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.

- Friday: Darkhouse spearfishing season closes.

- Friday: Permanent Fish houses must be moved off state lakes but can be used if removed daily.

- Friday: Bobcat and weasel hunting and trapping seasons close.

- Saturday: Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation banquet, Bismarck.

- Saturday: Ducks Unlimited banquet, Hampton Inn, Williston, 6 p.m.

- March 20: Mandan Ducks Unlimited banquet, 7 Seas, 5:30 p.m.

- March 20: First day of spring.

- March 23: Cedar Creek Pheasants Forever banquet, Reeder Community Center, 5:30 p.m.

Fishing

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department District game wardens: No reports from Lake Sakakawea or small southwestern area lakes.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Some activity on Lake Audubon. Harmon Lake continues producing pike using smelt or herring. Some activity on the Missouri River around Washburn. Harmon Lake continues producing pike using smelt or herring.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Lake Sakakawea slower, although some pike success remains from Mossett, McKenzie, and Skunk bays in 8 to 12 feet. Try smelt or herring. Lake Sakakawea slower walleye success. Try deep in 50 to 60 feet. Bowman-Haley Dam continues producing walleye along the west side. Some small lakes are losing ice. Patterson Lake producing a few walleye. Try 3 to 5 feet for pike using smelt on Lake Ilo.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Anglers fishing the Missouri River around Bismarck-Mandan with ramps now opening up. Limited success so far, however. Shoreline around McKenzie Bay is getting beat up with ice and snow but some activity continues at Skunk Bay and Tobacco Garden on Lake Sakakawea.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea’s east end continues producing a mix of walleye and pike working from deTrobriand Bay to the east. Some activity at Douglas Bay, although slightly slower success. Be careful with shoreline access. Limited reports from Lake Audubon. A few anglers going to the Missouri River tailrace but limited reports.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s Inc., Lake Tschida: Good numbers of anglers spearing on Lake Sakakawea with the season closing Friday.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Fair walleye success around the bridges on the Missouri River in the Bismarck-Mandan from boats. Fish are generally small.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Not many anglers on the Missouri River but those going to the wing walls and down river are finding some walleye and good numbers of pike. Look for more trout activity in coming weeks. Continued pike success on the east end of Lake Sakakawea but limited walleye numbers. Best success is around Wolf Creek or Steinke and Centennial bays on the north side.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Limited walleye activity with anglers starting to look more for pike on Lake Sakakawea.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Kota-Ray, Blacktail, and Springbrook dams continue producing perch. Continued pike success around Lund’s Landing and Lewis and Clark State Park on Lake Sakakawea.

Downhill skiing

- Big Sky Resort, Big Sky, Mont.: 54- to 81-inch machine groomed, powder conditions with all runs and lifts open.

- Bridger Bowl Resort, Bozeman, Mont.: 63-inch machine groomed, powder conditions with all runs and lifts open.

- Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: 10- to 14-inch powder base with all runs and lifts open. Ski area open March 23 and 24.

- Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan: 22- to 24-inch base with 13 runs and both lifts open.

- Ski Mystic at Deer Mtn., Lead, S.D.: 26- to 48-inch base with 35 runs and all lifts open.

- Red Lodge Ski Area, Red Lodge, Mont.: 34-inch base with 62 runs and 6 lifts open.

- Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: 18- to 28-inch base with all runs and 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 are still open but conditions could deteriorate.

- Lake Metigoshe: Trails groomed and in excellent condition, including snowshoeing trails. Sledding hill also good.

Snowmobile North Dakota

- Conditions could change with snow early in the week.

- East Central Valley (Cass and Richland counties): 4- to 30-inch base with all trails open.

- Lake Region (Nelson and Ramsey counties): 6- to 8-inch base with all trails open and groomed.

- North-central (Benson, McHenry, Pierce, Ramsey, and Towner counties): 4- to 6-inch base with all trails open.

- Northeast (Cavalier, Pembina, and Walsh counties): 4- 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): 6- to 8-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): 6- to 8-inch base with all trails open.

- 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): 4- to 7-inch base with all trails open except M-1 and McKinnes trails, which remain closed.

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

- Southern Valley (Richland): 5- to 7-inch base with all trails open.

- 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