← North Dakota fishing maps

Best largemouth bass lakes in North Dakota

24 North Dakota waters hold largemouth bass, 19 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. Ambush predator that relates to cover — weeds, timber, docks — and moves shallow to feed.

1. Missouri River — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
2. Riverdale Spillway Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
3. Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
4. Nelson Lake — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Common CarpWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
5. Northgate Dam — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Froelich Dam — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Consolidated Lake — 27 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
8. Brewer Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Harmon Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Sheep Creek Dam — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Raleigh Reservoir — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Camels Hump Lake — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Wood Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Larimore Dam — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. McDowell Dam — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Twin Lakes — 13 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
17. Indian Creek Dam — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Minnow Lake — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
19. Horseshoe Lake — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Cottonwood Lake — 11 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Dead Colt Creek — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Red Willow Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Spiritwood Lake — 52 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Sather Dam — 17 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

Find the closest largemouth bass waters to you →

When to fish largemouth bass in North Dakota

• Spring 2–10 ft — Pre-spawn through spawn: target shallow flats, pockets and cover near deep access.
• Summer 8–20 ft — Fish the edges: weedlines, drop-offs, and deep cover close to shallow feeding areas.
• Fall 4–15 ft — Follow the baitfish: points and creek channels leading into pockets.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Slow and deep: steep drops and channel bends near wintering basins.

Also in North Dakota: 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 freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best goldeye lakes

Largemouth Bass elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · Montana · New York · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · Florida · Indiana · Iowa · Texas · Ohio · Connecticut · Nebraska · Missouri · Vermont · California · Oklahoma · South Dakota · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · Illinois · New Mexico · Kansas · West Virginia · Mississippi · Idaho · New Jersey · Kentucky · Alabama · Oregon · Tennessee · Puerto Rico · Georgia · North Carolina · Delaware · Nevada · Virginia · Rhode Island · Louisiana · South Carolina · Pennsylvania · Arkansas · Maryland · Hawaii