What can you catch ice fishing in North Dakota?

North Dakota's hard-water species are led by yellow perch (113 lakes), northern pike (110 lakes), walleye (97 lakes), bluegill (62 lakes). Across 137 lakes with fish-survey data, 9 species are commonly targeted through the ice.

Where is the best ice fishing in North Dakota?

Ranked by water quality first, Jarvis Beach Lake in Rolette County leads — grade A water holding 3 ice-target species. Water clarity matters more through the ice than most anglers expect: clearer water means fish hold deeper and spook more easily, so the grade is a genuine planning signal, not decoration.

Is the ice safe in North Dakota?

Nothing on this page can answer that. We report which lakes hold which species, their water quality, and when lakes have historically frozen — not ice thickness, which we do not measure for any lake. Agency guidance is that no ice is ever completely safe and that thickness varies widely across a single lake. Read the ice thickness guidelines, measure it yourself as you go out, and call a local bait shop for current conditions.

Ice Fishing in North Dakota

Q: Do you need a fishing license to ice fish in North Dakota?

Yes — North Dakota requires the same fishing licence for ice fishing as for open water. A resident annual licence is $27 and a non-resident annual is $68 (North Dakota also requires the once-yearly Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate ($2 resident / $5 nonresident), so a first purchase totals $29 resident and $73 nonresident.). Fish-house tagging and shelter-removal deadlines are separate rules — check current requirements with North Dakota Game and Fish Department before you go.

137 North Dakota lakes hold species targeted through the ice, and every one carries an A–F water quality grade from EPA and state agency sampling. Below: what swims where, winter depths and techniques by species, and the lakes that rank highest on water quality.

Updated 2026-07-20T13:08:09.728Z · Ice thickness guidelines →

137

Lakes with ice species

Species through the ice

Grade A or B water

—

Earliest typical freeze-up

What to Target Through the Ice in North Dakota

Winter holding depth and technique by species, with how many North Dakota lakes hold each.

Species	Lakes	Winter depth	Where they hold	Technique
Yellow Perch	113	15–35 ft	deep flats and basin	tungsten jigs and small spoons — a top ice target
Northern Pike	110	6–20 ft	weed edges and flats	tip-ups with large shiners/suckers
Walleye	97	8–25 ft	first breaks off structure, dusk feeding windows	jigging spoons and rattle baits, deadstick minnows
Bluegill	62	8–20 ft	basin holes and deep weed edges	tungsten ice jigs with waxworms/plastics
Black Crappie	41	10–25 ft	basin and deep brush — suspend and roam	tungsten jigs & minnows; dusk bite
Rainbow Trout	13	5–25 ft	clear lakes / stocked ice fishery	small jigs, spoons, PowerBait
White Crappie	8	10–25 ft	deep brush and channels	small jigs & minnows
Brown Trout	3	5–25 ft	deep clear lakes / stocked ice fishery	jigging spoons, minnows
Cisco	1	15–40 ft	suspended over the basin	tiny spoons and jigs — a fun ice target

North Dakota Ice-Fishing Lakes by Water Quality

Ranked by A–F grade, then by how many ice-target species the lake holds.

#	Lake	County	Grade	Ice species	Max depth
1	Jarvis Beach Lake	Rolette	A	3	26 ft
2	Epping-Springbrook Dam-Littoral Lake	Williams	A	3	25 ft
3	Wood Lake	Benson	A	3	26 ft
4	Arnegard Dam Lake	McKenzie	A	3	12 ft
5	Free Peoples Lake	Benson	A	1	54 ft
6	Lake Upsilon	Rolette	A	5	25 ft
7	Spiritwood Lake	Stutsman	A	4	55 ft
8	Twin Lakes	LaMoure	A	3	40 ft
9	Round Lake	McHenry	A	3	17 ft
10	Patterson Lake	Stark	B	5	25 ft
11	Whitman Dam Lake	Nelson	B	4	21 ft
12	Arroda Lake	Oliver	B	3	37 ft
13	Kota Ray Dam Lake	Williams	B	3	26 ft
14	Skjermo Lake	Divide	B	2	19 ft
15	Davis Dam Lake	Slope	B	1	6 ft
16	Jamestown Reservoir	Stutsman	B	6	36 ft
17	Lake Ashtabula	Barnes	B	5	43 ft
18	Mt Carmel Dam Lake	Cavalier	B	4	31 ft
19	Homme Dam Lake	Walsh	B	4	29 ft
20	Pheasant Lake	Dickey	B	4	19 ft
21	Blacktail Dam Lake	Williams	B	4	36 ft
22	Baukol-Noonan Dam Lake	Divide	B	4	28 ft
23	Lake Audubon	McLean	B	3	59 ft
24	Lake Darling	Renville	B	3	29 ft
25	Clark Lake	Stutsman	B	3	22 ft

North Dakota Fishing Licence

Ice fishing uses the same licence as open water in North Dakota. A resident annual licence is $27, non-resident $68 (North Dakota also requires the once-yearly Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate ($2 resident / $5 nonresident), so a first purchase totals $29 resident and $73 nonresident.). Fish-house tagging and shelter-removal deadlines are separate rules — check North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

North Dakota licence costs and rules →North Dakota Game and Fish Department regulations →

We do not measure ice

Nothing on this page tells you whether the ice is safe. We hold no thickness data for any lake and never estimate it. Agency guidance is that no ice is ever completely safe, and that thickness varies widely across a single lake. Read the ice thickness guidelines, measure as you go, and call a local bait shop for current conditions.

Where to stay for ice fishing in North Dakota

Cabins, lodges, and rentals near North Dakota's hard-water lakes — live availability and prices for your ice-fishing trip.

Top-rated places to stay near North Dakota ice-fishing lakes

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Ice fishing in every state →Best ice-fishing lakes in North Dakota →North Dakota fishing by county →All North Dakota lakes →

Sources: state DNR fish surveys; EPA Water Quality Portal for grades.