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Fishing St. Mary's Lake: what the data says
203-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.
Walleye fishing at St. Mary's Lake
Spring walleye on St. Mary's Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 19 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Yellow Perch fishing at St. Mary's Lake
Spring yellow perch on St. Mary's Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 6 to 19 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 19 ft. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 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 | 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) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 19 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 11 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 5 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is St. Mary's Lake?
St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's Lake?
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch on St. Mary's Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on St. Mary's Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish St. Mary's Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Moon Lake · Kee Lake · Eckelson Lake South · Middle Eckelson · Fox Lake · Island Lake
See how St. Mary's Lake stacks up: best walleye 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.