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Lake Metigoshe Fishing Report

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

North Dakota’s Turtle Mountain lake: Metigoshe holds walleye, perch and pike on the Canadian line.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
74 / 75 F
Wind
SE 10 mph

Sources: 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 Metigoshe sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. Today brings clear skies, wind SE around 10 mph, steady pressure near 1011 hPa and a high of 75. 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.

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeGood

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

Yellow perchFair

Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

Tomorrow: Similar at 76 F with a rain chance. 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.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp74 F
High / Low75 / 51 F
WindSE 10-16 mph
Pressure1011.3 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain4% cloud, 4%
Sunrise / Sunset07:02 / 20:17
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, 75/51 F, wind 12 mph, rain 4%

Fair or better. A 12 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Lake Metigoshe: 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.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

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.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Good most of the year

The great lakes and northern panfish staple. Schools tight to bottom; where you catch one there are fifty. Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

When to come: the Lake Metigoshe 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
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Yellow perch
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 Metigoshe today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 23 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Walleye led the card at good. High of 66 F, wind to 23 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 78 F, wind to 10 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 72 F, wind to 12 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 (Canadian waters require Manitoba licensing). Walleye, pike and perch limits per current Game and Fish regulations.

Access

Lake Metigoshe State Park ramps, camping, cabins and shoreline access.

About this water

A 1,500-acre lake in the Turtle Mountains straddling the Canadian border, Bottineau County, North Dakota.

Fishing Lake Metigoshe: the full guide

A lake in the hills

Lake Metigoshe spreads about 1,500 acres in the Turtle Mountains of north-central North Dakota, straddling the Canadian border in wooded, hilly country unlike the prairie around it. Aspen and oak line the shores, and the lake holds walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth bass and panfish in fertile, weedy water.

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, taking spoons and spinnerbaits in open water and dead bait through the ice. Both fisheries are supported by state management.

Perch and the ice

Yellow perch school over the flats and around vegetation in numbers, providing steady summer action and anchoring a busy winter fishery. The lake freezes reliably given the northern latitude, and ice fishing draws anglers from across the region. Largemouth bass and panfish fill the weedy bays for light-tackle anglers.

Bottineau County logistics

Lake Metigoshe State Park provides ramps, camping, cabins and shoreline access, with the International Peace Garden nearby on the border. Bottineau is the local town. The Turtle Mountains setting: wooded hills and lakes in the middle of prairie: makes this one of North Dakota’s more distinctive destinations.

Common questions

Does it cross the border?

Yes: part of the lake lies in Manitoba, which requires separate Canadian licensing. Know where the line falls.

What is the main species?

Walleye and northern pike, with abundant yellow perch supporting both summer and winter fishing.

Is the setting unusual?

Very: wooded hills and lakes in the Turtle Mountains, a green island in the middle of North Dakota prairie.

Is fishing good at Lake Metigoshe 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 Darling68 miDevils Lake89 miLake Audubon103 miNelson Lake123 miLake Sakakawea124 miMissouri River151 mi
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