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Fishing Bader Lake: what the data says
316-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 19 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Walleye fishing at Bader Lake
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 6 to 19 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 19 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 19 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Bader Lake
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Yellow Perch fishing at Bader Lake
Spring yellow perch on Bader Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 19 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 19 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 19 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 19 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 9 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 3 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Bader Lake?
Bader Lake is about 19 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Bader Lake?
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch on Bader Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Bader Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Bader Lake?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Jay Nelson Lake · Trautman Slough · Foot Lake · Reule Lake · Stink Lake · Cleveland Slough
See how Bader Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
Browse all North Dakota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.