Updated Jul 2026
North Dakota Fishing Guide
23 documented fish species across 143 graded North Dakota lakes. Filter the map by species, then find the cleanest-graded water for what you want to catch.
North Dakota Fish Map
Every North Dakota lake with a documented fishery, colored by water-quality grade. Pick a species to see only the lakes that hold it.
Best-Graded Lakes by Species
Top North Dakota game species, ranked by water-quality grade. Nobody else grades the water under the fish.
Northern Pike
All 110 →- AWood LakeBenson
- AArnegard Dam LakeMcKenzie
- AEpping-Springbrook Dam-Littoral LakeWilliams
- AJarvis Beach LakeRolette
- ASpiritwood LakeStutsman
- ALake UpsilonRolette
Walleye
All 97 →- AWood LakeBenson
- AFree Peoples LakeBenson
- AEpping-Springbrook Dam-Littoral LakeWilliams
- AJarvis Beach LakeRolette
- ASpiritwood LakeStutsman
- ALake UpsilonRolette
Smallmouth Bass
All 24 →- ASpiritwood LakeStutsman
- BLake AshtabulaBarnes
- BLake AshtabulaBarnes
- BLake DarlingRenville
- BLake DarlingRenville
- BJamestown ReservoirStutsman
Fish Species in North Dakota
Every documented species, grouped by type. Each links to the best-graded North Dakota lakes for that fish.
Game Fish
Trout, Salmon & Coldwater
Catfish & Bullhead
North Dakota Fishing by County
Lakes with a documented fishery, by county.
Where to stay for a North Dakota fishing trip
Top-rated places to stay near North Dakota lakes
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What fish are in North Dakota lakes?
North Dakota lakes have 23 documented fish species across 143 graded lakes. The most common are Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Walleye, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Black Bullhead.
What are the best fishing lakes in North Dakota?
The best North Dakota fishing lakes pair a documented fishery with a high water-quality grade. Use the species filter on the map, or the best-by-species tables, to find A- and B-graded lakes for your target species.
Where does the North Dakota fish data come from?
Fish species are documented by state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records, joined to each lake's EPA water-quality grade. It reflects documented presence, not a guarantee every species is currently catchable.
Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.