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Best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota

178 North Dakota waters hold yellow perch, 174 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. The premier eating panfish. Roams soft-bottom flats and weed edges in schools — a daytime biter.

1. Lake Sakakawea — 220 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
2. Lake Oahe — 205 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
3. Devils Lake — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites
4. Lake Darling — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
5. Lake Ashtabula — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
6. Stump Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Jamestown Reservoir — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
8. Dry Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
9. Alkaline Lake — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Missouri River — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites
11. Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida) — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 11 public access sites
12. Lake Audubon — 59.4 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
13. James River — 6 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
14. Mount Carmel Dam — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow PerchWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Bowman-Haley Dam — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
16. Twin Lakes — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Antelope Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Powers Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
19. Alkali Lake — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Reule Lake — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Pipestem Reservoir — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Lake Metigoshe — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
23. Goose Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Buffalo Lodge Lake — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. West Lake Napoleon — 11 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 153 more North Dakota waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in North Dakota

• Spring 3–12 ft — Spawning runs to shallow weeds and gravel — find the school, stay on it.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Schools slide deeper to soft-bottom flats and deep weedlines.
• Fall 12–35 ft — Jumbo perch pod up on deep basin flats feeding on invertebrates.
• Winter 15–35 ft — A premier ice-fishing target — deep mud flats, small jigs.

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 freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best goldeye lakes

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