Dakota Recreation Report: August 15, 2022

Outdoor notes:

*Anglers reminded to follow ANS regulations, including draining live wells and removing plugs.

*Applications such as Onyx now have updated electronic posting information for the upcoming 2022 hunting season.

*Blue-green algae updates, N.D. Dept. of Environmental Quality: No advisories or warnings listed but conditions could change daily. Several N.D. lakes are under investigation, including Hobart Lake, Barnes Co. or have low toxin levels, including Hecker’s Lake, Sheridan Co .; Jamestown Reservoir, Lake No. 5, Kidder Co., and Reule Lake, Stutsman Co. Go to the agency website, (deq.nd.gov) for more information.

*Aug. 15: Swan applications due.

*Aug. 15: Early Canada goose season open. Go to the ND. Game & Fish Dept. website, (gf.nd.gov) for regulations and other information.

*Aug. 18: Friends of the NRA banquet, Alerus Center, Grand Forks, 5:30 p.m.

*Aug. 20: Fall crow season opens.

Tournaments:

*Aug. 16: Lake Sakakawea, Sakakawea State Park.

*Aug. 19: Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort.

*Aug. 20: Lake Sakakawea, Sakakawea State Park.

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Aug. 9: 1,450.3 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,450.33 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,837.33 MSL; 21,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) Garrison Dam average daily releases.

*N.D. Game & Fish Dept. game wardens: No reports from east-central area lakes or Devils Lake. Anglers continue finding fair walleye success on both Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon in deeper water. Remember to keep fish caught from 25 feet and deeper. South side of Lake Sakakawea around the face of the dam and east producing a few more salmon.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good for walleye with some perch mixed in. Try north end of 6-Mile Bay, Golden Highway, or the west end in the Minnewaukan Flats.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued fair to good walleye success. Keep it simple with spinners, bottom bouncers, and live bait in 18 to 25 feet. Most anglers focusing on the west end around the Minnewaukan Flats and West Bay but success continues throughout much of the lake.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Activity continues on area lakes but generally slow success.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: Area lakes generally quiet.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Continued fair success with most anglers working Pipestem Reservoir.

*Lake Ashtabula, The Hungry Pelican at the Crossing, Luverne: Activity slowed.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: Continued fair to good perch success with some nice-sized ones. OK bass success but limited walleye reports.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Most activity on the east end of Lake Sakakawea focuses around Indian Hills and Deepwater Bay with some success yet farther east. Work points in 25 to 30 feet with slow death hooks and nightcrawlers.

*Lakes Audubon & Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Work deep in 25 to 35 feet around Mallard or Alcatraz islands and south shore points towards Expansion Bay on the south side along the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Also try Highway 83 humps on the north shore using slow death hooks with bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers. Decent walleye bite on Lake Audubon in 25 to 40 feet using spinners and nightcrawlers or leeches, if available. Work Highway 83 embankment or weed lines. Continued smallmouth bass activity using drop shot rigs. Some muskie success. Work suspended over deeper water using a variety of presentations. Remember to release all muskie less than 48 inches.

*Lake Sakakawea, Indian Hills Resort, Garrison: Continued fair to good walleye activity in 20 to 25 feet with better success along the north shore.

*Lake Sakakawea, Scott’s Bait & Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing catfish from both boat and shore. Try floating jigs and nightcrawlers or smelt pieces from shore by the ramp or spillway area. Boat success remains slow for walleye with best success at night with good catfish activity. Try shore-fishing off the rocks at night for walleye. Lake Sakakawea producing walleye on the east end before noon in 30 feet around the Riverdale Bluffs on the south shore or Douglas Bay on the north side. Try slow death hooks with bottom bouncers and nightcrawlers. Move around and work points. A few walleye from shore back in the bays but generally inconsistent. Salmon slowed a little but try working above the thermocline in 85 to 115 feet using deep presentations with flashers and squids or herring.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Antelope Lake fair to good but other area lakes remain slow.

*Pipestem Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Fair success using nightcrawlers.

N.D. rivers:

*James River, Kensal: River stage, 2.22 feet; streamflow, 26.6 CFS.

*Pipestem Creek, Pingree: Creek elevation, 5.19 feet; streamflow, 14.6 CFS.

*Red River, Thompson: River stage, 18.84 feet; streamflow, 1,610 CFS.

*Sheyenne River, Warwick: River stage, 3.34 feet; streamflow, 119 CFS.

Numbers to know:

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

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

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

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