← North Dakota fishing maps

Best common carp lakes in North Dakota

25 North Dakota waters hold common carp, 22 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. 20-pound freight trains in every water. Feed on shallow mud flats — sight-fish them like bonefish.

1. Missouri River — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
2. Jamestown Reservoir — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
3. Red River of the North — 8 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish, Freshwater Drum
4. Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida) — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
5. Lake Audubon — 59.4 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
6. Bowman-Haley Dam — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
7. Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
8. Pipestem Reservoir — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow Perch
9. New Johns Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill
10. Juanita Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
11. Trenton Lake — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
12. Hurdsfield-Tuffy Lake — 27 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
13. Silver Lake WMA — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
14. Heckers Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill
15. Cedar Lake — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
16. East Park Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill
17. Sweet Briar Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
18. Lake Lamoure — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
19. Lake Isabel — 11 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
20. West Moran Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
21. Danzig Dam — 11 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
22. Lake Elsie — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
23. Ole Breum Lake — 31 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
24. South (Hoffer) McClusky — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
25. Larimore Dam — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie

When to fish common carp in North Dakota

• Spring 2–10 ft — The best sight-fishing of the year — mudding fish in warm bays.
• Summer 3–15 ft — Chum a spot and wait — carp patrol the same flats daily.
• Fall 5–18 ft — Heavy feeding before winter; find the warmest water.
• Winter 10–30 ft — Podded up in deep, slow water.

Also in North Dakota: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best goldeye lakes

Common Carp elsewhere: Minnesota · Michigan · Montana · Washington · Iowa · Indiana · Connecticut · Nebraska · Ohio · Utah · Colorado · New York · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Texas · Illinois · Kansas · Tennessee · Missouri · Delaware · New Jersey · Virginia