All spots

Prairie Pothole

Lake fishing  North Dakota · 06:24 - 16:16

Prairie Pothole is a lake in North Dakota. Most people come here for Walleye, Northern Pike and Rainbow Trout.

Prime 85% The bite right now
Top bet: Walleye Active through the night, water near its preferred 8 degrees, peak season, overcast lifts the bite.

Best day to fish

Tomorrow
72%
41°
Fri
79%
48°
Best day
Sat
79%
48°
Sun
72%
52°
Mon
71%
56°
Tue
78%
48°

The bite over the next days, scored at dusk. Based on the weather forecast, so it is guidance, not guarantees.

Conditions right now

Weather
Overcast
Water temp (est.)
46°F
Air temp
38°F
Wind
14 mph
Pressure
29.96 inHg ↓ falling
Clouds
100.0%

Water temperature is an estimate based on weather and season.

Best times today

Dawn 05:39–07:39 Dusk 15:01–17:01

Local time at the spot, from the most likely species' daily rhythm.

Feeding times today

Waning crescent 30% lit
Major period 06:45–08:45 Major period 18:45–20:45 Minor period 00:37–02:07 Minor period 13:24–14:54

Solunar times are a traditional guide based on the moon's position, separate from the live ranking above. Local time at the spot.

Next hours

04:00
38°
05:00
39°
06:00
37°
07:00
36°
08:00
40°
09:00
40°
10:00
43°
11:00
46°
12:00
48°
13:00
49°
14:00
50°
15:00
49°

Likely catch now (13 species)

Walleye
Sander vitreus
85%
Active through the night, water near its preferred 8 degrees, peak season, overcast lifts the bite.
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Northern Pike
Esox lucius
30%
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 8 degrees, overcast lifts the bite.
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Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
30%
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 8 degrees, overcast lifts the bite.
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Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
23%
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 8 degrees, peak season, overcast lifts the bite.
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Muskellunge
Esox masquinongy
17%
Slow during the night, overcast lifts the bite.
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Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
16%
Slow during the night, water near its preferred 8 degrees, overcast lifts the bite.
Tap for details ↗

About the fishing here

Anglers here regularly land Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Muskellunge and Brown Trout.

For Walleye, the fishing tends to peak around Apr-May, Oct-Nov. The best windows are usually dawn and dusk.

A state fishing license is required to fish here. Napp ranks the species above from the live weather, water temperature, season and time of day, so the order changes through the day.

Guides for this water

Tips right now

Technique Start with a soft-plastic jig for walleye, the most likely catch right now.
Timing This is a prime window for walleye at night. Fish hard now.
Depth The water is colder than the fish like. Fish deep and slow. Look towards deeper water.
Colour Low light: try chartreuse, orange or firetiger for walleye.
Lure Soft-plastic jig for walleye: Jig with worm or plastic.

Fishing permit

A state fishing license is required to fish here. Licenses are issued by each state:

About this water

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is an expansive area of the northern Great Plains that contains thousands of shallow wetlands known as potholes. These potholes are the result of glacier activity in the Wisconsin glaciation, which ended about 10,000 years ago. The decaying ice sheet left behind depressions formed by the uneven deposition of till as buried ice blocks melted in ground moraines. These depressions are called potholes, glacial potholes, kettles, or kettle lakes. They fill with water in the spring, creating wetlands, which range in duration from temporary to semi-permanent. The region covers an area of about 800,000 sq. km and expands across three Canadian provinces and five U.S. states. The hydrology of the wetlands is variable, which results in long term productivity and biodiversity. The PPR is a prime spot during breeding and nesting season for millions of migrating waterfowl.

Read more on Wikipedia →

Map

More waters nearby

Common questions

What fish can you catch at Prairie Pothole?

Popular catches here include Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Muskellunge, Brown Trout, Brook Trout and Black Crappie.

Do you need a fishing license at Prairie Pothole?

Yes. A state fishing license is required; see the link on this page for the state's rules.

When is the best time to fish Prairie Pothole?

Walleye is generally most active around Apr-May, Oct-Nov. The best windows are usually dawn and dusk.

What is biting at Prairie Pothole right now?

Right now Walleye is the most likely catch, at about 89%.