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Rating depth structure for walleye.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
840-acre lake near Jamestown. The lake tops out around 26 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The drawn water covers 970 acres wrapped in 10.6 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 2.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The basin spans about 4 mi end to end and 0.9 mi across at its widest. It sits in Stutsman County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Jamestown Reservoir, is 4 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 26 ft before dropping to 8 to 26 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 10 to 25 ft game here, winter an 8 to 26 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 14 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. 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 | 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 | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 26 ft before dropping to 8 to 26 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Back-bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 9 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, common carp slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 26 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) |
Pipestem Reservoir carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 14 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 Pipestem Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Pipestem Reservoir is about 26 ft (8 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target walleye, crappie, northern pike, yellow perch, common carp on Pipestem Reservoir.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 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 Pipestem Reservoir 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.
Jamestown Reservoir 4 mi · R and M Lake 12 mi · Alkali Lake 12 mi · Spiritwood Lake 12 mi · Hoggarth Dam 16 mi · Cleveland Slough 17 mi · Island Lake 19 mi · Fox Lake 21 mi · Trautman Slough 21 mi · Middle Eckelson 23 mi · Eckelson Lake South 24 mi · Bader Lake 25 mi
See how Pipestem Reservoir stacks up: best walleye lakes in North Dakota · best northern pike lakes in North Dakota · best crappie lakes in North Dakota · best yellow perch lakes in North Dakota
More water nearby: Stutsman County fishing maps (17 charts). Browse all North Dakota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.