Largemouth bass Lakes in North Dakota
Found in 21 North Dakota lakes · 172 in Michigan
Rough fish like Largemouth bass are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 172 North Dakota lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Largemouth bass is moderately distributed — 172 lakes in Michigan. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.
Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Largemouth bass lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Largemouth bass documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.
Largemouth bass Lakes Map
Every North Dakota lake with documented largemouth bass, colored by water-quality grade.
Best Largemouth bass Lakes in North Dakota
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wood Lake | Benson | A | - | 26.2 ft |
| 2 | Velva Sportsmans Dam Lake | Ward | B | 13.6 ft | 23.2 ft |
| 3 | Kota Ray Dam Lake | Williams | B | 7.7 ft | 26.2 ft |
| 4 | Patterson Lake | Stark | B | - | 24.8 ft |
| 5 | Northgate Dam Lake | Burke | B | 9.4 ft | 23.6 ft |
| 6 | Baukol-Noonan Dam Lake | Divide | B | 9.7 ft | 28 ft |
| 7 | North Lemmon Lake | Adams | B | 5.7 ft | 31.4 ft |
| 8 | Kettle Lake | Williams | B | 5.3 ft | 35.8 ft |
| 9 | Red Willow Lake | Griggs | C | 6.4 ft | 23.5 ft |
| 10 | Clausen Springs Lake | Barnes | C | - | 29.1 ft |
| 11 | Indian Creek Dam Lake | Hettinger | C | 3.1 ft | 30 ft |
| 12 | E. A. Patterson Lake | Stark | D | 5.3 ft | 18.4 ft |
| 13 | Larimore Dam Lake | Grand Forks | D | 3 ft | 28.2 ft |
| 14 | Mcdowell Dam Lake | Burleigh | D | 1.6 ft | 39.6 ft |
| 15 | Sheep Creek Dam Lake | Grant | D | 2.7 ft | 33 ft |
| 16 | Brewer Lake | Cass | D | 4.3 ft | 30.9 ft |
| 17 | Nygren Dam Lake | Morton | D | 2.6 ft | 35.5 ft |
| 18 | Nelson Lake | Oliver | D | 1.3 ft | 33.4 ft |
| 19 | Froelich Dam Lake | Sioux | D | 3.9 ft | 34.2 ft |
| 20 | Dead Colt Creek Dam Lake | Ransom | F | 3.3 ft | 39.4 ft |
| 21 | Harmon Lake | Morton | F | - | 46.8 ft |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many North Dakota lakes have largemouth bass?
Largemouth bass are found in 21 lakes in North Dakota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is C (Fair).
What are the best largemouth bass lakes in North Dakota?
The best largemouth bass lakes in North Dakota by water quality are Wood Lake, Velva Sportsmans Dam Lake, Kota Ray Dam Lake, Patterson Lake, Northgate Dam Lake.
Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.