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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.
On the chart, South Carlson Lake draws 108 acres inside 1.9 miles of shoreline. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Roughly 94% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 0.9 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Ward County. For a second option, Rice Lake lies 7 mi northwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| 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 (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 7 to 23 ft game here, winter a 7 to 23 ft one. Start at Back-bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft | dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
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 7 to 23 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 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 (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
South Carlson Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 22 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 South Carlson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official North Dakota fishing regulations →
South Carlson Lake is about 23 ft (7 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 northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill 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. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on South Carlson 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.
Rice Lake 7 mi · Makoti Lake 16 mi · Hiddenwood Lake 16 mi · Scooby Lake 18 mi · Lake Audubon 25 mi · Strawberry Lake 30 mi · Riverdale Spillway Lake 31 mi · Long Lake 31 mi · Cottonwood Lake 36 mi · Lake Brekken 37 mi · Coal Lake 37 mi · Harmony Lake 38 mi
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 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.