OUTDOOR NOTES
Thursday: Dove season opens.
Thursday: Youth deer season (ages 14 and 15 - regular license) and antlerless white-tailed deer season (ages 12 and 13) application deadline.
Friday: Deer archery, Zone 1 early mountain lion, Zone 2 regular mountain lion, elk bow (Units E-1, E-2), elk regular (Unit E-5), any elk September (Units E3, E4) and moose bow (Units M4, M5, M6, M8, M9, M10, M11) seasons open.
Sunday: Guided canoe hikes, Lake Metigoshe State Park. Meet at the warming house, 10 a.m. and again 7 p.m.
Sept. 7: Canada geese early season Missouri River Zone closes.
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
Sept. 10: Sharptail and ruffed grouse, partridge, and squirrel seasons open.
Tournaments: Sept. 10: Lake Sakakawea, Dakota Waters Resort; Lake Sakakawea, Sakakawea, State Park. Sept. 17: Lake Sakakawea, Tobacco Gardens.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Missouri River tailrace slowed with lots of boat activity. Some walleye success from shore off the rocks in the evenings. Nelson-Carlson Lake fair for northern pike. Lake Sakakawea remains fair for walleye. Try 15 to 25 feet. Not big numbers of walleye but they're nice-sized. Lake Audubon has limited activity but try crankbaits in deeper water for walleye. No reports from Devils Lake.
Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Continued nice-sized walleye success, although not as many fish probably in part because of fewer anglers on the water. Try Lindy rigs or spinners with nightcrawlers working west in Beaver and Nishu bays or around the intake.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Missouri River tailrace remains good for water with slower success in Spillway Pond. Continued walleye activity at Hazelton on Lake Oahe. No reports from Lake Audubon. Douglas Bay producing walleye using crankbaits on Lake Sakakawea. A few nice-sized salmon along the face of the dam but limited numbers.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Continued bluegill and northern pike success with improving walleye activity.
Bottineau, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: Continued bluegill, northern pike, bullhead, perch and walleye activity.
Coleharbor, Totten Trail Restaurant, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: East end of Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye along east end embankment, 7 Sisters, north side of Mallard Island and flats around Centennial Park using Lindy rigs with leeches or nightcrawlers in 15 to 20 feet. Lake Audubon fair for walleye using deep-diving crankbaits. Missouri River producing catfish at night from shore. Walleye success remains good but lots of boats slowing activity, especially on weekends. Work down river on busy days.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Continued small walleye success working the old shoreline, humps and ridges trolling crankbaits or live bait in 12 to 25 feet. Pitch crankbaits for bigger fish in shallow water. Try Golden Highway, Howard's Bay, Doc Hagen, Fort Totten on the main lake or in East Bay try Stromme's Addition, Dairy Farm, Penny Bay and the storm sewers.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued small walleye success in 9 to 15 feet working the weeds with spinners and bottom bouncers. A few bigger fish mixed in with Pelican Lake also producing bigger fish. Continued northern pike success, as well.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea / area lakes: Mossett and McKenzie bays on Lake Sakakawea still somewhat slow with scattered and inconsistent walleye success. Skunk Bay is somewhat better with success around 8-Pound Island and Independence. Try 10 to 18 feet using Lindy rigs or spinners and nightcrawlers. Continued Missouri River tailrace success, although somewhat slower from boat. Good from shore pitching crankbaits from the rocks at night for walleye.
Estevan, Saskatchewan Environment, Rafferty Dam and area lakes: Continued walleye success from boat. Try variety of bait with generally fair success for nice walleye and perch. Slower when shore-fishing but try early morning or evening for better success.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Outlet Fishing Area remains good for walleye and northern pike with lots of activity yet. More anglers are on the lake itself with fair walleye success.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: East end of Lake Sakakawea is fair for walleye from the U.S. Highway 83 embankment to Douglas Bay. Try 10 to 30 feet using variety of presentations but most consistent success is still with spinners and nightcrawlers on sunken humps along main lake points and drop-offs. Missouri River remains fair to good from the tailrace downstream. Limited reports from Lake Audubon.
Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Fair for walleye in 12 to 15 feet working east around Fossil Island or west towards the beacon. Try crankbaits along the mouth of Nishu Bay.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Work main lake points on Lake Sakakawea from Douglas Bay to the east end embankment in 15 to 30 feet with spinners or Lindy and nightcrawlers or leeches Also try deep-diving crankbaits. Lake Audubon spotty for walleye with most activity on the east end. Missouri River producing mixed success with some anglers doing well and others not finding many fish.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake and area lakes: Coal Mine Lake good for northern pike. Harvey Dam fair for pike. Continued northern pike and walleye activity on Goose Lake.
Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Fewer anglers on the water but those going continue finding fair to good walleye success. Try the slides, beacon or pump house in 6 to 20 feet with spinners and bottom bouncers. Also try jigs or Lindy rigs. Resort closes for the season Monday at 8 p.m. CDT.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Continued walleye success using deep-diving crankbaits throughout the Van Hook Arm in 26 to 33 feet.
New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Work deeper for walleye using spinners and nightcrawlers but success is less consistent. Try the southern end of the Van Hook Arm in 35 feet.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea remains slow for salmon, perhaps due to water temperatures. Try 12 to 30 feet for walleye using spinners and bottom bouncers or a slow Lindy rig presentation. Missouri River remains good for walleye with smattering of trout and salmon mixed in. Try variety of presentations with crankbaits picking up more fish. Best success is morning and evening for walleye. Good numbers of catfish in Spillway Pond accessing from the river.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling and area lakes: Continued good walleye and northern success at the Outlet Fishing Area below Lake Darling Dam. Also try Silver and Baker bridges for northern pike. Some walleye reports from Lake Sakakawea.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Not many reports but try crankbaits for walleye around Lewis and Clark State Park on Lake Sakakawea.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Aug. 30: 1,453.93 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Aug. 30: 1,453.92 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Aug. 30: 1,844.6 feet; 65,000 cubic feet per second average (cfs) Garrison Dam daily releases.
RAMP REPORTS
Lake Darling ramp update: All ramps open on Lake Darling, along with the Outlet Fishing Area and Auto Tour Route. Hiking trails are open but have debris and dirt. Beaver Lodge Canoe Trail is closed.
Usable Devils Lake ramps: Round Lake, Pelican Lake, 6-Mile Bay, Creel Bay, Spirit Lake, Black Tiger Bay, East Bay. Grahams Island State Park ramp is usable but access is day-to-day. Call 766-4015 for updates.
Usable Missouri River ramps: Tailrace, Stanton, UPA, Washburn, Steckel.
HUNTING
Early Canada goose season: Limited hunting success with lots of standing crop. Light pressure in many areas of central N.D. although good success in the Devils Lake area.
Doves: Fair numbers but birds aren't bunching yet. Look for fair success while weather holds. Reminder that archery deer season also now open so be courteous of other hunters and anglers.
Archery deer: Numbers are down in central N.D. but bow hunters should find fair success if they scout. Numbers are still OK around Devils Lake.