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710-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 12 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Barnes Lake maps at 710 acres behind 4.4 miles of shoreline. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.7 mi with a 0.9-mi widest point. Stutsman County claims this one. Geier Lake sits 11 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 3 to 12 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 12 ft through summer, 4 to 12 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 8 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 12 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 12 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 12 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Barnes Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Barnes Lake is about 12 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 walleye, northern pike on Barnes Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Barnes 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.
Geier Lake 11 mi · Mud and Pearl Lakes 13 mi · Lake Williams 17 mi · Sykeston Dam 18 mi · Des Moines Lake 19 mi · Schumacher Lake 21 mi · Remmick Lake 21 mi · Frettim Lake 22 mi · Monson Lake 22 mi · Jasper Lake 23 mi · Reule Lake 23 mi · Stink Lake 25 mi
See how Barnes Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike 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.