OUTDOOR NOTES
TOURNAMENTS: Sunday: Lake Metigoshe. March 3: Carpenter Lake; Devils Lake, Minnewaukan Flats.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: School Section Lake improving for northern pike and perch but most other north-central remain generally slow. Centennial Bay on Lake Sakakawea is producing some nice-sized walleye with a few pike mixed in. Lake Audubon fair to good for smallmouth bass with small walleye biting in some areas. Missouri River spotty for walleye with lots of boat activity.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Eckroth Bottoms and 4-Mile Bay on Lake Oahe fair for walleye with best success around sunset and later. Occasional crappie. Try smelt for pike. Also try Beaver Bay.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Continued pike success with occasional walleye. Try wax worms for bluegill.
Fact Box
The Dakota Recreation Report is compiled by Patricia Stockdill, a freelance writer who lives in Garrison.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Pelican Lake fair to good for walleye. Also try the west side of the Minnewaukan Flats, Doc Hagen's, Grahams Island, Mission Bay, Stromme's Addition or Penny Bay, working structured areas in 8 to 20 feet using rattling jigs with minnow heads. Continue working East Devils Lake or Black Tiger Bay for perch with some now showing up in scattered areas of the main lake, including the casino, towers or mouth of Creel Bay. Work 30 to 60 feet using small jigs with minnow heads or wax worms. Work shallow water for pike in Lake Irvine or 6-Mile Bay.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: East Devils Lake remains good for perch. Try around Jerusalem Bay for fish up to 2 pounds in 50 feet using green presentations. Try Stromme's Bay behind Pop's in the early morning or late afternoon for walleye using buckshot rattling spoons and minnow heads. Also try Doc Hagen's. The casino just turned on for perch in 50 feet. Walford's Bay good for pike in 12 feet.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea / area lakes: Most activity remains around Skunk Bay on Lake Sakakawea in 20 to 25 feet for a mix of nice-sized walleye and sauger. A few pike mixed in working 12 to 20 feet. Work the same depths at Mossett Bay.
Estevan, Saskatchewan Environment, Rafferty Dam AND area lakes: Souris River south of Oxbow producing good numbers of pike and walleye. Be patient, but walleye and pike can be taken from Rafferty Dam after some time on the ice. A smattering of perch mixed in, too. Most fish are coming from about 25 feet so bring them up slowly so they don't have air bladder issues for better catch-and-release survival. Alameda Dam slow with most anglers working the river.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Lots of pike activity in the Outlet Fishing Area for both spearing and hook-and-line. A few houses still on Lake Darling but generally slow.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Missouri River remains fair for walleye with better success from boat in the tailrace. Lake Audubon continues to have fair activity. A few anglers working the east end of Lake Sakakawea around Centennial Bay and the pumping plant, finding a few nice-sized walleye with some perch and pike mixed in.
Garrison, Six-Mile Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon AND Sakakawea: Lake Audubon remains fair to good for walleye. Try main lake areas in 16 to 20 feet or the east end. Missouri River has continued walleye success. Good numbers of small perch on the east end of Lake Sakakawea around Centennial Bay. A few walleye mixed in but no pike reports yet.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake AND area lakes: Coal Mine Lake fair for pike but water remains too cloudy for spearing. Continued good perch activity with fair pike and walleye success at Goose Lake. Harvey Dam fair for pike. Hurdsfield Lake has continued good perch activity with fair pike and walleye success.
Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River / area lakes: Continued fair to good for walleye around Eckroth Bottoms of Lake Sakakawea. Missouri River tailrace remains good for walleye. Skunk Bay producing activity on Lake Sakakawea.
New Town, Scenic 23, Lake Sakakawea: Van Hook Arm producing a few pike and perch but slower for walleye. Better walleye and sauger success on Moe's Point in the river in 30 feet.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: Continued fair to good for walleye on the Missouri River using plastics or jigs and minnows with most activity down river around the coal veins and cable crossing. Try anchoring. Live bait working the best from shore for walleye with a few pike mixed in. Lake Audubon spotty at best for walleye.
Ruthville, Ruthville Store, Lake Darling AND area lakes: Some reports of an evening walleye bite on Landing 3 on Lake Darling. Also try Baker's Bridge for pike. Some activity at Grano. Lake Audubon producing an occasional pike.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River / area lakes: More anglers on the ice with lots of activity in the backwaters for pike using smelt.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Feb. 22: 1,453.36 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Feb. 22: 1,453.4 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Feb. 22: 1,838.2 feet; 24,000 cubic feet per second average Garrison Dam daily releases.
SKIING
Downhill skiing, Feb. 22:
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 new snow with 25-inch base. All runs open. Open Thursday through Sunday.
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 and an inch of new snow. Twenty-five runs and four lifts open.
HUNTING
Snow goose migration, Feb. 21:
Nebraska: Birds are concentrating along the Nebraska-Iowa border, across Iowa and along the Iowa-Illinois and Missouri-Illinois borders.
South Dakota: No new reports.