Dakota Recreation Report: July 25, 2022

Outdoor notes:

*Blue-green algae updates, N.D. Dept. of Environmental Quality: No advisories or warnings listed but conditions could change daily. Several N.D. lakes under investigation or have low toxin levels with Lake No. 5, Kidder Co., and Reule Lake, Stutsman Co., listed as “Low Toxin Level”. Go to the agency website, (deq.nd.gov) for more information.

*Aug. 3: Pronghorn applications due.

*Aug. 3: Registration opens for the Sept. 16 - 18 Wild Outdoor Women workshop, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Bottineau. Information is available at the N.D. Parks and Recreation Dept. website, (www.parkrec.nd.gov/events/fall-wild-outdoor-women).

Tournaments:

*July 30: Devils Lake, Woodland Resort; Devils Lake, launch from East Bay, 6-Mile Bay, or Henegar Landing.

*Aug. 6: Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park; Devils Lake, Minnewaukan.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, July 19: 1,450.61 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,450.62 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,838.19 MSL; 20,800 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No Devils Lake or east-central area lake reports. East end of Lake Sakakawea continues producing fair walleye success with best success in the midsection around the Van Hook Arm.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good walleye success around Pelican Bay or East Bay. Use caution on Pelican, however, with underwater obstacles because of higher water levels.

*Devils Lake, Lakeview Lodge, Minnewaukan: Continued good walleye success with lots of small ones. Move around to larger fish.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: Fair to good walleye success around Pelican Lake and the Minnewaukan Flats using a variety of presentations.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good walleye success. Try trolling live bait rigs with bottom bouncers and lead-core in 16 to 25 feet or slip bobbers in Pelican Lake and upper basin lakes as well as Devils Lake itself.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Continued activity across area lakes when it’s not too hot to be on the water.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Hot weather slowing angling activity throughout area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Not many new reports from area lakes with a lot of anglers heading to Devils Lake. Try nightcrawlers or leeches with generally fair to good success.

*Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: Continued fair to good perch and walleye activity.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Hot weather slowing angling activity with lots of recreational boating. Continued fair to good perch success with some walleye mixed in when anglers are getting on the water.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Continued fair to good walleye activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea with good numbers of small fish. No Lake Audubon reports.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Good walleye activity with nice numbers of 18- to 20-inch fish and occasional larger one mixed in. Try 18 to 20 feet with nightcrawlers working throughout the area.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: East end of Lake Sakakawea producing small walleye around 7 Sisters, Highway 83 embankment, and northeast corner of Mallard Island in 10 to 25 feet. Try plain hooks and leeches or slow death hooks with nightcrawlers. Also try Douglas Bay. Decent walleye bite on Lake Audubon working weed edges with spinners tipped with nightcrawlers or leeches or slow death hooks. Continued smallmouth bass success.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace remains slow to fair from boats for walleye and catfish. Try the blowout or spillway channel for walleye during the day using jigs or Lindy rigs and nightcrawlers with a few in the chutes at night using 3-way swivels, plastics, or crankbaits. Limited trout activity. Also try the tailrace boat ramp at night from shore using live bait with nightcrawlers or jigs and minnows for walleye. Also try casting crankbaits at night along the rocks. Lake Sakakawea remains fair to good with better success around the north shore. Try 7 Sisters or Steinke and Douglas bays using nightcrawlers with spinners and bottom bouncers, slow death hooks, or Lindy rigs. Work as shallow as 8 feet up to 18 feet and deeper. Best overall walleye success, however, remains west towards Beulah Bay and up into the Van Hook Arm. Some occasional small salmon success on the east end but limited angler numbers.

N.D. rivers:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 3.91 feet; streamflow, 144 CFS.

*Pembina River, Walhalla: River stage, 5.87 feet; streamflow, 634 CFS.

*Red River, Grand Forks: River stage, 18.88 feet; streamflow, 7,490 CFS.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.97 feet; streamflow, 264 CFS.

Numbers to know:

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

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