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284-acre reservoir near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 23 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.
Northgate Dam maps at 284 acres behind 3.4 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 83% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 1.5 mi end to end and 0.4 mi across at its widest. Burke County claims this one. Short Creek Dam sits 23 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 7 to 23 ft, wintering in 7 to 23 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 19 ft range, prime in fall. 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 7 to 23 ft, then a winter hold in 7 to 23 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 22 ft that grades prime for winter. 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 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season bluegill use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Summer is a 4 to 15 ft game here, winter a 7 to 23 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is a 6 to 23 ft game here, winter a 5 to 23 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 19 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 6 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 5 to 23 ft | dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring largemouth bass on Northgate Dam hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 23 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Break off the point (19 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Northgate Dam carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 22 ft down.
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 Northgate Dam specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Northgate Dam is about 23 ft (7 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, crappie, bluegill, rainbow trout, largemouth bass on Northgate Dam.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 19 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 Northgate Dam 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.
Short Creek Dam 23 mi · Smishek Lake 26 mi · Powers Lake 31 mi · Boundary Reservoir 34 mi, SK · Clearwater Lake 35 mi · Lake Darling 37 mi · White Earth Dam 38 mi · McGregor Dam 38 mi · Stanley Reservoir 43 mi · Tioga Dam 46 mi · Cottonwood Lake 57 mi · McLeod (Ray) Reservoir 57 mi
See how Northgate Dam stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in North Dakota · best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best crappie lakes in North Dakota · best bluegill 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.