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Fishing Pheasant Lake: what the data says
679-acre lake near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 19 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.
Northern Pike fishing at Pheasant Lake
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Best bite is 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Yellow Perch fishing at Pheasant Lake
Spring yellow perch on Pheasant Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Back-bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Crappie fishing at Pheasant Lake
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Pheasant Lake
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | midday | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 17 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 7 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 3 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Pheasant Lake?
Pheasant Lake is about 19 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Pheasant Lake?
Anglers target northern pike, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch on Pheasant Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Pheasant Lake?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Pheasant Lake?
For northern pike, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Coldwater Lake · Flood Lake South · Diamond Lake · Lake Lamoure · Harr Lake · Twin Lakes
See how Pheasant Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best crappie lakes in North Dakota · best bluegill lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
Browse all North Dakota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.