Channel Catfish Lakes in North Dakota
Found in 19 North Dakota lakes
Channel Catfish fits the catfish niche: tolerant of warm, turbid water, often present in productive (eutrophic) lakes. 19 lakes in our dataset have a record. Channel Catfish is narrowly distributed — only 19 lakes in North Dakota have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.
Catfish-bearing lakes are often productive systems — the kind where the fish do well even when clarity does not. Cross-reference the Channel Catfish lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Channel Catfish documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.
Best Channel Catfish Lakes in North Dakota
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arnegard Dam Lake | McKenzie | A | - | 12.2 ft |
| 2 | Epping-Springbrook Dam-Littoral Lake | Williams | A | - | 25.4 ft |
| 3 | Patterson Lake | Stark | B | - | 24.8 ft |
| 4 | Mooreton Pond | Richland | C | 3 ft | 19.5 ft |
| 5 | Lake Tschida | Grant | C | 5.1 ft | 57 ft |
| 6 | Lake Tschida | Grant | C | 5.2 ft | 57 ft |
| 7 | Belfield Dam Lake | Stark | C | 3.8 ft | 16.3 ft |
| 8 | Custer Mine Pond | McLean | C | 2.2 ft | 23.7 ft |
| 9 | Trenton Lake | Williams | C | 1.5 ft | 8.1 ft |
| 10 | Epping-Springbrook Dam-S Inlet Lake | Williams | C | - | 25.4 ft |
| 11 | Lake Tschida | Grant | C | 2.4 ft | 57 ft |
| 12 | Lake Tschida | Grant | C | 3.6 ft | 57 ft |
| 13 | E. A. Patterson Lake | Stark | D | 5.3 ft | 18.4 ft |
| 14 | Epping-Springbrook Dam-Deepest Lake | Williams | D | 4.9 ft | 25.4 ft |
| 15 | Stanley Reservoir | Mountrail | D | 1.1 ft | 22.5 ft |
| 16 | Sweetbriar Dam Lake | Morton | F | 3 ft | 29.9 ft |
| 17 | Sweet Briar Dam-Mid Reservoir | Morton | F | 3 ft | 29.9 ft |
| 18 | Mirror Lake | Adams | F | 2.1 ft | 16.1 ft |
| 19 | Harmon Lake | Morton | F | - | 46.8 ft |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many North Dakota lakes have channel catfish?
Channel Catfish are found in 19 lakes in North Dakota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is C (Fair).
What are the best channel catfish lakes in North Dakota?
The best channel catfish lakes in North Dakota by water quality are Arnegard Dam Lake, Epping-Springbrook Dam-Littoral Lake, Patterson Lake, Mooreton Pond, Lake Tschida.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.