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693-acre reservoir near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 26 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Bisbee Dam-Big Coulee draws 693 acres inside 4.5 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 85% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 1.9 mi, about 0.8 mi across. The water lies in Towner County. The nearest mapped water is Armourdale Dam, 17 mi to the north.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is an 8 to 26 ft game here, winter an 8 to 26 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run 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 | Creek inflow (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (18 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 |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 26 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 26 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | 8 to 26 ft | dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 8 to 26 ft. Top water on the chart: Old creek channel, a creek channel in the 8 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 24 ft.
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 Bisbee Dam-Big Coulee specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Bisbee Dam-Big Coulee is about 26 ft (8 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, yellow perch, crappie on Bisbee Dam-Big Coulee.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 18 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 Bisbee Dam-Big Coulee 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.
Armourdale Dam 17 mi · Martin Lake 22 mi · Belcourt Lake 24 mi · Gordon Lake 27 mi · Jarvis Lake 30 mi · Gravel Lake 30 mi · Upsilon Lake 31 mi · Dion Lake 34 mi · Cavanaugh Lake 34 mi · Carpenter Lake 36 mi · School Section Lake 36 mi · George Lake 41 mi, MB
See how Bisbee Dam-Big Coulee stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best crappie lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch 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.