Best Ice Fishing Lakes in North Dakota

Short answer: for walleye, start with Devils Lake, Stump Lake and Lake Sakakawea. ND Game and Fish says the Devils Lake walleye population continues to do well and Stump Lake walleye are doing very well. It also says Sakakawea walleye abundance is above the long-term average. For perch, the 2026 outlook favors Stump Lake. It expects Devils Lake perch fishing to run slow. For crappie, Jamestown Reservoir. For pike, Devils Lake, Stump Lake and Lake Metigoshe. Lake Ashtabula and Lake Darling are good smaller-water walleye picks.

The state's fishery outlooks are why these lakes made the list. They are fish reports, not ice reports. We give no catch rates and no records.

No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

Quick list by species:

• Walleye: Devils Lake, Stump Lake, Lake Sakakawea, Lake Oahe (ND part), Lake Ashtabula, Lake Darling, Lake Metigoshe.
• Yellow perch: Stump Lake, Lake Ashtabula (moderate numbers).
• Crappie: Jamestown Reservoir, Trenton Lake.
• Northern pike: Devils Lake, Stump Lake, Lake Metigoshe, Irvine-Alice-Mikes Complex.

Ice safety first

ND Game and Fish publishes a rule of thumb for ice. We cite it here as the agency's guidance:

• 2 inches: stay off.
• 4 inches of good ice for a person on foot.
• 6 inches of good ice for a snowmobile or ATV.
• 8 to 12 inches of good ice for a car or small pickup.
• 12 to 15 inches of good ice for a medium pickup.

The agency also says to look for clear blue ice, that new ice is stronger than old ice, and that ice thickness is not consistent. Ice does not form as quickly in shallow water or around objects that soak up sunlight. Stay away from ice around partly submerged trees, brush, embankments and structures.

Snow acts like a blanket. It insulates thin ice and can hide cracks, weak spots and open water. Game and Fish says driving on ice early or late in the season is an "accident waiting to happen," and not to drive across ice at night or when it is snowing.

Drill test holes or use an ice chisel as you walk out. Carry ice picks and a phone. Game and Fish also lists a chisel, picks or screwdrivers, and a cell phone in its safety kit. If you fall in, turn back the way you came, kick your feet and use your picks, then roll away from the weak ice. Do not stand up.

Thickness changes from one spot to the next on the same lake. Use Iceline live conditions to see what is reported before you go, then check the ice yourself.

1. Devils Lake

Devils Lake is one of the waters, with lakes Sakakawea and Oahe and the Missouri River System, that Game and Fish samples for young fish every fall. The 2026 outlook says the walleye population continues to do well. There are many fish under about 18 inches. The number of 15 to 20 inch walleye is above average. Fish over 20 inches are about average.

In fall 2025, biologists netted a record number of young-of-the-year walleye in Devils Lake. They also saw a good year-class of yellow perch.

Perch is the weak spot right now. The outlook says catchable-size perch are low and anglers should expect slower perch fishing than usual in 2026. Perch reproduction looked good in 2025, so Game and Fish expects more perch starting in 2027.

Pike are a little below average. Most are 20 to 32 inches, with trophy fish available, and they can be found throughout the lake, especially in shallower areas. White bass numbers are above average, mostly 14 to 16 inches.

2. Stump Lake

Stump Lake sits downstream in the same system. The outlook says the walleye population is doing very well, with good numbers in the sizes most anglers want. Walleye 20 inches and longer are well above average.

Perch are relatively abundant. Many will be about 8 inches, with some bigger fish. Expect slower fishing for large perch. Pike numbers are a little below average, most 25 to 35 inches. White bass are abundant, mostly 12 to 15 inches.

3. Irvine-Alice-Mikes Complex

This chain is a pike water. Game and Fish says northern pike are still abundant, mostly medium-sized, and that pike in Lake Irvine are underutilized. The agency says keeping pike from this lake would help the population. Walleye are doing well, with a good number from 14 to 21 inches. Perch numbers are low, but the few there tend to be good-sized.

The outlook says boat access is very poor because the makeshift launch north of Churchs Ferry is unusable. It says nothing about ice access, so check the current access situation before you drive out.

