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164-acre reservoir near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 17 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Sather Dam draws 164 acres inside 2 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. 98% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.6 mi with a 0.6-mi widest point. You'll find it in McKenzie County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Gartside Reservoir, 23 mi west of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 17 ft before dropping to 5 to 17 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 1 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 17 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 9 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 17 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 Sather Dam specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
Sather Dam is about 17 ft (5 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 crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass on Sather Dam.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For crappie, 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.
Fishing on Sather 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.
Gartside Reservoir 23 mi, MT · Trenton Lake 27 mi · Epping-Springbrook Dam 45 mi · Odland Dam 45 mi · Camels Hump Lake 50 mi · Blacktail Dam 53 mi · McLeod (Ray) Reservoir 55 mi · Lake Ilo 58 mi · Tioga Dam 65 mi · Cottonwood Lake 66 mi · Lake Sakakawea 70 mi · Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) 71 mi
See how Sather Dam stacks up: best largemouth bass 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.