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1,433-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 34 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.
The outline encloses 1,433 acres, worked by 5.7 miles of shoreline. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 48% of this chart. Figure 2.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.6 mi at the beam. It sits in McIntosh County. If the bite dies, Dry Lake is 2 mi to the southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 34 ft before dropping to 10 to 34 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 34 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 10 to 34 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Back-bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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 (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (9 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 34 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Dorfman Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Dorfman Lake is about 34 ft (10 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 on Dorfman Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 27 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 Dorfman 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.
Dry Lake 2 mi · Pfeifle Lake 5 mi · Lake Hoskins 5 mi · Kislingbury Lake 6 mi · Green Lake 7 mi · Dollinger-Schnabel Lake 10 mi · Nagel Lake 12 mi · Lehr WMA 12 mi · Harr Lake 14 mi · Miller Lake 14 mi · Railroad Lake 15 mi · Ost Lake 16 mi
See how Dorfman Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: McIntosh 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.