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Fishing South Carlson Lake: what the data says
108-acre lake 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.
Northern Pike fishing at South Carlson Lake
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 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 bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 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 South Carlson Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 7 to 23 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 23 ft. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Bluegill fishing at South Carlson Lake
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 23 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. 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 | 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 | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 22 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 15 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 5 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is South Carlson Lake?
South Carlson Lake is about 23 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 South Carlson Lake?
Anglers target northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch on South Carlson Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on South Carlson 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 South Carlson 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
Rice Lake · Makoti Lake · Hiddenwood Lake · Scooby Lake · Lake Audubon · Riverdale Spillway Lake
See how South Carlson Lake stacks up: best northern pike 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.