If you spend time talking to the hatchery or fisheries division you quickly learn they take a lot of pride in providing the best possible fishing opportunities. If there’ s a problem, it’ s getting some individuals in the angling public to understand that Lake Sakakawea is a highly complex and variable reservoir ecosystem. Available resources and knowledge about Lake Sakakawea determine to a large degree the effectiveness of fisheries management but in the end, Mother Nature and the Corps of Engineers create the environment that controls the outcome. •
Sakakawea this fall. It’ s hoped cisco will supplement smelt and become an important forage item in years to come.
Second, brown trout appear to be growing and thriving. Because they don’ t rely on cold water habitat as much as salmon, they tend to do better during drought.
Finally, it would appear the drought and low lake levels may be a thing of the past, at least for the time being. Conditions have greatly improved this year with Lake Sakakawea’ s elevation approaching 1838 feet.
I think it’ s imperative to be educated and knowledgeable on this and other matters. It’ s unfortunate, but all too often the fishing public is not aware of the facts but instead reacts to rumors and / or misconceptions.
by Lee Klapprodt
For anyone wondering about North Dakota’ s dedicated to the salmon fishery, I’ d like to point out the following:
First, the Game and Fish Department has invested well over
$ 1.5 million to build one of the best, state-of-the-art cold-water hatcheries in the nation. While the hatchery’ s federal budget has stayed the same or declined in recent years, professionals who work there use technology and ingenuity to produce the very best quality young Chinooks and trout for stocking. Biologists from the Great Lakes and the West Coast regularly contact North Dakota for information on production techniques developed here.
If you spend time talking to the hatchery or fisheries division you quickly learn they take a lot of pride in providing the best possible fishing opportunities. If there’ s a problem, it’ s getting some individuals in the angling public to understand that Lake Sakakawea is a highly complex and variable reservoir ecosystem. Available resources and knowledge about Lake Sakakawea determine to a large degree the effectiveness of fisheries management but in the end, Mother Nature and the Corps of Engineers create the environment that controls the outcome. •
Your Lake Sakakawea & Missouri River Tailrace Headquarters!
• Off-Sale Beer & Wine • Ice • Snacks • Pizza
• Fuel • Oil • Propane • ATM • ND Lottery
• Large Salmon Shop! • And much more!
• Official ND Whopper Weigh Station
Open 7 Days A Week! Pick City, ND!
Call for Reports( 701) 487-3343
www. dakotacountrymagazine. com Dakota Country, September 2025, Page 25