Lake Ashtabula Fishing Guides
A long narrow Sheyenne River impoundment running twenty seven miles above Baldhill Dam, and one of eastern North Dakota's most consistent walleye and perch fisheries.
Guides on the Lake Ashtabula
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About the Lake Ashtabula
Lake Ashtabula is the flooded valley of the Sheyenne River above Baldhill Dam, and its shape tells you most of what you need to know about fishing it. The lake stretches roughly twenty seven miles north from the dam near Valley City while staying narrow throughout, so it behaves less like an open prairie reservoir and more like a very long, slow river with structure along both banks. The gauge at the dam reads stage and reservoir storage, and because the lake is operated for flood control the water level moves through the season in ways that matter to anglers.
Walleye are the headline fish and the reason most boats are on the water. The old river channel runs the length of the lake and holds fish, and the points, submerged creek mouths and rock shorelines that intersect it are the classic spots. Because the lake is narrow, wind direction has an outsized effect, and a strong crosswind that piles water against one shore will often turn that bank into the only productive water on the lake for a day or two.
Yellow perch are abundant and run to good size in most years, and they support a heavy ice fishery through the long North Dakota winter. Northern pike patrol the shallower bays and the weed edges at the upper end. White bass, crappie and bluegill fill in the panfish picture, and channel catfish are common in the warmer months, particularly in the upper reaches where the lake narrows back toward river.
The shoreline is a mix of Corps of Engineers recreation areas, county parks and private cabins, which keeps access spread out along the length of the lake rather than concentrated at one end. Valley City sits a few miles south of the dam and serves as the practical base for anglers.
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The photo at the top of this page is not Lake Ashtabula.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
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Pool right now
- 24 hours+0.08 ft → steady
Reading taken 1h ago at USGS 05057500, LAKE ASHTABULA AT BALDHILL DAM, ND. Elevation is the surface of the lake above the survey datum, not depth. Source.
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Access
Valley City - the town south of the dam, with lodging, fuel, tackle and food.
Baldhill Dam - the dam and gauge at the south end, with a recreation area and ramp.
Ashtabula Crossing - a Corps recreation area with camping and boat access mid lake.
Eggerts Landing - a developed access point on the east shore with a ramp.
Sibley Crossing - access near the upper end of the lake.
Mel Rieman Recreation Area - Corps campground and launch on the lake.
Sheyenne River - the river above and below the lake, fishable in its own right.
Seasons
Spring: walleye move shallow after ice out and concentrate near the upper end and around creek mouths.
Summer: fish follow the old river channel and structure, with perch and pike steady through the warm months.
Fall: cooling water brings strong walleye fishing on points and rock shorelines before freeze up.
Winter: a heavy ice fishery for perch and walleye, one of the busiest in this part of the state.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Lake Ashtabula?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Bluegill, Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Yellow Perch on the Lake Ashtabula in North Dakota.
Where can you access the Lake Ashtabula?
Valley City - the town south of the dam, with lodging, fuel, tackle and food. Baldhill Dam - the dam and gauge at the south end, with a recreation area and ramp. Ashtabula Crossing - a Corps recreation area with camping and boat access mid lake. Eggerts Landing - a developed access point on the east shore with a ramp. Sibley Crossing - access near the upper end of the lake. Mel Rieman Recreation Area - Corps campground and launch on the lake. Sheyenne River - the river above and below the lake, fishable in its own right.
When is the best time to fish the Lake Ashtabula?
Spring: walleye move shallow after ice out and concentrate near the upper end and around creek mouths. Summer: fish follow the old river channel and structure, with perch and pike steady through the warm months. Fall: cooling water brings strong walleye fishing on points and rock shorelines before freeze up. Winter: a heavy ice fishery for perch and walleye, one of the busiest in this part of the state.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Lake Ashtabula?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the North Dakota agency site: https://gf.nd.gov/fishing