Lakes in North Dakota: Where to Fish, What to Catch, & Local Favorites

Known as the home of the Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and wide-open prairie, the Flickertail State is also home to excellent fishing opportunities in its numerous lakes and reservoirs. Popular recreational fishing species include walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, and even Chinook salmon. Fishing is a year-round activity here, with spring and summer being peak “lake season” times, and ice fishing providing a welcome diversion in the winter months. 

Best Fishing Lakes in North Dakota

In this blog, we’ll explore what makes each of these lakes special, the species they’re known for, tips for finding fish, and advice for making your trip successful—whether you’re an ice fishing fanatic or an open-water enthusiast.

Devils Lake 

Key Species:

• Walleye
• Perch
• Northern pike
• White bass

Why It’s Famous: An easy-to-reach destination, Devils Lake is home to strong numbers of Northern pike, white bass, walleye, and perch. Easy to fish from the shoreline, it’s also a lake that fishes well from a boat. This prairie waterway is located close to its namesake city and boasts more than 200,000 acres of water.

Ice Fishing: March is often viewed as the best month for ice fishing on Devils Lake. Perch are often found near structures like flats and bowls, especially early in the season. Aggressive jigging can be effective, but slowing down when fish approach is also important. Mid-day (10 AM to 2 PM) is often a good time for perch if you’re looking to fill your cooler. Drilling holes every 50 feet and moving frequently can help locate active fish. Anglers use a variety of lures, including spoons, buckshot, and minnows, and remember that a live scope can be helpful for locating fish. Finding schools of fish away from other anglers can lead to better catches. 

Open Water Fishing: Focus on fishing bays, shorelines, bridge areas, and narrows, and you’ll be rewarded with fish for the cooler. Focus on early morning and late afternoon, (think low-light periods) for the best fishing. Devils Lake has excellent amenities, including fish-cleaning facilities with stainless tables, grinders, spray hoses, and sometimes even freezers.

Insider Tip: Devils Lake is sometimes called the “Shore Fishing Capital of the Midwest” due to its sweeping shoreline and bountiful angling opportunities for fishermen without access to a boat. You can catch the main species, as well as sometimes jumbo perch and crappies, right from the shoreline.

Lake Sakakawea

Key Species:

• Walleye
• Northern pike
• Chinook salmon
• Smallmouth bass

Why It’s Famous: Lake Sakakawea is known as a premier fishing destination known for its diverse fish populations. It’s the second mainstem reservoir on the Missouri River located in west central North Dakota. It has a surface area of 368,000 acres and volume of 22,700,000 acre feet at full pool, meaning there’s plenty of water for fishermen. If you like walleye, this is a great lake for you: walleye abundance is the highest documented in the last 45 years due to several strong year-classes in recent years.

Ice Fishing: Lake Sakakawea usually freezes over by late December or early January, though the upper ends may start freezing in mid-December. Ice fishing success is heavily influenced by weather conditions and ice formation. Calm weather during freeze-up results in smooth ice, while windy conditions can create jagged, difficult-to-navigate ice. Anglers utilize a variety of techniques, including jigging, dead sticks with tip-ups or rattle reels, and fishing around structure like points, ledges, and old river channels. 

Open Water Fishing: Anglers can enjoy various fishing techniques, from pitching jigs to using bottom bouncers and downriggers, depending on the season and target species. Trolling crankbaits and using bottom bouncers and spinners are tried-and-true methods.  The Four Bears Bridge area is known for its structure and drop-offs, making it an excellent location for walleye and smallmouth bass. The Van Hook Arm is another hotspot, offering diverse fishing opportunities for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass.

Insider Tip: Crappie and catfish are also found in Sakakawea, and this is a great lake choice to spend a family weekend and put some meat in the freezer. If you’re after salmon, salmon fishing picks up in late July and August as the thermocline develops.

Lake Oahe

Key Species:

• Walleye
• Northern pike
• Smallmouth bass
• Channel catfish
• Chinook salmon
• White bass
• Crappie

Why It’s Famous: Lake Oahe, which spans both North and South Dakota, covers a massive 370,000 acres and has a maximum depth of 205 feet. It’s famous for its walleye fishing, and during the summer months serves as a sort of “holding pen” for the species in the Missouri River system. Being the fourth largest reservoir in the United States, Lake Oahe stretches 231 miles long from central South Dakota to Bismark, North Dakota. The Missouri River channels through the reservoir and creates an incredible habitat for many species of fish and wildlife.

Ice Fishing: Ice fishing on Lake Oahe in North Dakota requires understanding the lake’s unique characteristics, including its depth, current, and the aggressive nature of its walleye and crappie populations. Effective techniques include using heavier lures, fishing near the bottom in deeper water, and employing tip-ups with live minnows. Keep running and gunning to find active fish. Drill a line of holes on a point, fish each for a few minutes, and move if you don’t mark fish. 

