OUTDOOR NOTES
Friday: West Dakota Waterfowlers Delta Waterfowl banquet, 5:30 p.m., Minot, Grand International Inn.
Sunday: Duck Stamp Camp, Audubon Nat'l Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 4 p.m., students kindergarten through 12th grade.
Tournaments: Saturday: Lake Audubon. Feb. 26: Lake Metigoshe.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Lake Metigoshe slowed with occasional perch and pike. Loon Lake remains for perch with occasional nice-sized keeper mixed in. Crooked and Brush lakes continue producing small perch but angler activity has slowed. Lake Audubon slowed. Continued walleye activity on the Missouri River but success is becoming more hit-and-miss. Some walleye activity at Centennial Bay on Lake Sakakawea. Nelson-Carlson Lake good for small northern pike with occasional nice-sized one mixed in. Outlet Fishing Area below Lake Darling Dam remains fair for 6- to 8-pound pike.
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Success remains fair, although slowed somewhat. Missouri River tailrace remains fair to good for walleye. Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe fair for pike and walleye. Work both sides of the bridge but watch current under the bridge and around the mouth. Some activity at Fort Rice and Eckroth Bottoms. Crooked and Brush lakes remain fair.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Fewer anglers on the ice but those going continue finding some pike using smelt. Occasional walleye.
Bottineau, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: Area lakes generally slow.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success around the west end of the Minnewaukan Flats, Doc Hagen's, Mission Bay and Penny Bay working structured areas in 8 to 20 feet using rattling presentations with minnow heads. Try East Bay or Black Tiger Bay for perch. The north end of 6-Mile Bay and small lakes north of Devils Lake continue producing the best pike success.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Recent cold front slowed activity but warmer weather bringing back the perch bite on East Devils Lake. Try East Bay around Stromme's Addition. Good numbers of small walleye throughout most of the lake. Work variety of depths. Continued northern pike success. Access remains good.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Saka-kawea / area lakes: Skunk Bay on Lake Sakakawea fair for walleye in 20 to 30 feet. New Town area producing walleye and sauger north and south of the bridge.
Estevan, Saskatche-wan Environment, Rafferty Dam and area lakes: Not much activity on area lakes although ice conditions are generally good.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Continued fair to good for pike spearing and hook-and-line in the Outlet Fishing Area. Lake Darling fair at best with best success coming with spearing for pike around the dam. Limited perch and walleye reports. Some anglers removed their houses and activity is lighter on the lake.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audu-bon and Sakakawea: Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye. Lake Audubon fair but spotty for walleye.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Lake Audubon remains fair for walleye with most activity on the east end or north of Audubon NWR headquarters. Watch ice conditions, especially around pressure ridges. Missouri River remains fair to good for walleye.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake and area lakes: Coal Mine Lake fair for pike but water remains too cloudy for spearing. Harvey Dam fair for pike. Continued good perch activity with fair pike and walleye success on Goose Lake. Continued good perch activity on Hurdsfield Dam with fair pike and walleye success.
Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River / area lakes: Beaver Bay on Lake Oahe slowed somewhat but Eckroth Bottoms remains fair.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Van Hook Arm generally slow with occasional walleye, pike and perch.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Saka-kawea / Missouri River: Continued fair to good on the Missouri River for walleye. Try jigs and minnows or plastics anchoring or drifting. Better success in the morning with fair activity throughout the day. Slower, but fair, from shore.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling and area lakes: Activity slowed somewhat but anglers still going to the Outlet Fishing Area below Lake Darling Dam and Grano with some success. Anglers also going to area small lakes, including Crooked and Round lakes but limited reports.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Saka-kawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Not many recent reports from Lake Sakakawea. Crappie activity slowed on Trenton Lake. Limited perch success on small area lakes.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 15: 1,453.36 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Feb. 15: 1,453.36 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Feb. 15: 1,838.3 feet; 23,000 cubic feet per second average Garrison Dam daily releases.
SKIING
Downhill skiing, Feb. 15:
Bottineau Winter Park, Bottineau: Some 8- to 16-inch base with groomed conditions. All runs and lifts open with three Tube Park runs and several jumps and rails on the Terrain Park.
Frostfire Ski Area, Walhalla: Some 15- to 25-inch base with all runs open.
Huff Hills, Mandan: Some 10- to 36-inch base with loose granular, packed powder conditions. Five runs and two lifts open.
Terry Peak, Lead, S.D.: Some 16- to 22-inch base with machine groomed, packed powder conditions. Twenty-five runs and four lifts open.
N.D. Parks & Recreation Dept. cross-country ski trail conditions, Feb. 15:
Metigoshe State Park, Bot-tineau: Trails in poor condition.
Icelandic State Park, Cavalier: Trails remain open for skiing but there are some bare patches in areas. Good for hiking, however.