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1,325-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 19 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, Helen Lake runs 1,325 acres with 5.6 miles of edge. Nearly circular (index 1.1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. 68% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.2 mi with a 1.3-mi widest point. The water lies in Kidder County. For a second option, Lake Josephine lies 5 mi southeast.
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 19 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 19 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 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 | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 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 (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 19 ft.
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 Helen Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Helen Lake is about 19 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 Helen Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
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 Helen 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 Josephine 5 mi · Woodhouse Lake 6 mi · Davis WPA 11 mi · Jasper Lake 14 mi · Crimmins WPA 15 mi · Cherry Lake 15 mi · Schumacher Lake 15 mi · Remmick Lake 15 mi · Silver Lake WMA 16 mi · Frettim Lake 16 mi · Hurdsfield-Tuffy Lake 17 mi · Monson Lake 18 mi
See how Helen Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: Kidder County fishing maps (19 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.