Register to Darkhouse Spearfish

All individuals, regardless of age, who participate in darkhouse spearfishing are reminded to register with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department prior to participating.

Free registration is available at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov, or through any Game and Fish Department office.

North Dakota’s darkhouse spearfishing season closes March 15. Legal fish are northern pike and nongame species.

Spearers must have a valid fishing license, except for those under the age of 16.

All waters open to hook-and-line fishing are open to darkhouse spearing except:

East Park Lake, West Park Lake, Lake Audubon – McLean County
Heckers Lake – Sheridan County
Larimore Dam – Grand Forks County
McClusky Canal
New Johns Lake – Burleigh County
Red Willow Lake – Griggs County
Wood Lake – Benson County

Anglers should refer to the 2016-18 North Dakota Fishing Guide for more information.

Darkhouse Spearfishing Opens Dec. 1

North Dakota’s darkhouse spearfishing season opens on most state waters Dec. 1 and continues through March 15. Legal fish are northern pike and nongame species.

All individuals who participate in darkhouse spearfishing must first register online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. In addition, anglers age 16 and older must possess a valid fishing license.

Spearers and anglers are reminded that materials used to mark holes must be in possession as soon as a hole greater than 10 inches in diameter is made in the ice.

North Dakota residents who do not have a fishing license may spear during the winter free fishing weekend Dec. 30-31, but they still need to register to spear.

All waters open to hook and line fishing are open to darkhouse spearing except:

East Park Lake, West Park Lake, Lake Audubon – McLean County
Heckers Lake – Sheridan County
Larimore Dam – Grand Forks County
McClusky Canal
New Johns Lake – Burleigh County
Red Willow Lake – Griggs County
Wood Lake – Benson County

Anglers and spearers should refer to the 2016-18 North Dakota Fishing Guide for more information.

Register to Darkhouse Spearfish

All individuals who participate in darkhouse spearfishing must first register online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or through any Game and Fish Department office.

Two notable changes from last year related to spearing are that materials used to mark holes must be in possession of anglers and spearers as soon as a hole greater than 10 inches in diameter is made in the ice.

In addition, Sweet Briar Dam and Braun Lake are now open to darkhouse spearfishing, while Larimore Dam and Wood Lake are closed to darkhouse spearers.

North Dakota’s darkhouse spearfishing season opens on most state waters Dec. 1. The season extends through March 15. Legal fish are northern pike and nongame species.

Darkhouse spearing is allowed for all residents with a valid fishing license and for residents under age 16. Nonresidents may darkhouse spearfish in North Dakota if they are from states that offer the same privilege for North Dakota residents.

North Dakota residents who do not have a fishing license may spear during the winter free fishing weekend Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, but they still need to register to spear.

Last year, a record 4,328 participants registered to darkhouse spearfish, an increase of nearly 1,000 from 2014.

All waters open to hook and line fishing are open to darkhouse spearing except:

East Park Lake, West Park Lake, Lake Audubon – McLean County
Heckers Lake – Sheridan County
Larimore Dam – Grand Forks County
McClusky Canal
New Johns Lake – Burleigh County
Red Willow Lake – Griggs County
Wood Lake – Benson County

Anglers and spearers should refer to the 2016-18 North Dakota Fishing Guide for more information.

Mountain Lion Management Meetings Set

North Dakota Game and Fish Department officials will host three public meetings this month to discuss the status of the state’s mountain lion population.

Results of a two-phase research project and biological findings from animals harvested over the last decade show the population has steadily declined over the past several years.

“We want to share what we’ve learned about managing mountain lions in North Dakota over the last 10 years,” said Jeb Williams, wildlife division chief. “Considering what we knew about mountain lions in North Dakota prior to 2005, which was very little, the information gathered in the last decade is significant.”

Meeting dates and locations to discuss what state wildlife managers have learned are as follows: Feb. 23, Game and Fish Department headquarters, 100 North Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, 7 p.m.; Feb. 24, Fargo Holiday Inn, 3803 13th Avenue South, 7 p.m.; and Feb. 29, Killdeer Cobblestone Hotel and Suites, 158 Rodeo Drive, 7 p.m.

North Dakota has had a mountain lion hunting season every year since 2005. The Game and Fish Department, in conjunction with researchers from South Dakota State University, launched the first part of a two-phase research project in 2011. Phase II is expected to be completed in 2017.

“We have made amazing headway in the last four years, and by the time Phase II is done we will have a really good handle on this population,” said Stephanie Tucker, furbearer biologist.

2015 North Dakota Spearfishing

The weekly North Dakota Game and Fish Department video on spearfishing with Scott Gangl is available for FREE online here!

https://youtu.be/frXCdMFJaVU?t=15

or here http://gf.nd.gov/publications/television/outdoors-online-webcast

Northern pike and nongame fish are the only legal species for darkhouse spearfishing. Daily and possession limits are listed in the Fishing Regulations Guide. Darkhouse spearfishing is legal from December 1 through March 15 of each fishing year. All waters open to hook and line fishing are open to darkhouse spearfishing except the following fishing waters which are closed:

· Braun Lake – Logan County
· East Park Lake, West Park Lake, Lake Audubon – McLean County
· Heckers Lake – Sheridan County
· McClusky Canal
· New Johns Lake – Burleigh County
· Red Willow Lake – Griggs County
· Sweet Briar Dam – Morton County

In addition to possessing the needed valid fishing license, all individuals who participate in darkhouse spearfishing must first register on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department Online Services website, or through any Game and Fish Department office, prior to participating.

Specific darkhouse spearing regulations may be found in the Fishing Regulations Guide

To get more information on fishing and North Dakota fishing waters or register for darkhouse spearfishing visit the Game and Fish Department’s “fishing”portal right here

2015 North Dakota Spearing

All individuals who participate in darkhouse spearfishing this winter must registerwith the North Dakota Game and Fish Department prior to participating. Registration is available at the department’s website, gf.nd.gov, or through any Game and Fish Department office.

North Dakota’s darkhouse spearfishing season opens on most state waters Dec. 1. The season extends through March 15. Legal fish are northern pike and nongame species.

Last year, a record 3,339 participants registered to darkhouse spearfish, an increase of more than 1,000 from 2013.

All waters open to hook and line fishing are open to darkhouse spearing except:

· Braun Lake – Logan County

· East Park Lake, West Park Lake, Lake Audubon – McLean County

· Heckers Lake – Sheridan County

· McClusky Canal

· New Johns Lake – Burleigh County

· Red Willow Lake – Griggs County

· Sweet Briar Dam – Morton County

Anglers should refer to the 2014-16 North Dakota Fishing Guide for more information.