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1,972-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 12 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 follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 1,972 acres of water rimmed by 6.7 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.1) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Figure 2.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.1 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Dunn County. For a second option, Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) lies 35 mi south.
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 12 ft; the winter hold is 4 to 12 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 7 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 | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Old creek channel (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (7 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 12 ft; the winter hold is 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 12 ft that scores prime in fall. 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 (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 12 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 7 ft range, prime in fall. 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 (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 12 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Ilo specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Lake Ilo is about 12 ft (4 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, northern pike on Lake Ilo.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. 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 Lake Ilo 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.
Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) 35 mi · Lake Sakakawea 36 mi · Harmony Lake 47 mi · Hiddenwood Lake 53 mi · Makoti Lake 54 mi · Sather Dam 58 mi · Danzig Dam 58 mi · Riverdale Spillway Lake 59 mi · Camels Hump Lake 61 mi · Heart Butte Reservoir (Lake Tschida) 63 mi · Larson Lake 64 mi · Odland Dam 67 mi
See how Lake Ilo stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
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.