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1,315-acre reservoir near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 20 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's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Harvey Dam draws 1,315 acres inside 7.6 miles of shoreline. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 3.5 mi long by 0.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Wells County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Goose Lake, 7 mi north of here.
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Put Back-bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 9 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| 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 | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 12 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 17 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 Harvey Dam specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Harvey Dam is about 20 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 yellow perch, northern pike on Harvey Dam.
Back-bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in 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 Harvey Dam 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.
Goose Lake 7 mi · Coal Mine Lake 11 mi · Clear Lake 12 mi · Antelope Lake 17 mi · Hinsz Lake 19 mi · Stober Lake 20 mi · Hurdsfield-Tuffy Lake 20 mi · Silver Lake WMA 24 mi · Round Lake 25 mi · South (Hoffer) McClusky 29 mi · Monson Lake 29 mi · Davis Lake 29 mi
See how Harvey Dam stacks up: best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: Wells County fishing maps (6 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.