What is the deepest lake in North Dakota?

Of the lakes with a published depth, Lake Sakakawea is the deepest at about 180 ft.

Deepest lakes in North Dakota: 9 lakes ranked by depth

Which lakes in North Dakota go deepest? These 9 have a published maximum depth, from Lake Sakakawea at about 180 ft down.

Deepest first

#	Lake	Deepest	Size
1	Lake Sakakawea	about 180 ft	307,000 acres
2	Stump Lake	about 73 ft	15,700 acres
3	Lake Audubon	about 60 ft	16,600 acres
4	Lake Tschida	about 57 ft	3,400 acres
5	Lake Ashtabula	about 45 ft	5,170 acres
6	Jamestown Reservoir	about 38 ft	2,100 acres
7	Lake Darling	about 29 ft	9,430 acres
8	Horsehead Lake	about 22 ft	10,100 acres
9	Alkaline Lake	about 18 ft	5,380 acres

1. Lake Sakakawea

At some 307,000 acres, Lake Sakakawea is a huge piece of water. Walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and catfish are the draw. The deepest water is around 180 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has two sheltered coves and a wind-blown bank: good places to start.

Lake Sakakawea today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Stump Lake

Stump Lake covers 15,700 acres of water. You will find it within an easy drive of Grand Forks (about 59 miles). Walleye, yellow perch and northern pike are the draw. It goes down to about 73 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and an upper arm to work. Stump Lake rose dramatically in the late 20th century and now connects by spillway into the Devils Lake basin.

Stump Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Lake Audubon

Lake Audubon spreads over 16,600 acres. The lake is about 54 miles south of Bismarck. It is the Missouri River (via Lake Sakakawea / Snake Creek Pumping Plant) behind Snake Creek embankment. It holds walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie and northern pike. At about 60 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Lake Audubon is a sub-impoundment separated from the much larger Lake Sakakawea by an embankment, and is filled by pumping water from Sakakawea.

Lake Audubon today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Lake Tschida

At some 3,400 acres, Lake Tschida is a good-sized lake. The lake is about 17 miles southeast of Carson. Heart Butte Dam holds it on the Heart River. Like most lakes its size in North Dakota, it should hold walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. It goes down to about 57 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look.

Lake Tschida today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Lake Ashtabula

At 5,170 acres of water, Lake Ashtabula is a good-sized lake. It lies within an easy drive of Fargo (about 59 miles). Baldhill Dam holds it on the Sheyenne River. Expect walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The deepest water is around 45 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Lake Ashtabula stretches 27 miles along the Sheyenne River behind Baldhill Dam, completed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1950.

Lake Ashtabula today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Jamestown Reservoir

Jamestown Reservoir spreads over some 2,100 acres. The lake is near Jamestown. Jamestown Dam holds it on the James River. Northern pike, walleye, crappie and bluegill are the draw. At about 38 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Jamestown Reservoir, formed by Jamestown Dam on the James River, can expand to over six times its normal surface area during flood storage.

Jamestown Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Lake Darling

At 9,430 acres of water, Lake Darling is a good-sized lake. You will find it near Minot Air Force Base. It holds walleye, yellow perch, northern pike and smallmouth bass. The deepest water is around 29 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Lake Darling is impounded on the Souris River by an earthen dam built in 1936 within Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge.

Lake Darling today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Horsehead Lake

At 10,100 acres, Horsehead Lake is a big lake. The lake is within an easy drive of Bismarck (about 48 miles). Northern pike and walleye are the draw. The deepest water is around 22 ft. Its bed shows three steep ledges and an upper arm worth a first look. Horsehead Lake is a natural prairie lake in Kidder County managed for abundant northern pike and walleye.

Horsehead Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Alkaline Lake

At some 5,380 acres, Alkaline Lake is a good-sized lake. You will find it near Napoleon. The fish here are walleye, northern pike and yellow perch. The deepest water is around 18 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start.

Alkaline Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Fishing deep water

In summer a deep lake splits into a warm top layer and a cold bottom; fish hold near the line between them, often 20 to 40 ft down. A depth finder, a slow troll or a jig dropped straight down finds them.