OUTDOOR NOTES
Friday: Audubon Nat'l. Wildlife Refuge (NWR) "Wild Night Life of the Refuge," call 442-5474, extension 117 to pre-register.
Sunday: Moose, dove seasons close.
Monday: Early E1, regular E2, E5 and any elk E3 and E4 closes.
Nov. 3: Bighorn sheep season closes.
Nov. 4: Deer gun season opens.
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
Nov. 4: Unit E3 and E4 any elk extended season opens.
Nov. 5: Bobcat hunting season opens.
FISHING
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Continued good success on the Missouri River tailrace casting crankbaits or Huskee Jerks. Also try Reef Runners in the chutes or running 3-way swivels slightly faster than the current down river. Try jigs and minnows or Gulp around the Stumps. Heskett Plant spotty with a few nice-sized walleye showing up, along with occasional northern and salmon. Some shore-fishing success at Eckroth Bottoms.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Not much activity, although the few anglers going out for walleye continue finding fair success.
Bottineau, Lake Meti-goshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: Little activity on Lake Metigoshe.
Coleharbor, Totten Trail Restaurant, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Missouri River tailrace remains good for walleye. Limited activity on Lake Audubon but the few anglers out are finding some walleye using crankbaits. Try the east end culvert.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Fewer anglers on the lake but those going continue finding walleye success using jigs along the Golden Highway, Pelican Lake bridges and structure in the Main Bay. Also try pitching crankbaits.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: More activity starting to take place with crankbaits. Try the Golden Highway.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea / area lakes: Some activity around McKenzie and Mossett bays of Lake Sakakawea with fair walleye success. Try 16 to 20 feet using minnows. Most activity remains on the Missouri River tailrace from shore and boat. Try Huskee Jerks for nice-sized walleye with best success at night.
Estevan, Saskatche-wan Environment, Rafferty Dam and area lakes: Not many anglers out but look for continued fall success on area lakes.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Anglers still going to the Outlet Fishing Area with some northern pike activity yet but little walleye success.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Missouri River tailrace remains fair. No reports from Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Lake Audubon has some walleye activity around the east end embankment. Try the pump station area on Lake Sakakawea. Some sauger reports around Indian Hills. Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake and area lakes: Coal Mine Lake closed until the lake ices over for ice-fishing. Continued pike, walleye and perch activity at Goose Lake. Harvey Dam fair for pike.
Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River / area lakes: Anglers still finding walleye activity around Fort Rice on Lake Oahe with some nice fish mixed in with mostly small ones.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Little activity in the Van Hook Arm with anglers going to the Missouri River tailrace.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: Continued salmon success from shore on Lake Sakakawea but success is slowing. Some walleye activity, as well. Missouri River remains fair to good, although slowed somewhat, for walleye, salmon and trout with evening the best bite. Try crankbaits or jigs and minnows.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling and area lakes: Some improving walleye and northern pike success around Grano and Baker's Bridge from shore.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Prior to recent rains, anglers were finding continued good sauger and walleye success on the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Oct. 26 : 1,453.5 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Oct. 26 : 1,453.59 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Oct. 26 : 1,841.9 feet; 26,000 cubic feet per second average Garrison Dam daily releases.
HUNTING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. game wardens: Warm weather could still have blue-green algae present in wetlands so keep dogs out and don't let them lick themselves dry. Some pockets of eastern McLean and western Sheridan have more migrants moving in with other areas seeing fewer ducks and geese. Some pockets of pheasants throughout the area. Fair waterfowl success around northwestern N.D. but pheasants spotty and tougher with hunters working harder. A little waterfowl movement but no big influx with mostly local ducks in the area. Snow geese slowly starting to trickle in with local ducks still spread out throughout the region.
Lonetree WMA, Harvey: Good numbers of duck and Canada geese in central N.D. with some snow geese just starting to trickle in. Fair at best for pheasants with number noticeably less than in past years. Good progress with row crop harvest so look for the potential for better deer success.
Lostwood NWR, Powers Lake: Mild weather continues holding local ducks but limiting migration with an overall slight increase in bird numbers. Swans and cranes peaking in their migration.
North-central N.D.: Not much waterfowl activity compared to recent years with most remaining ducks local birds and not big influx yet.
Northeast N.D.: Fair to good success but somewhat of a lull in waterfowl activity with local birds moved out and limited migration so far. Other reports of snow geese starting to move in along with more northern ducks.
Northwest N.D.: Hunters finding a few pheasants but overall numbers remain down even with harvest winding down. Mostly local birds for waterfowl activity around the midsection of Lake Sakakawea.
Upper Souris NWR, Foxholm: Some snow geese trickling into the area but no massive migration yet. Lots of local ducks moved out with a lull now until migrants start coming in.
West-central N.D.: Spotty pheasant success. Continued fair to good waterfowl success. Local birds are still along the Missouri River with birds on the big water and smaller wetlands. More birds moving in, as well.