The Official Newspaper for Foster County

Dakota Recreation Report: April 4, 2022

Outdoor notes:

*People are asked to report any dead birds and abnormal behavior in migrating birds, especially waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors, to the N.D. Game and Fish Dept. on their wildlife mortality reporting form, (gf.nd.gov/wildlife/diseases/mortality-report), due to a national outbreak of highly contagious avian influenza. It can also impact domestic poultry. While rarely infectious to humans, hunters or anyone handling poultry should use precautions, such as avoiding handling sick animals, wear gloves when dressing birds, wash hands and equipment thoroughly, and cook meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

*April 9: Spring turkey season opens.

*April 9: Central Dakota Rocky Mtn. Elk Foundation, Gladstone Inn, Jamestown, 5 p.m.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, March 29: 1,447.41 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,447.38 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,827.82 MSL; 14,500 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Stay off ice on area lakes with many openings along the shorelines.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Angler numbers slowing down with deteriorating ice. Those walking out finding slow success.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Ice conditions deteriorating quickly.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Walk-on access only advised if venturing on Devils Lake, especially with bridges now opening up. Look for a mix of pike, walleye, and perch if walking on. Access becoming sloppy and marginal at best with warmer weather.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: No activity throughout area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Anglers transitioning to open water with no activity.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: No activity as anglers wait for open water with deteriorating ice and shorelines.

*Lake Ashtabula, Ashtabula Crossing, Luverne: Ice honeycombing with no activity.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No activity with deteriorating ice conditions and muddy shorelines. Lake levels slowly increasing with spring runoff but remain below normal pool levels for this time of year.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Back ends of bays starting to open along the east end of Lake Sakakawea for potential pike activity from shore. Missouri River tailrace producing some pike but larger boats having trouble accessing and moving around with low river levels. Use caution with small boats recommended.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Shorelines deteriorating on Lake Sakakawea. Anglers are just staying along the shore and setting tip-ups off the ice for pike on the east end during a narrow window for an evening bite, including along Steinke Bay. Use extreme caution, however, with water along the edges in many areas. East end of Lake Audubon producing walleye but use caution, as well. It’s also during a narrow window in the evening.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace slow with occasional walleye. Use caution with low river levels. Small boats recommended. Open water shore-fishing opportunities along the south shore of the east end of Lake Sakakawea, although wind is shifting ice. Try bobbers with smelt or herring from shore.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: No new reports.

Migration:

*Light goose: Most birds are moving through east-central N.D. around the Harvey area and east but a few thousand around the midsection and east end of Lake Sakakawea, only stopping long enough to rest or feed and then moving on. N.D. Highway 50 corridor in northwest N.D. has some numbers of adults moving through. Good numbers of birds moving through north-central and northeast N.D.

Numbers to know:

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, main Bismarck office: (701) 328-6300, website: (http://gf.nd.gov).

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake office: (701) 662-3617.

*N.D. Game & Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

*Report All Poachers: (701) 328-9921.