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Fishing Horsehead Lake: what the data says
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.
Walleye fishing at Horsehead Lake
Spring walleye on Horsehead Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 21 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 21 ft. The spot to know is Gravel shoal, a gravel shoal in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Horsehead Lake
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 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. 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 | 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 |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 21 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 18 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 9 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Weed flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Horsehead Lake?
Horsehead Lake is about 21 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 Horsehead Lake?
Anglers target walleye, northern pike on Horsehead Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot 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.
When is the best time to fish Horsehead 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
Cherry Lake · Sibley Lake · McPhail WMA · Frettim Lake · Des Moines Lake · Remmick Lake
See how Horsehead Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike 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.