OUTDOOR NOTES
Saturday: PLOTS and N.D. Game & Fish Dept. WMAs open to nonresident hunting.
Oct. 21: Bighorn sheep season opens.
Oct. 22: Mink, weasel and muskrat trapping seasons open.
Oct. 23: Sandhill crane Unit 2 and fall crow seasons close..
Tournaments: Saturday: Upper Missouri River, Lewis & Clark Bridge.
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No report from Devils Lake. Lake Sakakawea slow with fewer anglers on the Missouri River, as well.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Lots of activity on the Missouri River from both boat and shore. Try three-way swivels with drop weights in the chutes. Also try running downstream with deep-diving crankbaits. Try casting crankbaits from shore in the evening and at night. Hazelton producing small walleye on Lake Oahe with some anglers are working the Mobridge, S.D. area, as well. Try Mepps No. 5 spinners or spoons for salmon on Lake Sakakawea, working the bays. Limited reports from small area lakes.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Good walleye success with some bluegill and northern pike mixed in. Work shallow from shore.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success. Work deep water around rocks in the main bay or around the bridges. Also try trolling the Golden Highway or pitching crankbaits. Northern pike and bass mixed in with walleye pitching crankbaits.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Bigger walleye starting to show up. Try trolling crankbaits or spinners around Mauvais Coulee, bridges and rock piles. Also try 6-Mile Bay.
Dickinson, Runnings Farm & Fleet, Lake Sakakawea / area lakes: No reports from Lake Sakakawea. Missouri River tailrace continues producing large numbers of walleye and salmon from the wing walls or boats towards the coal vein. Try pitching jigs in slack water or trolling large crankbaits.
Estevan, Saskatche-wan Environment, Rafferty Dam & area lakes: Not many anglers on area lakes but those going are finding continued walleye success. Try Huskee Jerks although any presentation in 10 to 14 feet seems to be producing. Boundary Dam producing a few nice-sized bass.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Lots of activity yet at the Outlet Fishing Area but not many reports of big numbers of fish.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Little activity on Lake Sakakawea. Continued walleye success on the Missouri River, including in the evening and night.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Continued fair to good for walleye on the Missouri River although fish are running a little smaller. No reports from Lake Audubon or Lake Sakakawea.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake and area lakes: Continued walleye and pike success on Goose Lake. Harvey Dam fair to good for pike. Activity light on both lakes, however. Coal Mine Lake closed to fishing until ice fishing access is available.
Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River / area lakes: Missouri River tailrace remains good for walleye and trout with some smaller ones mixed in with nice-sized fish. Limited reports from farther south on Lake Oahe with most anglers working close to Bismarck-Mandan or farther north around the tailrace.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Anglers continue working the Van Hook Arm with slow walleye success.
New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Limited walleye activity with few reports from the Van Hook Arm. Bait shop closes for the season Sunday.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: Some shore success using spoons, crankbaits or nightcrawlers for salmon on Lake Sakakawea. Try Scoria Bay, spillway or off the rocks. Not many walleye anglers on Sakakawea but look for some success for those going out. Try Silo Bay, northeast of Mallard Island, 7 Sisters or Steinke Bay using jigs or bottom bouncers with bait. Activity remains strong on the Missouri River for walleye, salmon and trout. Good numbers of catfish moved into the tailrace. Try variety of presentations from boat, including trolling 3-way swivels or crankbaits. Also try jigging in the holes down river. Be sure to release any paddlefish. Try morning or evening from shore along the boat ramp or rocks using Huskee Jerks or floating nightcrawlers and minnows. Some northern pike from shore around the campground at night.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling & area lakes: Continued activity at the Outlet Fishing, Baker's Bridge and Grano.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Continued fair for sauger around the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, including the confluence and bridge. A few walleye mixed in. The Yellowstone River is clearer than the Missouri. Lake Sakakawea OK for walleye but not many reports.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Oct. 12 : 1,453.61 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Oct. 12 : 1,453.59 feet.
HUNTING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Continued good duck hunting in the Wells County area. Spotty pheasant success in that area. Hunters working harder for pheasants in the northwest, although some areas still have some birds. No major change in bird numbers in the southeast. Southwestern hunters finding fewer birds and walking more for any success. Many broods are young and not fully colored. Some waterfowl movement in the northwest but limited hunting pressure.
Arrowwood NWR, Pingree: Not much waterfowl movement yet although a few cackling geese are around the refuge and a few small flocks of swans. Move divers are around, including scaup, canvasbacks, ruddy ducks and buffalohead. Teal are still around with the nice weather. Mallards are getting better color but still be cautious with identification. Not many pheasant reports.
Lonetree WMA, Harvey: Cooler weather hasn't moved many birds down yet but look for some movement if weather continues. Good waterfowl success on local birds. Poor to fair pheasant and grouse success but pheasant numbers are down noticeably throughout the area. Fair archery deer success depending on weather.
Lostwood NWR, Powers Lake: Cool winds and moisture pushed most summer birds out of northwestern N.D. last weekend. Flocks of migrant waterfowl moving in with a few more divers showing up.
North-central N.D.: Hunters finding a few moose. Some waterfowl are starting to trickle in.
Northeast N.D.: Local waterfowl are scattered with fair hunting success. Some local birds are moving out. Not many migrants moving through yet, although a few snow geese are starting to trickle in.
Northwest N.D.: Hunters finding some moose in the northwest unit. Mixed reports from the pheasant season opener with some areas reporting few, if any, birds and others finding fair numbers. Fair success around the midsection of Lake Sakakawea but few grouse and partridge reports. Some lessers starting to move in.
Southeast N.D.: Good waterfowl success but pheasant numbers are definitely down.
Southern Saskatche-wan, Saskatchewan Environment: Snow geese starting to trickle in but most birds remain around Weyburn. Some cranes in the area, as well. Upland numbers are definitely down so perhaps try farther west. Call local field offices first for more updates.
Upper Souris NWR, Foxholm: Not much waterfowl movement yet with only some local birds remaining.
West-central N.D.: Fair pheasant opener in the area but bird numbers are down from recent years in some areas. Several broods are young and uncolored so be careful with ID.