North Dakota warns of low-water boat access on the Missouri River System in 2027 and caps tournaments

North Dakota Game and Fish said on Nov. 2 that low water on Lake Sakakawea, Lake Oahe and the Missouri River is expected to make boat access difficult in 2027.

After ice-out, the department will work with North Dakota Parks and Recreation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to improve access where it can. Even so, it warns that many ramps and parking areas will be less than ideal next season.

Because of those conditions, Game and Fish says it will permit no open-water fishing tournaments on the Missouri River System in 2027 beyond the events already approved in the 2026 permit cycle.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: North Dakota Game and Fish news (Nov. 2, 2026).