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16,612-acre reservoir near Coleharbor. The lake tops out around 59 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 15,724 acres of water rimmed by 59.8 miles of bank — one island included. A development index of 3.4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 53% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 8.2 mi end to end and 6.5 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in McLean County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Coal Lake, 12 mi southeast of here.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 27 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Rock reef, a rock pile in the 8 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring white bass on Lake Audubon hold shallow, usually 2 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Offshore hump — offshore hump, 13 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
In spring, muskellunge run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Fall muskellunge concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 27 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (27 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Lake Audubon also holds common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer), cisco (lake herring) (18 to 59.4 ft in summer), goldeye (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 15 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 50 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 Lake Audubon specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Lake Audubon is about 59.4 ft (18 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, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, white bass, muskellunge, common carp, freshwater drum, cisco (lake herring), goldeye on Lake Audubon.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 27 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 Lake Audubon 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.
Coal Lake 12 mi · Lake Brekken 14 mi · Riverdale Spillway Lake 14 mi · Scooby Lake 15 mi · Lake Holmes 15 mi · Cottonwood Lake 16 mi · Long Lake 17 mi · Strawberry Lake 18 mi · Brush Lake 22 mi · West Park Lake 25 mi · South Carlson Lake 25 mi · Harmony Lake 27 mi
See how Lake Audubon stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in North Dakota · best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best white bass lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: McLean County fishing maps (12 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.