Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
14,621-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 21 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.
The outline encloses 14,622 acres, worked by 18.9 miles of shoreline. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 66% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 7 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.1 mi at the beam. Kidder County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Cherry Lake, is 4 mi to the west.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 21 ft, wintering in 6 to 21 ft. Spring walleye concentrate at Gravel shoal, a prime-rated gravel shoal around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Gravel shoal (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 11 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 21 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 Horsehead Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Horsehead Lake is about 21 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 walleye, northern pike on Horsehead Lake.
Gravel shoal is the top-rated area: a gravel shoal in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. 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 Horsehead 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.
Cherry Lake 4 mi · Sibley Lake 7 mi · McPhail WMA 7 mi · Frettim Lake 8 mi · Des Moines Lake 9 mi · Lake Williams 10 mi · Remmick Lake 12 mi · Jasper Lake 13 mi · Schumacher Lake 14 mi · Lake Josephine 14 mi · Lake Isabel 16 mi · Lake Geneva 18 mi
See how Horsehead Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike 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.