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206-acre reservoir near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 14 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.
The drawn water covers 206 acres wrapped in 3 miles of bank. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 1.4 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Pierce County. Davis Lake sits 3 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 4 to 14 ft game here, winter a 4 to 14 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 and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Balta Dam carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 13 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 Balta Dam specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Balta Dam is about 14 ft (4 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 northern pike on Balta Dam.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For northern pike, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Balta Dam 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.
Davis Lake 3 mi · Antelope Lake 14 mi · Round Lake 14 mi · George Lake 18 mi · Clear Lake 21 mi · Goose Lake 23 mi · Harvey Dam 29 mi · Hinsz Lake 31 mi · Coal Mine Lake 34 mi · Buffalo Lodge Lake 35 mi · Twin Lakes 46 mi · Bisbee Dam-Big Coulee 46 mi
See how Balta Dam stacks up: best northern pike lakes in North Dakota
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.