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Lake Darling Fishing Report

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

The Souris refuge lake: Lake Darling holds walleye and pike in a North Dakota wildlife corridor.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
28 cfs
Air / High
75 / 79 F
Wind
ESE 12 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05116000, 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 Darling sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 28 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind ESE around 12 mph, steady pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 79. 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: Warmer at 84 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 Souris River near Foxholm.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05116000.

5142428 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp75 F
High / Low79 / 57 F
WindESE 12-20 mph
Pressure1009.9 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain16% cloud, 5%
Sunrise / Sunset07:08 / 20:22
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, 79/57 F, wind 14 mph, rain 5%

Fair or better. A 14 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lake Darling: 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 Darling 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 Darling 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 70 F, wind to 20 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 84 F, wind to 15 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 78 F, wind to 10 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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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. Refuge rules govern access, boating and seasonal closures: check current Upper Souris NWR regulations alongside state limits.

Access

Refuge ramps and access points; seasonal closures apply for waterfowl management.

About this water

A 10,000-acre reservoir on the Souris River within Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, Ward County, North Dakota.

Fishing Lake Darling: the full guide

A refuge reservoir

Lake Darling spreads about 10,000 acres on the Souris River northwest of Minot, created as part of the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge. Waterfowl management shapes its water levels and habitat, and the fishery benefits: walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and white bass thrive in fertile, weedy prairie water surrounded by protected land.

Walleye and pike

Walleye hold the weed edges, points and deeper flats: jigs and live-bait rigs in spring, slip bobbers and trolling through summer, with low light best. Northern pike patrol the vegetation and reach good size in fertile water, taking spoons and spinnerbaits year-round and dead bait through the ice.

Perch and the refuge

Yellow perch school over the flats and anchor a busy winter fishery. Refuge rules govern boating, seasons and access: some areas close for waterfowl management, and motor restrictions apply in places. Check current refuge regulations, which differ from general state rules and are enforced.

Ward County logistics

Refuge ramps and access points serve the lake, with Minot about 20 miles southeast providing services. The surrounding refuge is a major birding destination, with waterfowl concentrations that draw visitors independent of the fishing. Winter ice fishing is popular when access permits.

Common questions

Are there special rules?

Yes: refuge regulations govern access, motors and seasonal closures for waterfowl management, on top of state limits.

What is the main species?

Walleye and northern pike, with abundant yellow perch supporting a busy winter ice fishery.

Is it good for birding?

Exceptionally: the refuge is a major waterfowl area, drawing visitors independent of the fishing.

Is fishing good at Lake Darling 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

Lake Sakakawea59 miLake Audubon63 miLake Metigoshe68 miNelson Lake81 miMissouri River120 miDevils Lake123 mi
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