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Jamestown to LaMoure The river tops out around 6 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
James River maps at 3,605 acres behind 126 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 15, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. The basin spans about 41.7 mi end to end and 7 mi across at its widest. Stutsman County claims this one. Boom Lake sits 8 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Riffle & run (mile 2.5), a rock pile in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 2.5) (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Inside bend (mile 16.2) (5 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & night | Inside bend (mile 16.2) (5 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. Put Inside bend (mile 16.2) first on the milk run — a point near 5 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Inside bend (mile 16.2) (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Inside bend (mile 16.2) (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Inside bend (mile 16.2) (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring channel catfish on James River hold shallow, usually 2 to 6 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 6 ft in summer, 2 to 6 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) — creek channel, 5 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Eddy pocket (mile 36.5) (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 5 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 2 to 6 ft. Eddy pocket (mile 36.5) is the standout, an eddy pocket at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for fall yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 13.0) (3 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Eddy pocket (mile 36.5) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Eddy pocket (mile 36.5) (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Count 36 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), sits near 5 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 James River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
James River is about 6 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, channel catfish, crappie, yellow perch on James River.
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 James River 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.
Boom Lake 8 mi · Kee Lake 18 mi · Twin Lakes 19 mi · Island Lake 19 mi · Eckelson Lake South 20 mi · Middle Eckelson 22 mi · St. Mary's Lake 23 mi · Moon Lake 23 mi · Fox Lake 24 mi · Kalmbach Lake 25 mi · Lake Lamoure 25 mi · Pipestem Reservoir 27 mi
See how James River stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best crappie lakes in North Dakota · best channel catfish lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: Stutsman County fishing maps (17 charts). Browse all North Dakota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.