Shane Johnson’s 19-pound, 8-ounce burbot broke a state record that’s been in the books for nearly 40 years.
The Minot angler caught the 41.5-inch fish Jan. 3 from the Garrison Dam Tailrace.
The previous record of 18 pounds, 4 ounces was established in 1984 by Orland Kruckenberg, a Hazen angler who was fishing the Knife River.
A 16-pound, 6-ounce walleye caught March 13 by Dickinson angler Jared Shypkoski is the new state record, according to North Dakota Game and Fish Department personnel.
Shypkoski reeled in the 33-inch fish in the Eckroth Bottoms area of upper Lake Oahe.
The previous record of 15 pounds, 13 ounces was taken in 2018 by Neal Leier of Bismarck, approximately 30 miles upstream on the Missouri River near the Fox Island boat ramp.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 2020 bighorn sheep survey, completed by recounting lambs in March, revealed a record 322 bighorn sheep in western North Dakota, up 11% from 2019 and 13% above the five-year average. The count surpassed the previous record of 313 bighorns in 2008.
Altogether, biologists counted 97 rams, 170 ewes and 55 lambs. Not included are approximately 40 bighorn sheep in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and bighorns recently introduced to the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
Big game biologist Brett Wiedmann was pleased to see an increase in the survey for the third consecutive year.
“The increase in the 2020 count reflects lessening effects of bacterial pneumonia that was detected in 2014,” Wiedmann said.
The northern badlands population increased 13% from 2019 and was the highest count on record. The southern badlands population declined again to the lowest level since 1999.
“We were encouraged to see the count of adult rams increase after declining the last four years, and adult ewes were at record numbers,” Wiedmann said. “Most encouraging was a record lamb count corresponding with a record recruitment rate.”
Game and Fish Department biologists count and classify all bighorn sheep in late summer, and then recount lambs the following March as they approach one year of age to determine recruitment.
Department staff, in conjunction with biologists from the Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife Division, also reported that the bighorn sheep that were translocated in January 2020 from Rocky Boy’s Reservation in Montana to the Fort Berthold Reservation performed exceptionally well their first year in the state. Only one adult ewe died but 19 lambs were recruited. Consequently, the population increased from 30 to 48 in the first year.
There are currently more than 400 bighorn sheep among populations managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, the National Park Service and the Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife Division. Wiedmann said the last confirmed native bighorn sheep in North Dakota was killed in 1905, and Theodore Roosevelt reported that bighorns were scarce by the time he hunted them during the 1880s.
“So, it’s likely there are more bighorns today than before North Dakota’s statehood in 1889,” he added. “It really illustrates the historical significance of this year’s count.”
A bighorn sheep hunting season is tentatively scheduled to open in 2021.The status of the bighorn sheep season will be determined Sept. 1, after the summer population survey is completed.
Game and Fish issued six licenses in 2020 and all hunters were successful in harvesting a ram.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel are finishing stocking a record 180 lakes across the state with more than 11 million walleye fingerlings.
Fisheries production and development supervisor Jerry Weigel said the number of lakes bested the previous high by nearly 30 waters.
“There is record water across the state, so timing of a near record walleye production could not have come at a better time,” Weigel said. “Valley City and Garrison Dam national fish hatcheries contributed to make this happen. Both hatcheries have been outstanding in helping address our demand for walleye fingerlings.”
Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery set a record for the most pounds shipped of these 1- to 1.5-inch fingerlings, with more than 8,400 total pounds.
Given the record walleye production, coupled with a record number of lakes stocked resulted in a lot of driving time for fish haulers.
“Just in the first seven days of this year’s walleye production, haulers traveled more than 8,200 miles and stocked over 150 lakes with 7.6 million fish,” Weigel said.
Crews had near perfect conditions with most lakes at or near record water levels, with flooded vegetation for the young fish to hide and plenty of food for them to eat, which bodes well for future fishing opportunities.
“One of the biggest challenges this year was access to some lakes,” Weigel said. “As a result of last fall’s record rains, a lot of local roads in central and eastern North Dakota remained flooded and often closed, thus making navigating some roads more challenging.”
Later this fall, fisheries personal will sample walleye lakes to assess success of this year’s walleye stocking, as well as what Mother Nature provided.
One common observation fish haulers noted while traveling across the state, Weigel said, was the high amount of fishing taking place, both from shore and from boats.
“It’s a great time to fish for walleye,” he added. “Statewide, there are a lot of opportunities, and a good chance of success. This is especially true if you live in rural North Dakota where a lot of varied fishing opportunities exist.”
For a complete list of all fish stockings, visit the fishing link at the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov/fishing.