Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
315-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 21 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.
Traced from the shoreline, Brush Lake runs 315 acres with 2.8 miles of edge. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 75% of this chart. The basin spans about 1.1 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in McLean County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Holmes, 7 mi west of here.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 21 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 21 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 16 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 (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (21 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 21 ft game here, winter a 6 to 21 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 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 (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (21 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 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 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 (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 21 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Brush Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 21 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 Brush Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Brush Lake is about 21 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, bluegill on Brush Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Brush 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.
Lake Holmes 7 mi · Cottonwood Lake 8 mi · Lake Brekken 8 mi · West Park Lake 12 mi · East Park Lake 12 mi · South (Hoffer) McClusky 13 mi · Heckers Lake 13 mi · Long Lake 15 mi · New Johns Lake 15 mi · Coal Lake 17 mi · Strawberry Lake 17 mi · Lake Audubon 22 mi
See how Brush Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best bluegill lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: McLean County fishing maps (12 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.