4. Lake Sakakawea

Game and Fish says high forage and good habitat have kept Sakakawea walleye in good condition, with good growth and high abundance. Abundance increased in 2025 and is above the long-term average. For 2026, expect good numbers of fish from 11 to 20 inches. Larger fish are found mainly in the middle to lower parts of the reservoir.

Biologists logged the eighth highest catch of young-of-the-year walleye on record in fall 2025.

Pike have slipped. The outlook says pike abundance has declined from the record high in 2012, though trophy pike over 15 pounds are still present. The agency's fall 2025 write-up says pike need flooded vegetation to spawn and have not had it in a few years.

5. Lake Oahe (North Dakota part)

On the Missouri River and Lake Oahe, walleye reproduction has been good to excellent in recent years. Forage has been short. Small walleye are abundant but tend to be in poor condition and slow growing. The outlook says the fishery still offers trophy-size fish. Game and Fish says Oahe has produced several good back-to-back walleye year-classes, and that forage is starting to come back.

Our read: this is a numbers water with a shot at a big fish. We have no source on ice access along the ND stretch, so check local conditions.

6. Lake Ashtabula

The outlook says walleye, pike and smallmouth bass are abundant, with a good number of larger fish. Perch, crappie, white bass and bluegill are in moderate numbers. Muskellunge are present. Game and Fish also flags an aquatic nuisance species alert because zebra mussels are present. Clean, drain and dry your gear.

7. Jamestown Reservoir

Crappie are abundant here, which makes it the pick for panfish. Pike and walleye are in moderate numbers. Perch are occasional. The 2026 outlook lists a 14 inch minimum length limit on walleye. Check the current regulations before you keep fish.

8. Lake Darling

Game and Fish lists a good walleye population at Lake Darling, north and west of Minot in Renville County. Perch, pike, smallmouth bass and black bullhead are present. The outlook gives no more detail, so treat this as a walleye pick and nothing more.

9. Lake Metigoshe

The outlook lists a good walleye population in a wide range of sizes, including fish up to 26 inches. Pike fishing is good, with some large fish. There are several sizes of bluegill, including some large ones.

10. Other crappie waters

Game and Fish lists a good crappie population at Trenton Lake, along with decent numbers of walleye, pike and catfish. Dickinson Reservoir has crappie up to 1 pound, and walleye up to 5 pounds. Larimore Dam has a good black crappie population, with a fair number of 6 to 10 inch fish.

Small lakes and winterkill

North Dakota has more than 440 fishing waters with public access and some degree of management by Game and Fish biologists. The 2026 outlook marks several small lakes as reliant on stocking because of frequent winterkills. One listed lake had a complete winterkill in 2025. Game and Fish keeps a winterkill watch list on its site. Check it before you drive to a shallow lake.

Before you go

1. Check ice yourself at every spot. Drill test holes as you go.
2. Carry ice picks and a phone. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
3. Game and Fish warns against vehicle travel early or late in the season. Never drive on ice at night or in falling snow. Walk out and test first.
4. Check the current ND fishing regulations for limits and size rules on each lake. Anyone 16 and older needs a fishing license, and licenses run April 1 to March 31.
5. Gear for first ice: spud or chisel, picks, flotation.

No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

FAQ

What is the best ice fishing lake in North Dakota?

It depends on the fish. For walleye, Game and Fish points to Devils Lake, Stump Lake and Lake Sakakawea. For crappie, Jamestown Reservoir. For pike, Devils Lake, Stump Lake and Lake Metigoshe.

How thick does ice need to be in North Dakota?

ND Game and Fish says 4 inches of good ice for a person on foot, 6 inches for a snowmobile or ATV, and 8 to 12 inches for a car or small pickup. At 2 inches, stay off. Thickness varies across a lake, so test as you go. No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

Is Devils Lake good for perch?

Not as good as usual, per the 2026 outlook. It says catchable-size perch are low and fishing will be slower. A good 2025 year-class should help from 2027. Stump Lake has more perch, mostly around 8 inches.

Where can I ice fish for crappie in North Dakota?

Jamestown Reservoir has abundant crappie. Game and Fish also lists good crappie at Trenton Lake and Larimore Dam.

Where can I ice fish for pike?

Devils Lake, Stump Lake and Lake Metigoshe all have pike in the outlook. The Irvine-Alice-Mikes Complex has abundant pike, and Game and Fish encourages keeping them in Lake Irvine.