Devils Lake, ND: Perch & Walleye Fishing, Ice Fishing Guide

Devils Lake is the largest natural lake in North Dakota and one of the most remarkable fisheries in America – a sprawling, ever-changing prairie lake that has quadrupled in size since the 1990s as it flooded the surrounding farmland. Today it covers well over 150,000 acres of flooded fields, roads and tree lines, and that drowned structure has turned it into a giant’s playground for perch, walleye and pike. Anglers call it the “Perch Capital,” and in winter it becomes one of the great ice-fishing destinations on the continent.

This guide covers Devils Lake: the famous fishing, the rising-water story, the access and state park, and the ice season. It’s part of our growing North Dakota Lakes Database.

Devils Lake at a glance

• Surface area: ~150,000+ acres – the largest natural lake in North Dakota (and growing)
• Location: Ramsey, Benson & Nelson counties, northeastern North Dakota
• Type: a closed-basin (“terminal”) lake with no natural outlet – which is why it floods
• Top fish: yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, white bass, freshwater drum

The lake that won’t stop rising

Devils Lake is a closed basin – water flows in but, historically, had nowhere to flow out, so the level rises and falls with the long wet and dry cycles of the prairie. Beginning in the early 1990s, a long wet period sent the lake on an astonishing rise: it climbed nearly 30 feet, swallowing more than 150,000 acres of farms, roads, trees and even parts of towns, and forcing the state to raise highways and build outlets to manage it. For anglers, that flooded landscape is the secret to the fishing – the drowned trees, roadbeds, fence lines and field edges create endless structure that grows and holds fish.

Fishing Devils Lake

Devils Lake is a year-round fishing machine, famous above all for its perch:

• Yellow perch – the lake’s signature fish, often jumbo-sized; the “Perch Capital” reputation is well earned, and perch anchor the winter fishery.
• Walleye – abundant and a major draw, fished over the points, flooded structure and rock piles.
• Northern pike grow huge in the weedy, flooded bays – trophy water for big pike.
• White bass and freshwater drum round out the catch.

A North Dakota fishing license is required. The flooded timber and roadbeds are the key – fish them, but navigate carefully, since submerged structure is everywhere. Guides are popular and worth it on a lake this size and this complex.

Ice fishing capital

When the lake locks up, Devils Lake becomes one of the premier ice-fishing destinations in North America. Wheelhouses and fish houses dot the ice, guides run heated houses over the perch and walleye, and the town of Devils Lake fills with anglers from across the Midwest. The jumbo perch and walleye through the ice are the stuff of legend – just dress for brutal prairie cold and follow local advice on ice conditions.

Access, the state park and town

Grahams Island State Park, on a former island now connected by a causeway, is the main recreation hub, with a campground, boat ramps, a marina and beach. Numerous public ramps ring the lake, and the city of Devils Lake offers hotels, restaurants, bait shops and guides – a full-service basecamp. Much of the south shore lies within the Spirit Lake Reservation; know the rules where tribal waters apply.

Getting there and what’s nearby

Devils Lake is in northeastern North Dakota on US-2, about 1.5 hours west of Grand Forks and 2 hours northeast of Bismarck. Sullys Hill (now the White Horse Hill National Game Preserve), with bison and elk, sits on the south shore, and the prairie-pothole waterfowl country surrounds the lake.

Know before you go

• Fishing license: a North Dakota license is required; note tribal-water rules on the Spirit Lake Reservation.
• Flooded structure: submerged trees, roads and fences are everywhere – navigate carefully, especially at speed.
• Ice safety: in winter, follow local guides and bait shops on ice conditions – prairie ice and cold are no joke.
• Best seasons: open water for perch, walleye and pike spring through fall; winter for legendary ice fishing.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Devils Lake so big now?

It’s a closed-basin (terminal) lake with no natural outlet, so it rises during wet cycles. A long wet period since the early 1990s raised it nearly 30 feet and flooded over 150,000 acres of surrounding land, making it the largest natural lake in North Dakota.

What fish are in Devils Lake?

Jumbo yellow perch (its claim to fame), walleye, northern pike, white bass and freshwater drum. It’s known as the “Perch Capital.”

Is Devils Lake good for ice fishing?

Yes – it’s one of the premier ice-fishing destinations in North America, famous for jumbo perch and walleye, with guides and heated fish houses based in the town of Devils Lake.

Where can you stay and launch at Devils Lake?

Grahams Island State Park has a campground, marina and ramps, and the city of Devils Lake offers hotels, bait shops and guides, with many public ramps around the lake.

How far is Devils Lake from Grand Forks?

About 1.5 hours west of Grand Forks on US-2, and roughly 2 hours northeast of Bismarck.

Related: explore more of the largest lakes in North Dakota, or head back to the North Dakota Lakes Database.