Open Water Fishing: Walleye anglers can find great success with crankbaits and bottom bouncers with spinners while covering water, as well as live bait, such as nightcrawlers on spinner rigs or jigs tipped with minnows. For pike, spoons—especially brightly colored ones—are recommended. Consider exploring points, bays, and rocky areas for walleye, and experiment with different jigging techniques and depths. 

Insider Tip: While walleyes are the hero, don’t miss out on the solid Northern pike and crappie fishing. May and June can produce nice pike pitching spoons.

Lake Audubon 

Key Species:

• Walleye
• Yellow perch
• Smallmouth bass
• Northern pike

Why It’s Famous: Lake Audubon in North Dakota is known for its excellent fishing opportunities, particularly for walleye, yellow perch, and northern pike. The lake also offers opportunities to catch smallmouth bass. Ice fishing is permitted on the Refuge portion of the lake when ice covers the water, while open-water fishing is not allowed in that area. The lake encompasses 16,612 acres, with approximately 152.8 miles of shoreline. The deepest point in Lake Audubon is 59.90 feet. 

Ice Fishing: The Refuge portion of Lake Audubon is open only for ice fishing, not open-water fishing. Locals often prefer to use tip-ups with live minnows or jigging spoons in deeper areas. Ice fishing is allowed when the water is ice-covered, and ice houses must be removed from the Refuge daily after March 15. The Refuge closes to ice fishing on March 31st.

Open Water Fishing: The lake has plenty of shoreline, and there are also piers and docks where anglers can fish. Several boat access sites are available, including fishing piers on the north arm and near the Totten Trail boat ramp. Note that open-water fishing is not permitted on the Refuge portion of the lake. The smallmouth bass fishery is considered excellent, with a good population of quality fish throughout the McClusky Canal system. Walleye and Northern pike populations have dropped in recent years, but can still be caught regularly.

Insider Tip: If you’re targeting walleye, seek out areas with sand and gravel bottom, along with structure like rocks and weed edges. Walleye are most active during periods of low light. Fish early in the morning, around sunset, or on cloudy days for better results. Try fishing the outside edges of weed beds, especially curly leaf pondweed, using bottom bouncers with spinners or rigging leeches.

Lake Ashtabula

Key Species:

• Walleye
• Smallmouth bass
• White bass
• Yellow perch
• Northern pike 

Why It’s Famous: A 27-mile long reservoir, Lake Ashtabula covers 5,178 acres with an average depth of 13 feet and a maximum depth of 43 feet. Multiple boat ramps, fishing piers, fish cleaning stations, and 74 miles of shoreline make it an angler-friendly destination. The lake is stocked annually with northern pike, walleye, and yellow perch fingerlings by North Dakota Game and Fish. 

Ice Fishing: The ice fishing season on Ashtabula typically runs from late December to early March, with optimal fishing times during dawn and dusk, and even at night for species like walleye. Live bait is often used on tip-ups, and while fish movement varies, 10-20 feet of water is often a good starting point. Shallower or deeper areas can also be productive, pending conditions.

Open Water Fishing: Ashtabula was created by the completion of Baldhill Dam back in 1950, and the long, narrow lake fishes more like a river than a reservoir. A drowned river channel winds along its entire length, along with some current. The fish are very current-oriented, so plan your tactics accordingly. In the spring, anglers target the north end of the lake with jigs and soft plastics. Summertime brings fish to the river channel edges and weedlines. Fall fishing focuses on the lower portion of the reservoir.

Insider Tip: The name “Ashtabula” is a Native American word meaning “Fish River,” which is fitting for the lake’s fish population. Seven boat ramps, two accessible fishing piers, and four automated fish cleaning stations mean the lake is also decidedly fishing friendly.

Tips for Fishing North Dakota’s Top Lakes

• Check Regulations with onX Fish: Each lake can have specific fishing regulations, including slot limits, size restrictions, and season closures. Always verify the rules before heading out.  
• Let onX be your Guide: If you’re new to a lake or targeting a specific species, let the onX Fish Midwest App get you up to speed on your species of interest through abundance, keeper, and trophy fish opportunities. Find information about where to launch, forage in the lake, and recent aerial imagery to help winter and summer anglers alike. In ten minutes, we aim to give you the equivalent of 10 years experience on the ground.      
• Gear Up for the Season: Summer anglers should pack trolling setups, casting rods, and live bait rigs, while ice anglers need sturdy augers, warm gear, and sonar.  
• Prioritize Structure: Focus on finding fish around structure; this will help narrow your targets. Scout online using onX Fish Midwest, then drop Waypoints on structure that looks promising for holding fish. Focus on seasonal patterns and go to the lake with a game plan. 
• Be Prepared for Weather: North Dakota weather can change rapidly, especially in winter, so keep onX Fish Midwest handy to see exact weather forecasts for your exact location. Dress in layers, and always check forecasts before heading onto the ice or water.