Lake Sakakawea Fishing Reports

• South shore: The walleye bite has definitely started with fish coming from the 13 to 18 feet range around Nishu and Beaver bays. Don’t forget to try farther west, as well. Spinners and nightcrawlers are garnering most angler’s interest. Perch, northern pike and smallmouth bass are mixed in with the walleye.
   
• Van Hook: Anglers are finding continued walleye success, wind permitting. Try nightcrawlers or leeches in 10 to 15 feet with spinners along with jigging or crankbaits. Most activity remains in the northern end of the Van Hook Arm.
    
• Garrison: Anglers are pretty tight-lipped about fishing this week, although there is word that Lake Sakakawea is fair for walleye on the east end. Work shallow down to 13 feet.
   
• Pick City: Like elsewhere along the east end, limited reports from Lake Sakakawea are coming in this week. However, try a slow presentation in 8 to 10 feet in the weeds. Anglers are finding a few salmon along the face of the dam. Try longlinging.

North Dakota Rivers Report, featuring Lake Sakakawea’s two major tributaries: 

• Missouri River: Garrison Dam average daily discharge is 135,000 cubic feet per second (CFS). Releases are gradually being reduced so there’s good news for downstream flood conditions.
   
• Little Missouri River, Long X Bridge: The streamflow average is 455 CFS while river stage at the bridge is 1.19 feet.
   
• Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: The river stage is 15.94 feet with streamflow at 64,700 CFS. The river is also dropping.

What's going on!

Fort Stevenson State Park south of Garrison is busy all this week as anglers converge on the community for the annual North Dakota Governor’s Cup Walleye Derby, along with the Junior Governor’s Cup. The Governor’s Cup is Friday and Saturday while the Junior event is Saturday at the park. Tournaments are also taking place Saturday at McKenzie Bay and the Van Hook Arm. Next weekend on July 22 and 23 anglers will converge along the south shore for the annual Dakota Walleye Classic headquartered out of Beulah Bay. The River Bend Ranch northeast of Hazen hosts the annual Praise on the Prairie Festival, a three-day outdoor family concert July 21 through July 23.


Numbers and Web sites to know: 

• Indian Hills Resort: (701) 743-4122.
• N.D. Game & Fish Department main Bismarck office: (701) 328-6300, Web site ( http://gf.nd.gov ).
• N.D. Game & Fish Department Riverdale office: (701) 654-7475.
• Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121.
• Friends of Lake Sakakawea: www.lakesakakawea.com

Went out yesterday on the east end.  It took a while to find them.  When we finally found them, we had three limits of walleye in two hours.  All caught on crawlers in 12 fow.  It was enjoyable to have the lake to ourselves and not playing bumper boats.

• South shore: Walleye success is improving. Spinners with nightcrawlers or minnows seem to be the most popular although no one presentation is producing the best. Most activity is west around Beaver or Renner bays. There is a lot of shore-fishing, too, with both boats and shore producing a mix of species. Try variety of depths from 4 to 20 feet.
   
• Van Hook: The Van Hook Arm continues producing walleye. Try crankbaits or jigs and minnows or nightcrawlers in 8 to 12 feet around the upper end of the Van Hook Arm.
    
• Garrison: Anglers are finding improving walleye success working shallow from 3 to 6 feet on the east end of Lake Sakakawea. Work the back bays, as well as west around Parshall Bay or the Van Hook Arm.
   
• Pick City: The east end of Lake Sakakawea is producing a few walleye along the south shore with more northern pike, perch and bass success. Look for a breakthrough in success soon as water temperatures continue warming. Try shallow in 6 feet in the bays, pitching jigs towards shore. Also try working 14 to 20 feet with Lindy rigs or spinners using a slow presentation. Salmon anglers might want to try the face of the dam using crankbaits or flashers and squids.

North Dakota Rivers Report, featuring Lake Sakakawea’s two major tributaries: 

• Missouri River: Garrison Dam average daily discharge is 140,000 cubic feet per second (CFS). That’s a slight reduction of 10,000 CFS from releases in mid- and late June.
   
• Little Missouri River, Long X Bridge: The streamflow average is 1.3 CFS while river stage at the bridge is 508 feet.
   
• Yellowstone River, Sidney, Mont.: The river stage is 18.02 feet with streamflow at 80,700 CFS, which is an increase in recent days.

What's going on!

Muscle cars and more highlight the annual Classic Car and Motorcycle Show in New Town Saturday. Come out and check out all the great things on wheels. In addition, the Mandaree Powwow runs Friday through Sunday. Saturday is a busy day on the lake - look for the Friends of Parshall Bay fishing tournament on Saturday as well as the Coal Creek employee tournament at Wolf Creek and a tournament based out of Sakakawea State Park near Pick city that same day. On Monday, July 11 members of the 91st Missile Wing with the Minot Air Force Base head to Brendle’s Bay for a tournament. For people planning further ahead, July 15 and 16 is the North Dakota Governor’s Cup Walleye Derby at Fort Stevenson State Park near Garrison. The N.D. Junior Governor’s Cup takes place July 16 at the park, as well.


Numbers and Web sites to know: 

• Indian Hills Resort: (701) 743-4122.
• N.D. Game & Fish Department main Bismarck office: (701) 328-6300, Web site ( http://gf.nd.gov ).
• N.D. Game & Fish Department Riverdale office: (701) 654-7475.
• Report All Poachers: (800) 472-2121.
• Friends of Lake Sakakawea: www.lakesakakawea.com

not fast and furious, but darn sure some size to em, and talk about feisty.  A guy thinks he's got a big northern on... stripping line off the drag.... turns out to be a good walleye.  Of course, we did the noble thing and let the really big ones spit the hook at the boat rather than risking injury to them:-)

Perch perch and more perch --- white bass white bass and more white bass.   By the size of these ---somebody mention lack of forage------  we had forage and plenty of it during the last two dry years.   Anyway two dink walleyes and flat of nite crawlers on the perchos.   The big sak -tanked -----

redeemed ourself in oahe the next day TG.    Below is the "lack of forage" yeah right.    Where is the gators to eat these things.

We fished out of New Town Marina on Tuesday, mostly north and west from Little Knife Bay to west of Beacon Island.   Lots of hammer handles everywhere but the walleyes were two throwbacks for each keeper.  Way in the back of Little Knife Bay near the road, the smallmouths were pretty active.    Our bigger fish were on cranks in 6-10 ft..

The New Town to Skunk region is not fast and furious by any means.  Two man limits are possible but it will take all day or exactly being in the right place at the right time.  It is more fishing than catching.

I heard good things for the bays like Van Hook and the Marina.  Judging by the boats there was some fish to be had and it was more catching than fishing.  Similar bite took place in some of these areas last year and lasted a very short time.  We'll see if that pattern holds true.

Everything I heard was 4 to 12 foot with live bait producing.  Crankers doing okay as well if you could dodge the bumper boats.

I didn't wet a line.  Just thought I'd offer some remarks I have heard.

Fished a few hours by sportsmans centennial Sunday night.  caught 4 walleye, 5 northern, few smallmouth, lots of perch.  steady action.  Spinners and earth worms in 10 feet.