OUTDOOR NOTES
Friday: E1 and E2 antlerless elk, E3 and E4 any elk September season closes.
Friday: Watchable Wildlife photo contest deadline.
Saturday: Nonresident waterfowl and swan seasons opens.
Saturday and Sunday: Youth pheasant season.
Oct. 7: E1 and E2 regular elk, M4, M8, M9 and M10 moose seasons open.
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
Oct. 8: Pheasant and fall turkey seasons open.
Oct. 8-14: Nonresidents can't hunt N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Wildlife Management Areas and PLOTS land.
Oct. 9-15: National Wildlife Refuge Week.
Tournaments: Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Tobacco Garden.
FISHING
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Missouri River producing walleye around the Bismarck-Mandan area as well as the tailrace. Try casting floaters at night or 3-way swivels in the tailrace. Some salmon and trout, as well. Also try trolling deep-diving crankbaits slightly faster than the current. Some salmon success from shore on Lake Sakakawea. Also try long-lining with spoons or Mepps from boats in the morning or evening.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Continued bluegill success with northern pike mixed in. Walleye slowed somewhat.
Bottineau, Lake Meti-goshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: Continued good bluegill bite with lots of average fish and a few platter-sized ones mixed in.
Coleharbor, Totten Trail Restaurant, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea quiet although the Missouri River continues producing walleye with the best success in the evening. Lots of shore-fishing activity at night, as well. No reports from Lake Audubon.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Continued good for small walleye. Try the Golden Highway along the Minnewaukan Flats trolling crankbaits. Also try working around Grahams Island with slip bobbers or the towers and humps around Fort Totten or work the bridges in the morning. Try working the dairy farm, Penny Bay or the storm sewer on East Bay with spinners and bottom bouncers in 10 to 25 feet. Bigger fish still coming from crankbaits in the trees in 4 to 10 feet.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good for walleye with some bigger fish starting to show up. Try spinners and bottom bouncers or drift fishing with Lindy rigs throughout most of the lake. Also try jigging around the bridges or rock piles.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea / area lakes: McKenzie and Mossett bays on Lake Sakakawea slow for walleye. Try 16 to 20 feet with spinners and minnows. Missouri River tailrace remains good from shore using Huskee Jerks or work the chutes from boat. Remember to release any paddlefish.
Estevan, Saskatche-wan Environment, Rafferty Dam and area lakes: Continued good walleye success on area reservoirs with some nice-sized perch still being taken at both Rafferty and Alameda dams. Alameda walleye are averaging 1.5- to 2 pounds while they're a bit larger at Rafferty.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Continued fair to good for walleye and northern pike at the Outlet Fishing Area. Lake Darling closed to boat fishing.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: East end of Lake Sakakawea is spotty and inconsistent for walleye. No fall patterns in fish activity showing up yet. Try late afternoon and evening hours on the Missouri River for the best walleye from both boat and shore.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Try Reef Runners in 25 to 35 feet on the east end of Lake Sakakawea for walleye. Work less than 30 feet for salmon along the Riverdale Bluffs. Missouri River remains fair for walleye in the early morning or late evening.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake and area lakes: Goose Lake remains good for northern pike and walleye. Harvey Dam and Coal Mine Lake fair for pike.
Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River / area lakes: Missouri River good for small walleye using Lindy rigs and nightcrawlers or minnows. Also try crankbaits.
New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Fall walleye bite is improving using minnows or nightcrawlers with variety of presentations. Good numbers of small walleye with occasional large one showing up. Try the northwest area of the Van Hook Arm in 12 to 20 feet.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea remains fair for salmon around the intake structure and spillway long-lining crankbaits. Not much downrigging success. Fair for walleye. Try Steinke Bay, north side of Mallard Island or along the U.S. Highway 83 embankment using live bait. Missouri River continues producing walleye, salmon and trout. Try live bait or crankbaits in the morning or evening. Lots of activity in the chutes. Continued shore-fishing success for walleye, trout and salmon using crankbaits at night. Release any paddlefish accidentally taken.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling and area lakes: Continued good walleye and northern pike activity at Baker's Bridge, Outlet Fishing Area, Grano and Lake Darling.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Lots of activity on the Yellowstone River and around the bridge for sauger with a few walleye mixed in. Limited reports from Lake Sakakawea.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Sept. 28: 1,453.77 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Sept. 28: 1,453.77 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Sept. 28: 1,842.8 feet; 26,000 cubic feet per second average (cfs) Garrison Dam daily releases.
RAMP REPORT
Usable Devils Lake ramps: All ramps usable except Henegar Landing.
Missouri River ramp update: All ramps open down to Kneifel Landing except Sanger, Hoge's and Grant Marsh ramps are marginal. Fox Island, Sibley Park and Kimball Bottoms ramps closed with Fort Yates ramp unusable.
HUNTING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Lots of ducks throughout the east-central area but poor grouse numbers.
Arrowwood Nat'l Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Pingree: Good numbers of blue-winged teal during the early part of the waterfowl season with teal and other ducks virtually everywhere on the numerous wetlands in the region. Stutsman County seasonal wetlands are just starting to dry up and are typically ringed with cattails, making visibility difficult. Semi-permanent wetlands generally have lots of water drowning last year's cattails. A few flocks were feeding in harvested fields but most early season activity involved pass shooting with only a few hunters setting field spreads. Scattered Canada geese in the southeast. No reports of migrants.
Lonetree WMA, Harvey: Fair duck success despite recent warm weather. Good number of local ducks in central N.D. Poor sharptail and partridge success. Fair archery deer success although hunters report seeing fewer deer.
Lostwood Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, Powers Lake: Migration starting in northwestern N.D. despite recent warm weather. Increasing numbers dabbing ducks and cranes but migration likely hasn't peaked. Few diving ducks yet, however. Shorebirds and warblers have moved through but a nice variety of passerines are currently migrating, as well as good numbers of a variety of raptors. Whooping cranes have been observed so hunters need to beware of proper identification when crane and goose hunting.
Northeast N.D.: Good local duck numbers with good opening weekend success. A few snow geese starting to trickle in.
North-central N.D.: Limited reports although a few snow geese starting to trickle in but not many huntable numbers yet.
Northwest N.D.: A few deer being taken by bow and youth hunters. Lots of ducks but limited pressure. Not much grouse activity. Slow for grouse around the midsection of Lake Sakakawea but doves are still around with the warm weather.
Southern Manitoba: A few flocks of ducks and geese starting to trickle in but no big movement yet.
Southern Saskatche-wan, Saskatchewan Environment: Snow geese remain farther north with little to no movement yet with the ongoing warm weather.
Upper Souris NWR, Foxholm: Limited grouse activity with slow waterfowl success. No migrants moving in yet with only local birds, which are in good numbers.
West-central N.D.: Be careful with waterfowl identification with lots of brown ducks on numerous wetlands throughout the area.