• Perch is one type of fish you can catch around the Bismarck area.perch image by ivan kmit from Fotolia.com
  
  Bismarck is the capital of North Dakota and is located in Burleigh County in the state's southwestern corner. While the city itself features a number of parks and other recreational areas, if you are looking for places to fish and hunt wildlife game, you will have to travel a short distance outside of downtown proper. Some of the of the most popular spots include Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, McDowell Dam and OWLS Pond.
  
  

Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge

• Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located just over 15 miles southeast of Bismarck. According to the U.S. Fishing & Wildlife Services, the refuge consists of over 23,000 acres of protected habitat, which is home to a number of different species of plants and animals. For hunters looking for game in the Bismarck area, the refuge is your best option. You can find and legally hunt, provided they are in season, doves, sharp-tailed grouse, Canadian Geese, ducks, sandhill cranes, coyotes, foxes and white-tail deer. If you are in the area to fish, the curving, S-shaped Long Lake is a decent option. However, according to the U.S. Fishing & Wildlife Services, the majority of the lake is very shallow, and not well suited for large sport fish. Still, many anglers have luck fishing at the spot where Long Lake Creek meets up with Long Lake, which is located near the middle of the bottom S-curve. Some of the species you may encounter include northern pike, yellow perch, walleye and carp.
  
  

McDowell Dam

• According to the North Dakota Game and Fishing Department, McDowell Dam is located 4 miles east and 1 mile north of Bismarck, just off of North Dakota Highway 10. The dam's reservoir is home to a number species of fish, including saugeye, white bass and Chinook salmon. According to the Hook & Bullet website, no matter what style of fishing you use; such as casting with live bait, live worms or fly-fishing; there is a strong chance you will at least get some nibbles at McDowell Dam. However, if you are going after a specific type of fish, the above source recommends using crayfish to catch the saugeye, spawn sacs to catch the white bass and cut bait to catch the Chinook salmon.
  
  

Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site (OWLS) Pond

• Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site (OWLS) Pond is located just west of the city of Bismarck's Game and Fish Office. According to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, the pond is best suited for learning the basics of fishing and for family fishing outings. This is because there is a strict, year-round catch-and-release rule. Some of the species you might pull up at OWLS Pond include perch, trout and blue gill.