Outdoor Notes
Fall turkey applications now available.
No fireworks allowed on any U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Nat'l. Wildlife Refuges (NWR) and Waterfowl Production Areas and N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Wildlife Mgmt. Areas.
Lake Sakakawea ramps: All ramps usable, although American Legion (Raums'), Williston, is marginal. Hale Marina and Reunion Bay low water ramps unusable.
Devils Lake ramps: All ramps usable but call Grahams Island State Park, 766-4015, for road access and construction updates.
Fri. & Sat.: Nature photography workshop, Cross Ranch State Park. Free with park pass. Call Eric at Cross Ranch Nature Preserve, 794-8741, to pre-register or for more information.
Sat. & Sun.: Fort Stevenson Frontier Military Days, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. daily, Fort Stevenson State Park, Garrison.
Sat. & Sun.: "The Wet Ways of Water" complete-at-your-own-pace activities, Audubon NWR, Coleharbor.
Saturday: Great American Campout Day, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Bottineau.
Sunday: Visitor appreciation day, free admission Fort Stevenson State Park, Garrison.
June 7: Free Cormorant Colony Island pontoon tour, Audubon NWR, 9 a.m. Call 442-5474, extension 117, to reserve a spot.
Tournaments
Fri.-Sun.: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park.
Sat. & Sun.: Lake Audubon.
Saturday: Lake Sakakawea, Parshall Bay.
June 30: Lake Audubon.
Fishing
Devils Lake elevation, June 20: 1,453.18 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, June 20: 1,453.47 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, June 20: 1,837 feet; 26,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Lake Sakakawea fair to good for walleye around Indian Hills and the east end. Missouri River continues producing small walleye from both boat and shore. The Souris River through Minot is fair for walleye. Outlet Fishing Area and downstream of Lake Darling Dam also producing walleye activity.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Missouri River remains good for walleye with a slight improvement in size. Most activity is at the tailrace or south in Lake Oahe around the Mobridge, S.D. area. Some nice catfish mixed in. Tailrace also producing salmon and trout in the chutes and from shore.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Continued bluegill success in the shallows of Lake Metigoshe along with northern pike success throughout the main lake.
Bottineau, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: Continued fair bluegill success throughout much of Lake Metigoshe in the bays, along docks and weed beds with good numbers of small northern pike mixed in.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Black Tiger Bay fair for walleye in 13 feet. Good numbers of small walleye coming from Howard's Bay in 10 feet. Look for bigger walleye in Pelican Lake, especially around the Moon Bars. Stump Lake area producing white bass. Continued good pike success throughout the system.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success in 6 to 8 feet along flooded trees using slip bobbers and leeches throughout the entire lake system. Also try casting crankbaits in the same areas or work flooded roads with spinners and nightcrawlers. Numbers of white bass but success depends on wind.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Wind and weather permitting, anglers continue finding walleye on Lake Sakakawea in 7 to 17 feet using Lindy rigs or spinners and nightcrawlers around McKenzie Bay and Mel's Marina. Van Hook Arm good for walleye using jigs and minnows.
Estevan, Saskatchewan Environment, Rafferty Dam & area lakes: Continued good success throughout area lakes. Remember, no live bait fish.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Lake Darling improving for pike and perch with a few walleye mixed in. Outlet Fishing Area and locations downstream of Lake Darling Dam on the Souris River have leveled off for success.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Inconsistent weather patterns creating inconsistent fishing success on Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon. Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye with best success coming from boats.
Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: More anglers working the north side of the lake. Try shallow with spinners and nightcrawlers for some nice-sized walleye.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea good for walleye from U.S. Highway 83 on the east end to Douglas Bay. Work variety of depths from 1 to 15 feet on the in- and outside of tree lines. Try jigs or Lindy rigs with leeches or nightcrawlers. Minnows are also still working occasionally. Many fish are nice-sized. Lake Audubon walleye bite continues with good numbers of small walleye. Some keepers mixed in. Try 5 to 30 feet using spinners with leeches or nightcrawlers. Missouri River continues producing small walleye from both boat and shore.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake & area lakes: Coal Mine Lake and Harvey Dam fair for pike, slow for perch. Goose Lake continues producing pike and walleye. Antelope and Hurdsfield lakes good for walleye and fair for perch.
Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Missouri River remains good for small walleye.
Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Sakakawea: Fair to good for walleye. Try 6 to 12 feet Lindy rigs with a variety of bait. Move around with success throughout much of the area.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Van Hook Arm turned on for walleye. Try the north end of the Arm with Lindy rigs and nightcrawlers working shallow in 5 to 12 feet.
New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Walleye bite is definitely starting with some limits and some fish in the 3- to 5-pound range. Try Lindy rigs in 10 to 12 feet with leeches or nightcrawlers or work deeper with jigs and minnows in 18 to 20 feet.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea producing walleye. Try 7 Sisters, around Mallard Island and the flats along the U.S. Highway embankment casting jigs and minnows up into the shallows, Lindy rigs and nightcrawlers or crankbaits. Other areas to try include points around Sakakawea State Park and Douglas Bay points. Good numbers of smallmouth bass in the bays. Missouri River continues producing small walleye throughout the day using jigs and minnows or Lindy rigs and leeches. Also try crankbaits. Shore anglers finding good numbers of pike but walleye are more of a struggle. Try crankbaits. Wing walls also producing success.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling & area lakes: Continued fair to good success on Lake Darling, the Outlet Fishing Area, Greene and Grano.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River/area lakes: Water remains dirty on Lake Sakakawea and the rivers. Most activity is around the Van Hook Arm or north to Rafferty Dam.
N.D. rivers streamflow, river stage, June 20
Des Lacs River, Foxholm: River stage, 6.15 feet; streamflow, 30 CFS.
Little Missouri River, Long X Bridge: River stage, 0.19 feet; streamflow, 199 CFS.
Missouri River, Williston: River stage, 18.78 feet.
Missouri River, Stanton: River stage, 9.48 feet.
Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 2.53 feet; streamflow, 177 CFS.
Souris River, Foxholm: River stage, 7.16 feet; streamflow, 244 CFS.
Souris River, Minot: River stage, 5.15 feet; streamflow, 163 CFS.
Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: River stage, 8.67 feet; streamflow, 20,700 CFS.
Numbers to know
N.D. Game and Fish Dept., main Bismarck office: 328-6300, website: (gf.nd.gov).
Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bismarck, website: (www.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice).