Small Lakes of North Dakota

Away from the great Missouri River reservoirs, North Dakota’s prairie is freckled with smaller lakes, sloughs and pothole waters that quietly produce excellent fishing. Many are stocked perch, walleye, pike and bluegill lakes managed by Game and Fish, ringed by cattails and rolling grassland, with simple gravel ramps and shore access close to small towns. These are the uncrowded spots — a morning of perch through the ice, a summer evening chasing pike, or a quiet paddle far from any marina. This section gathers the state’s lesser-known lakes and ponds — where to find them, what swims in them, how to get to the water, and what to expect for boat access, camping and solitude on the northern plains.