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175-acre lake near Bottineau County. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 29 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 175 acres of water rimmed by 2.1 miles of bank. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Roughly 75% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 0.8 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Bottineau County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Loon Lake, 2 mi west of here.
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 9 to 29 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 29 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 29 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 (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 9 to 29 ft | dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (29 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 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 2 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 (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (17 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (17 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Secondary point (11 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Count 7 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 29 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 Pelican Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Pelican Lake is about 29 ft (9 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 yellow perch, northern pike on Pelican Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 29 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in 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 Pelican 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.
Loon Lake 2 mi · Lake Metigoshe 4 mi, ND/MB · School Section Lake 12 mi · George Lake 13 mi, MB · Carpenter Lake 13 mi · Carbury Dam 14 mi · Dion Lake 17 mi · Jarvis Lake 19 mi · Upsilon Lake 20 mi · Gravel Lake 20 mi · Gordon Lake 22 mi · Belcourt Lake 24 mi
See how Pelican Lake stacks up: 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.