OUTDOOR NOTES
Friday: Youth deer season opens.
Saturday: Sandhill crane and snipe seasons open.
Saturday and Sunday: Youth waterfowl season.
Thursday: Audubon Nat'l Wildlife Refuge birdfeeder workshop for children 4 to 18. 5:30 p.m. Pre-register at 442-5474.
Sept. 24: Resident waterfowl and woodcock seasons open.
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
Sept. 25: Youth deer season, E1 and E2 elk archery and moose archery seasons close.
Tournaments: Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Tobacco Garden.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Devils Lake continues producing lots of small walleye with Black Tiger Bay and East Devils Lake producing more keepers. Limited reports from Lake Sakakawea.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Missouri River tailrace remains good for walleye from shore at night as well as a nice mix of species from boat during the day. Work down river, as well, below the chutes and honey hole. More anglers working the Missouri River in the Bismarck-Mandan area. Mixed reports coming from the Hazelton area and Cattail Bay on Lake Oahe. Mixed reports also from Lake Audubon. Some salmon activity along Intake Bay of Lake Sakakawea. Try casting salmon spoons or No. 5 Mepps spinners.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Continued good success for a mix of walleye, northern pike and bluegill on Lake Metigoshe. Long Lake fair for pike and perch. Perch active on Lake Upsilon.
Bottineau, Lake Meti-goshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: Continued bluegill activity with some small walleye and northern pike mixed in. Maid-O-Moonshine Campground and primitive camping areas still open but Washegum Campground closed for the season.
Coleharbor, Totten Trail Restaurant, Lakes Audubon AND Saka-kawea: Little activity on Lake Audubon with most anglers still working the Missouri River. Lake Sakakawea starting to produce some salmon along the face of the dam.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Continued small walleye success working the Golden Highway or Howard's Bay in 12 to 25 feet with spinners and bottom bouncers or trolling crankbaits. Also try the towers, rock piles and deeper points on the main lake. Work the bridges in the evening for improving activity. Try crankbaits in 4 to 8 feet along wind-blown shorelines for bigger fish.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Overall continued walleye success using a combination of trolling crankbaits in 15 to 20 feet or vertical jigging around the bridges.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Saka-kawea / area lakes: Limited reports from Lake Sakakawea.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Lake Darling has continued nice and steady walleye and northern pike activity from both boat and shore, including shore-fishing at the Outlet Fishing Area. Lake access closes Sept. 30 to boat fishing but is open for shore-fishing at designated areas.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audu-bon and Sakakawea: Better Lake Sakakawea walleye success is west of Indian Hills and farther upstream. Limited reports from the east end. No reports from Lake Audubon and Missouri River.
Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Not many anglers, but those going out are finding some nice-sized walleye better quality than quantity. Try nightcrawlers or minnows in about 15 feet. Bait room remains open for remainder of the month. Call ahead for on-the-water gas by appointment.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon AND Saka-kawea: Indian Hills area producing walleye on Lake Sakakawea along with the north side of Mallard Island. Try 25 to 35 feet using spinners and nightcrawlers. Lake Audubon slow. Lots of boat activity on the Missouri River.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake AND area lakes: Continued northern pike activity on Coal Mine Lake. Harvey Dam fair for pike. Goose Lake fair to good for pike and walleye.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Walleye activity slowed somewhat on the Van Hook Arm.
New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Continued fair walleye success. Work deep in 30 feet with minnows in the southern part of the Van Hook Arm. Anglers finding fewer fish, but nicer sized.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling AND area lakes: Lake Darling remains steady, especially for a morning and even-ing walleye and northern pike.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Saka-kawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye. Decent Missouri River small walleye success prior to cold front moving in.
RAMP REPORT
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 usable but access is day-to-day. Call 766-4015 for updates.
Usable Missouri River ramps: Tailrace, UPA, Stanton, Washburn, Steckel.
Today through Sept. 23: Des Lacs Nat'l Wildlife Refuge Canada Goose Hiking Trail open to automobile use from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Sept. 14 : 1,453.8 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Sept. 14 : 1,453.86 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Sept. 14 : 1,843 feet; 50,000 cubic feet per second average Garrison Dam daily releases.
HUNTING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept.: Limited numbers of grouse hunters in parts of west-central N.D. Slow grouse season opener in east-central N.D. with hunters reporting seeing few birds.
Lonetree WMA, Harvey: Fair sharptail success but poor for partridge.
Northeast N.D.: Lots of brown ducks for the youth waterfowl opener so beware of proper identification.
Northwest N.D.: Some reports from the Badlands and Trenton and Buford Bottoms of deer losses, likely due to EHD. Fair at best for grouse. Hunters working harder for birds around the midsection of Lake Sakakawea but are seeing some birds.
West-central N.D.: Some bow hunting activity but no reports from the opening weekend of grouse season.
Southwest N.D.: Fair elk success. Grouse numbers lower in the southwest with better reports coming from the Badlands.