OUTDOOR NOTES
Saturday: Sullys Hill National Game Preserve Winter Festival with 10 a.m. digital photography workshop, 11 a.m. ice-fishing and spearfishing basics, 11:30 a.m. "Make your own jigging stick", and ice-fishing at 1 p.m. Call 766-4272 for more information.
Saturday: N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Hunter Education conference, Bismarck.
Saturday: Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Darkhouse spearing workshop, Lake Darling. More information and registration available on the N.D. Game & Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) or contact BOW coordinator, Nancy Boldt, 328-6312 for more information.
Feb. 15: Spring turkey applications due.
Feb. 17: West Dakota Waterfowlers, Delta Waterfowl banquet, Grand International Inn, Minot, 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 18: Light goose season opens.
Feb. 19: Duck Stamp Camp for kindergarten through 12th grade, 4 p.m., Audubon Nat'l Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.
Tournaments: Saturday: North and South Carlson lakes. Feb. 18: Lake Audubon. Feb. 26: Lake Metigoshe.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Warsing dam fair for perch with some few bluegill on the side. East Devils Lake fair to good for perch with some walleye mixed in. Work deep around the southeast corner of the bay. Some northern pike on the north end of Creel Bay near the highway in the northwest corner. Not much activity from north-central lakes other than Lake Metigoshe producing a few walleye. Activity on the midsection of Lake Sakakawea slowed, although sauger activity is fair at times around White Earth Bay and New Town. Van Hook Arm producing a few perch. Smishek Lake fair for perch and bluegill. Continued activity on Lake Audubon but use caution with variable ice conditions along the shoreline, pressure ridges and islands. Check icehouses with colder temperatures to make certain they don't ice in. Anyone who goes through the ice should contact enforcement authorities to inform them they're OK. Vehicles must be removed. Remember, any fish left on the ice is wanton waste. Missouri River remains fair for walleye. Crooked and Brush lakes fair for small perch.
Antelope Lake, Esmond: Some activity but mixed report on success.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Some spearing activity at Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe, although success is limited with cloudy water conditions. Lake Audubon remains fair.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Continued fair to good for a variety of species with best walleye success in the evening.
Bottineau, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: Area lakes are spotty with good success one day and slow another. Some pike showing up in spots. Try 8 to 18 feet. Bluegill also extremely spotty.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: West side of the Minnewaukan Flats, Stromme's Addition, Bud Bay, the towers, Mission Bay, Camp Grafton, Prouty's Point and Birkland's Bay are all producing walleye in 8 to 20 feet. Try Creel Bay, Hay Bale Bay, Black Tiger Bay or East Devils Lake for perch in 20 to 60 feet, depending on location. Work shallow water in cattails for pike around north end of 6-Mile Bay or Walford's Bay, Lake Irvine or lakes north of Devils Lake.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Walleye and perch slowed slightly with ferocious pike success. Try Creel or Walford's bays for pike. Work throughout the main lake and in deep water of Creel Bay for perch and walleye.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea / area lakes: Skunk Bay on Lake Sakakawea good for a mix of walleye and sauger in 20 to 25 feet using jigs and minnows. Work both directions from the bay. Try 29 to 35 feet with minnows for sauger around Tobacco Garden. Mel's Marina producing good pike activity with a few walleye mixed in along with occasional catfish.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Pike and walleye fishing slowed somewhat in the river below Lake Darling Dam. Lake itself is fair with fewer anglers on the ice.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Lake Audubon remains fair for walleye with most activity around the south side. Missouri River spotty but fair for walleye depending, in part, on Garrison Dam releases. Some walleye, perch and pike on activity on Steinke and Centennial bays on Lake Sakakawea but use extreme caution with varying ice conditions. Some northern pike activity on North and South Carlson lakes.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea: No reports from Lake Sakakawea. Missouri River remains fair for walleye from boat. Move around for best success with jigs and minnows. Lake Audubon spotty but fair to good for walleye. Most success is farther east, although Velva Bay is producing some fish. Work deep during the day and shallower at night.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake & area lakes: Coal Mine Lake fair for pike but water is too cloudy for spearing. Goose Lake good for perch. Fair for pike and walleye. Hurdsfield Lake fair for walleye and perch. Harvey Dam fair for Northern pike.
Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River / area lakes: Continued fair to good for walleye and pike around 4-Mile Bay on Lake Oahe. Missouri River tailrace remains OK for walleye from boat.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: Missouri River has OK shore-fishing success for walleye with some pike mixed in. Try jigs or plastics for walleye with crankbaits producing pike. Limited boat success for walleye with good pike activity. The best walleye success seems farther down river.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling and area lakes: Grano producing a few walleye and perch. Buffalo Lodge Lake fair for pike. Overall, there's activity on area lakes but limited reports.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Mid-winter slump is kicking in on Lake Sakakawea with slower walleye success.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 7: 1,453.36 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Feb. 7: 1,453.38 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Feb. 7: 1,838.4 feet; 22,000 cubic feet per second average Garrison Dam daily releases.
SKIING
Downhill skiing, Feb. 7:
Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: Some 8- to 16-inch base with groomed powder conditions. All runs and lifts open with three Tube Park runs and several rails and jumps in the Terrain Park.
Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: Some 15- to 25-inch base with about 4 inches of new snow over the past week. All runs open.
Huff Hills, Mandan: Some 10- to 36-inch base with packed powder, loose granular conditions. Five runs, two lifts and Bunny tow open.
Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: Some 16- to 22-inch base with machine groomed, packed powder conditions. Twenty-five runs and four lifts open.
N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. State Parks cross-country ski trails, Feb. 3:
Lake Metigoshe, Bottineau: Trails open for hiking with poor skiing conditions due to minimal snow cover in the trees and open, bare ground in open areas.
Icelandic, Cavalier: Trails packed but ungroomed with an icy layer on top.
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.