OUTDOOR NOTES
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. expected to mail deer licenses sometime in mid-August.
Saturday: Early Canada goose; fall crow seasons open.
Saturday and Sunday: North Dakota State Outdoor Archery Tournament, Medora.
Wednesday: Swan applications due.
Wednesday: Leftover fall turkey licenses go on sale, first-come, first-served. Apply online at the N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Web site, (gf.nd.gov).
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
TOURNAMENTS: Saturday: Lake Audubon; Devils Lake, Grahams Island State Park; Lake Sakakawea, White Earth Bay. Aug. 20: Lake Sakakawea, Sakakawea State Park; Indian Hills Resort, Missouri River, Lewis & Clark Bridge, Williston.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon slowed. The walleye taken around Hazen and Beulah bays and west are nice-sized but limited numbers. Good numbers of perch and smallmouth bass with a few northern pike mixed in. Good fishing opportunities for children. Upper end of Lake Sakakawea is fair but spotty for walleye. Most walleye success is on the Missouri River with anglers accessing at UPA and working north around the honey hole and chutes. Fair numbers of small walleye. Also try south around Washburn.
Beulah, Dakota Waters Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Continued fair for walleye with most activity farther west using spinners with bottom bouncers or floating jigs with nightcrawlers in 12 to 15 feet. Some walleye success also from Renner and Beaver bays.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Increasing salmon anglers on the face of Garrison Dam but success remains limited so far. Lots of anglers on Lake Oahe with most activity around Cattail Bay using spinners and bottom bouncers with nightcrawlers. Also try crankbaits. Lake Audubon spotty for walleye.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Continued good bluegill success with nice northern pike numbers. A few perch and walleye mixed in.
Coleharbor, Totten Trail Restaurant, Lakes Audubon and Sakaka-wea: Best success is a morning bite on Lake Audubon for walleye. Try 15 feet using Lindy rigs with colored hooks and nightcrawlers. Work the windy side.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Continued good for small walleye around Stromme's Addition working shallow. Work deeper trolling spinners and bottoms or crankbaits in 20 to 28 feet for bigger fish. Pelican Lake producing good numbers of northern pike around Refuge Island. Try Brown or Dead Cow bays for white bass.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Continued good for small walleye using a variety of presentations. Anglers can get dozens of small 10- to 11-inch fish but only few a 15-inch and bigger ones are showing up. Success is scattered throughout most of the lake but the challenge is finding bigger fish.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Saka-kawea / area lakes: Limited reports from area lakes but anglers had fair to good success around Hunts-Along Bay and areas north and south of New Town on Lake Sakakawea. Try Lindy rigs or spinners with leeches or nightcrawlers. McKenzie and Mossett bays slowed, possibly due to a weather front over the weekend.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Fair to good for walleye and northern pike from shore at the Outlet Fishing Area. Pike are running 7 to 9 pounds with walleye about 2 to 5 pounds. Try jigs and nightcrawlers. More anglers on Lake Darling with fair success.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audu-bon and Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea transitioning to main lake points and rock structure for walleye. Try 8 to 25 feet, depending on wind and sun, with spinners and leeches or nightcrawlers. Also try crankbaits. Lake Audubon still producing walleye working the humps using spinners and nightcrawlers. Also try Lindy rigs or crankbaits.
Garrison, Indian Hills Resort, Lake Sakakawea: Continued walleye activity with better success coming with crankbaits. Also try 8 to 15 feet using spinners with nightcrawlers working Goat Island or Pepsi Flats.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Lake Sakakawea fair to good for walleye working from the U.S. Highway 83 embankment over to Steinke Bay in 12 to 20 feet using spinners and leeches or nightcrawlers. Lake Audubon fair to good for walleye in 6 to 12 feet using spinners.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake and area lakes: Coal Mine Lake fair for northern pike. Goose Lake producing a mix of walleye and pike. Harvey Dam fair for pike.
Mandaree, McKenzie Bay Marina, Lake Saka-kawea: Fair for walleye with most activity in the bigger water of the Little Missouri Arm. Try 12 to 20 feet using spinners and nightcrawlers with a few crankbaits.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Continued fair to good for walleye. Trying working 20 to 30 feet but also keep working the southern end of the Van Hook Arm.
New Town, Van Hook Bait & Tackle, Lake Saka-kawea: Fair for walleye in the north end of the Van Hook Arm as well the southern part of the Arm around Fox and 8-Pound islands with a minnow bite starting. Try spinners or Lindy rigs.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: Lake Sakakawea producing a few more walleye. Try 10 to 12 feet using Lindy rigs, spinners or Gulp! Also try deeper with crankbaits. Bass, northern pike and perch are active in the bays using nightcrawlers. Occasional salmon from the face of the dam. Try 65 to 85 feet, trolling with flashers and squids or herring. Look for salmon to move in soon. Missouri River has activity with anglers launching at Stanton. Work backwater areas and head north, including the honey hole, which is inconsistent.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling and area lakes: Fair to good for nice-sized walleye and northern pike with lots of activity around Grano. Good success at the Outlet Fishing Area, as well, for walleye and pike.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Saka-kawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Mixed reports from Lake Sakakawea but a few more reports are coming in for some improving walleye success around Lewis & Clark State Park. White Earth Bay slow.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Aug. 10: 1,454.28 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Aug. 10: 1,454.24 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Aug. 10: 1,849.5 feet; 100,000 cubic feet per second average (cfs) Garrison Dam daily releases.
RAMP REPORT
Lake Darling ramp update: All ramps open on Lake Darling, along with the Outlet Fishing Area and Auto Tour Route. Hiking trails are open but have debris and dirt. Beaver Lodge Canoe Trail is closed.
Usable Devils Lake ramps: Round Lake, Pelican Lake, 6-Mile Bay, Creel Bay, Spirit Lake Casino. Grahams Island State Park ramp open but access is day-to-day. Call 766-4015 for updates.
Marginal Missouri River ramps: Stanton, UPA, Steckel, Fort Rice. All other ramps closed. Idle speed only from 1,000 feet south of the Steckel boat ramp on the Missouri River to MacLean Bottoms, including MacLean Bottoms. No boating from sunset to sunrise in that same area.
STREAMFLOW
North Dakota river levels and streamflow, Aug. 10:
Des Lacs River gauge, Burlington: River stage, 14.61 feet.
Des Lacs River gauge, Foxholm: River stage, 8.24 feet; streamflow, 310 cfs.
Little Missouri gauge, Long X: River stage, 1.24 feet; streamflow, 479 cfs.
Missouri River, Williston gauge: River stage, 23.92 feet.
Missouri River, Stanton, gauge: River stage, 20.42 feet.
Souris River, Foxholm gauge: Streamflow, 1,940 cfs.
Souris River, Minot gauge: River stage, 13.11 feet; streamflow, 2,490 cfs.
Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont. gauge: River stage, 9.45 feet; streamflow, 24,400 cfs.