lake Sakakawea at Tobacco Garden.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Continued good perch success on small area perch lakes. Some crappie success on Trenton Lake. Lake Sakakawea producing a few walleye with increasing numbers of larger pike taken. Spearing success improving for pike, as well, with fish moving around more. Try the Little Muddy area. Good numbers of coyotes moving around so look for continued good predator hunting.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Mont.: 56- to 84-inch machine groomed, powder base with all runs and lifts open. Terrain Park fully open with 8 jumps and 40 rails.

- Bridger Bowl Resort, Bozeman, Mont.: 68-inch base with machine groomed, powder base. All runs, lifts, and Terrain Park open.

- Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 18- to 20-inch base with 13 runs and 2 lifts and chair open.

- Red Lodge Resort, Red Lodge, Mont.: 36- to 38-inch base with machine groomed, packed powder base. 60 runs and 6 lifts open.

- Ski Mystic at Deer Mtn., Lead, S.D.: 10- to 36-inch base with 35 runs and all lifts open.

- Terry Peak Ski Area, Lead, S.D.: 18- to 28-inch base with all runs and lifts open.

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

- Cross Ranch, Hensler: Trails open.

- Fort Lincoln, Mandan: Trails open but ungroomed.

- Fort Stevenson, Garrison: Trails groomed and in good condition, although some deterioration could occur with warm weather.

Snowmobile North Dakota

- East Central Valley (Cass and Richland counties): 4- to 28-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- Lake Region (Nelson and Ramsey counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- North-central (Benson, McHenry, Pierce, Ramsey, and Towner counties): 3- to 6-inch base with all trails open.

- Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, and Walsh counties): 3- to 6-inch base with all trails open except Cavalier Trail closed from St. Thomas to warming house southeast of Cavalier.

- Peace Garden (Bottineau and Rolette counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails except Trail 6 open and groomed.

- Red River North (Pembina and Walsh counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- Red River South (Grand Forks and Walsh counties): 8- to 10-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- Sargent (Richland and Sargent counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- Sheyenne Valley (Barnes, Dickey, LaMoure, Ransom, and Stutsman counties): 2- to 4- inch base but open trails are in poor condition. Trails M-1 and McKinnes trails remain closed.

- Sno-Trails (Bottineau, McHenry, Renville, and Ward counties): 6- to 10-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- Southern Valley (Richland): 6- to 8-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- Mayville-Portland, Cattail, and Missouri Valley trails 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: rec report, dakota recreation report, outdoors