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Lake Ashtabula Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

North Dakota’s Sheyenne valley reservoir: Ashtabula holds walleye, perch and northern pike across 27 miles of prairie water.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
3 cfs
Air / High
85 / 86 F
Wind
ESE 9 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05057200, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Lake Ashtabula lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 3 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind ESE around 9 mph, steady pressure near 1011 hPa and a high of 86. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 86 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Baldhill Creek near Dazey (inflow).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05057200.

2353 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp85 F
High / Low86 / 58 F
WindESE 9-11 mph
Pressure1010.8 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain15% cloud, 4%
Sunrise / Sunset06:56 / 20:06
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 86/58 F, wind 10 mph, rain 4%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lake Ashtabula: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Lake Ashtabula calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Lake Ashtabula today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 79 F, wind to 18 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 83 F, wind to 9 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 80 F, wind to 13 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

North Dakota requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

North Dakota license. Walleye, pike and perch limits per current Game and Fish regulations.

Access

Corps recreation areas and ramps including Ashtabula Crossing and Mel Rieman; campgrounds around the lake.

About this water

A 5,000-acre Corps reservoir on the Sheyenne River behind Baldhill Dam, Barnes County, North Dakota.

Fishing Lake Ashtabula: the full guide

A long prairie lake

Lake Ashtabula stretches 27 miles up the Sheyenne River valley behind Baldhill Dam in eastern North Dakota, a narrow reservoir with about 5,000 surface acres. It is a solid walleye fishery backed by yellow perch, northern pike, white bass and crappie, in water that runs fertile and stained. Its length means anglers can find protected water in almost any wind, which matters on the prairie.

Walleye by season

Spring walleye stage near the inflow and along the rocky shorelines: jigs with minnows are the standard. Summer moves fish onto the flats and points at 10-20 feet, where trolling crawler harnesses and bottom bouncers covers water efficiently. Fall brings a strong jig bite before ice-up, and winter draws a substantial ice fishery for walleye and perch across the lake.

Pike and perch

Northern pike patrol the weedy bays and the shallower upper end, taking spoons and spinnerbaits through open water and dead bait through the ice. Yellow perch school over the flats in numbers, providing steady action and anchoring the winter fishery. White bass and crappie appear in varying numbers depending on the year and water level.

Valley City logistics

Ramps and Corps recreation areas serve the lake at Ashtabula Crossing, Mel Rieman and other sites, with campgrounds at several. Valley City is at the south end with full services, and Interstate 94 runs nearby. Water levels vary with flood-control operations on the Sheyenne, and wind is a constant across the open prairie.

Common questions

Is it good for walleye?

Yes: consistent numbers on the flats and points, with spring and fall the strongest windows and a busy ice season.

How do I handle the wind?

Use the lake’s length: 27 miles of shoreline means there is almost always a protected side to fish.

When is ice fishing?

Typically January through March: walleye and perch draw a steady winter crowd across the flats.

Is fishing good at Lake Ashtabula right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Jamestown Reservoir29 miPipestem Reservoir32 miSheyenne River57 miDevils Lake81 miWaubay Lake120 miOtter Tail Lake124 mi
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