← North Dakota fishing maps

Best northern pike lakes in North Dakota

150 North Dakota waters hold northern pike, 145 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. Aggressive ambush predator that patrols weed edges and cool water.

1. Devils Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
2. Lake Darling — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
3. Stump Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
4. Lake Ashtabula — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
5. Dry Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
6. Alkaline Lake — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
7. Horsehead Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike
8. Missouri River — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
9. Jamestown Reservoir — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
10. Red River of the North — 8 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish, Freshwater Drum
11. Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida) — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
12. Lake Audubon — 59.4 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
13. Twin Lakes — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
14. James River — 6 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Channel Catfish
15. Powers Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
16. Reule Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch
17. Mount Carmel Dam — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow Perch
18. Bowman-Haley Dam — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
19. Sheyenne River — 6 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Channel Catfish
20. Goose Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
21. West Lake Napoleon — 11 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
22. Lake Metigoshe — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
23. Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
24. Alkali Lake — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
25. Pipestem Reservoir — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow Perch

…plus 125 more North Dakota waters holding northern pike.

When to fish northern pike in North Dakota

• Spring 2–8 ft — Shallow, dark-bottomed bays that warm first; pike spawn in flooded vegetation.
• Summer 8–20 ft — Deep weedlines and cool water; the biggest fish slide deeper than most anglers fish.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Trophy time: big baits near the last green weeds and steep breaks.
• Winter 5–15 ft — Weedy flats near drop-offs; pike remain active all winter.

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

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