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322-acre lake near Barnes County. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 8 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 the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The outline encloses 322 acres, worked by 3.2 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 1.4 mi, about 0.5 mi across. Barnes County claims this one. If the bite dies, Fox Lake is 4 mi to the northeast.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 8 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 Island Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Island Lake is about 8 ft (2 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, yellow perch on Island Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Island 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.
Fox Lake 4 mi · Middle Eckelson 5 mi · Eckelson Lake South 5 mi · Kee Lake 6 mi · Moon Lake 11 mi · St. Mary's Lake 12 mi · Alkali Lake 13 mi · Spiritwood Lake 15 mi · Jamestown Reservoir 18 mi · Pipestem Reservoir 19 mi · James River 19 mi · Boom Lake 20 mi
See how Island Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: Barnes County fishing maps (10 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.