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Fishing Hehn-Schaffer Lake: what the data says
611-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 25 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Walleye fishing at Hehn-Schaffer Lake
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Hehn-Schaffer Lake
Spring northern pike on Hehn-Schaffer Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Yellow Perch fishing at Hehn-Schaffer Lake
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 22 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 5 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Hehn-Schaffer Lake?
Hehn-Schaffer Lake is about 25 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Hehn-Schaffer Lake?
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch on Hehn-Schaffer Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Hehn-Schaffer 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.
When is the best time to fish Hehn-Schaffer Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Logan Lake · Zenker Lake · Trautman Slough · Cleveland Slough · Bader Lake · Kalmbach Lake
See how Hehn-Schaffer Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
Browse all North Dakota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.