Ice Fishing Access on Lake Sakakawea – Licensed, Motorized Vehicles must use existing authorized public roads for entering and leaving ice fishing access areas. If conditions do not allow immediate access onto the ice from the road or ramp, vehicles are permitted to travel along the frozen shoreline within 100 feet of the edge of the ice for a distance not to exceed 1/4 mile either direction of the access point. Some public roads often drift closed with snow and will not be plowed open. In these instances, operating a motor vehicle off-road to obtain access is not allowed.

Access areas include:

1. The following boat ramps and 1/4 mile either direction of the boat ramp if feasible: Beaver Bay, Beulah Bay, Camp of the Cross, Charging Eagle Bay, Dakota Waters Resort, Deepwater Creek (Low water ramp), Deepwater Creek WMA (Game and Fish ramp), Douglas Creek, Douglas Creek WMA (Ziegler’s), Fort Stevenson State Park, Four Bears Park, Garrison Creek Cabin Site, Government Bay, Hazen Bay, Indian Hills, Lewis & Clark Bridge Ramp, Lewis & Clark State Park, Little Beaver Bay, Little Field Bay, Little Missouri, Lund’s Landing (Whitetail Bay), McKenzie Bay, Parshall Bay, Pouch Point, Reunion Bay, Sakakawea State Park (Rodeo Bay Ramp), Sanish Bay (Aftem), Skunk Creek, Sportsmen’s Centennial Park, Steinke Bay, Tobacco Garden, Van Hook, White Earth Bay, West Totten Trail, Wolf Creek Recreation Area and Wolf Creek WMA (east ramp), Spring Creek Cabin Site.

2. All existing shoreline access areas: Beaver Bay, Beulah Bay, Deadman’s Bay (west Wolf Creek), Deepwater Creek (Fish & Camp Court), Four Bears, Hale Marina, Pebble Beach, Renner Bay, White Earth, South Garrison near Owls site (Vehicle access onto the ice from the road in this area is not possible; foot traffic only).

3. Other access areas: Antelope Creek, Hofflund Bay WMA (east), Lewis & Clark WMA (Magnum Point), Red Mike Cabin Site, Reunion Bay (east access), Long Creek Cabin Site, Sakakawea State Park (access road east end of Sakakawea Estates Cabin Area), Sakakawea State Park (Fishing Point) and, Iglehart’s Deluxe Cabin Site, North Side of Little Knife, Wolf Creek Site 84.

4. These access areas will be open after January 6: DeTrobriand Bay (south of Garrison Golf Course), and Deepwater Creek WMA (west portion southwest of Foote’s).

5. A list of other areas in close proximity to Lake Sakakawea is at the end of this page.

Effective dates – From that period Lake Sakakawea is frozen until April l, 2013 (or thaw, whichever occurs first).

Traveling on the ice on any lake is always hazardous and requires extreme caution. The Corps of Engineers does not encourage nor recommend driving on the ice at any time. Thin ice or open water may exist near springs and pressure ridges throughout the winter.

Please note the following prohibitions:

• Operating motorized vehicles in a negligent manner. This includes, but is not limited to, operating the vehicle in a manner other than transportation directly to and from the lake. Driving away from the shoreline except on authorized public access roads creates unauthorized trails and adversely impacts wildlife habitat and cultural resources.
• Collecting, destroying, altering and/or removing vegetation, cultural or other natural resources. Except placing a natural object or a brightly painted or colored wooden lath to mark a hole greater than 10 inches that must be visible from a minimum of 150 feet as required by State Law.
• Unattended property (other than unattended ice/fish houses that have the required information based on regulations from the North Dakota Game & Fish Department, i.e. name and address or phone #. In addition they are required to remove fish houses from all waters by midnight March 15th of each year and only can use fish houses after March 15th if they are removed daily as required by state law.

Questions concerning this policy should be directed to Ryan Newman, Natural Resource Specialist at 701-654-7411.

TODD J. LINDQUIST
Operations Project Manager

Other Access Areas for Ice Fishing in Close Proximity to Lake Sakakawea

Little Muddy:

1. Little Muddy (Thompson Landing) (boat ramp)
2. Mouth of the Little Muddy

Other areas:

1. Lewis & Clark (WMA) West River Access (River Mile 1563.75)
2. Lewis & Clark (WMA) Pump house
3. Trenton Wildlife Management Area (WMA) (Big Timber)

Lake Audubon:

1. 6 access points on the Refuge
   • 4 along the auto tour route on the south side of Lake Audubon
   • 1 just north of the McClusky Cana
   • 1 in the northeast corner of the Refuge
2. 5 boat ramp areas
   • East Totten Trail
   • Snake Creek Cabin Site
   • 3-mile corner
   • Lane
   • Turtle Lake Ramp

Spillway Pond: *** No Vehicle access this year ***