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1,200-acre lake near Dickinson. The lake tops out around 22 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) draws 1,367 acres inside 11.6 miles of shoreline. An index of 2.2 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Roughly 92% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 3.4 mi end to end and 1.9 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Stark County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Larson Lake, 34 mi southeast of here.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 7 to 22 ft, then a winter hold in 7 to 22 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 22 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for fall northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| 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 | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 22 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 22 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Dock / pier line (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Dock / pier line (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 22 ft before dropping to 7 to 22 ft for winter. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 22 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (22 ft) | |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | dusk | Deep basin (22 ft) | |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 7 to 22 ft for winter. Winter largemouth bass concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring yellow perch on Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 7 to 22 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 22 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 22 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
14 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 22 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 Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) is about 22 ft (7 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, crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, common carp on Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake).
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Open the map above to see every rated 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 Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson 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.
Larson Lake 34 mi · Lake Ilo 35 mi · Indian Creek Dam 38 mi · Cedar Lake 39 mi · Camels Hump Lake 46 mi · Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida) 49 mi · Gascoyne Lake 51 mi · Odland Dam 56 mi · Danzig Dam 59 mi · Sheep Creek Dam 60 mi · Mirror Lake 60 mi · Bowman-Haley Dam 64 mi
See how Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in North Dakota · best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best crappie 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.