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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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Bader Lake runs 316 acres with 2.6 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.1 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 56% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 0.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.8 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Stutsman County. For a second option, Jay Nelson Lake lies 2 mi west.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. 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. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 6 to 19 ft game here, winter a 6 to 19 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 19 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. 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. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Bader Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 19 ft down.
Access data: North Dakota Game & Fish — Fishing Facilities. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for North Dakota waters are set by the North Dakota Game and Fish — and special regulations can apply to Bader Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Bader Lake is about 19 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike 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. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Bader Lake is regulated by the North Dakota Game and Fish. Check the official North Dakota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Jay Nelson Lake 2 mi · Trautman Slough 5 mi · Foot Lake 6 mi · Reule Lake 7 mi · Stink Lake 8 mi · Cleveland Slough 8 mi · South Stink Lake 8 mi · Crystal Springs 9 mi · Hehn-Schaffer Lake 12 mi · Zenker Lake 14 mi · Logan Lake 15 mi · Mud and Pearl Lakes 15 mi
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
More water nearby: Stutsman County fishing maps (17 charts). Browse all North Dakota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.