Harmon/Bismarck

DirtyMike

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I fished it twice. Both times sucked and this was 4 or 5 yrs ago. Go west to crown or sweet both we had better times. Imo put your expectations an hour out and your gold. Lot more opportunities
Sour smell of lakes. Dl same thing I worried about the fish. My parents had a cabin in MN never a sour smell. W

Crown and sweet briar are both terrible options to send someone and their youngster to.
 


Bfishn

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Crown had a complete winterkill last winter.
 

Allen

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could that have been from the blue algae that it got this summer? I live on the south side of it and when we got that strong north west wind it smelt like sewer outside. thought it was my neighbors at first, but figured out it was from the lake instead. lol


That smell was likely hydrogen sulfide, e.g. sewer gas. Lakes like Harmon have a tendency to develop an oxygen free zone at depth as organics decay and consume all the available oxygen. If Harmon's outlet draws water from the bottom, this is normal. I see this at a lot of other dams as well.
 


Trip McNeely

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Mcdowell Dam is summertime only
understood. I was asking why its closed in the winter? Its stocked with trout every year. Seems like a potential waste of opportunity.... a few miles from the 2nd biggest metro area in ND.... isnt the NDGNF into “opportunity”. Im sure the response to my question would be a standard blanket excuse style statement in which the answer is meant to confuse or distract from the actual question at hand..... if anyone knows chime in. If ice fishing McDowell is do-able, Im curious to hear how the local governments “cant” make something happen.
 

huffranger

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Trip,

Call the fish and game, unless you want the many differing opinions with few or none of them correct.
 

ktm450

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could hear some holes being drilled on harmon late yesterday afternoon. hopefully they found some fish
 

Dirty

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Yep. Call Game and Fish if you want some solid recommendations.
 
Last edited:


Huntdux

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McDowell Dam is controlled by Bismarck Parks and Rec and owned by Burleigh County Water District. It is not controlled by the state.
 

dean nelson

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McDowell Dam is controlled by Bismarck Parks and Rec and owned by Burleigh County Water District. It is not controlled by the state.
Yeah so is the cottonwood park pond but you can still ice fish that. When I was younger I always heard it was closed to ice fishing to protect the trout just like they do on lightning. But considering the fact that lake has never been much of a trout lake I'm not sure if that reason holds water anymore.
 

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