Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) fishing conditions · North Dakota

Now until tomorrow 1 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 68.

Right now: 68 for walleye, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

681 am
68
68
684 am
68
68
687 am
68
68
6810 am
68
68
681 pm
68
68
684 pm
68
68
687 pm
68
68
6810 pm
68
68Tue
681 am
68
68
684 am
68
68
687 am
68
68
6810 am
68
68

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 5 mph
Light: Dark
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Air: 29°F
Moon: 100% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are North Dakota non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Sander vitreus

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. North Dakota (2026–28 proclamation): 5 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day combined (10 in possession), no minimum except at Buffalo Lake, Jamestown and Pipestem reservoirs and Lake Elsie (14").

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · North Dakota non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Jun, Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. North Dakota (2026–28 proclamation): 5 largemouth and smallmouth bass a day combined (10 in possession), no size limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · North Dakota non-tidal

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Northern pike

Esox lucius

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Northern pike bite in 50–70° water, best near 63°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. North Dakota (2026–28 proclamation): 5 northern pike a day, 10 in possession.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · North Dakota non-tidal

Season here: Year-round. More on northern pike

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Chinook salmon bite in 42–58° water, best near 50°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. North Dakota (2026–28 proclamation): 5 salmon a day, 10 in possession. Snagging, archery and spearing for salmon are allowed Sep 25–Oct 31 on Lake Sakakawea from Garrison Dam up to the Highway 23 bridge near New Town.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · North Dakota non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

White bass

Morone chrysops

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. White bass bite in 55–80° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

30 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. North Dakota (2026–28 proclamation): 30 white bass a day, 60 in possession.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · North Dakota non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalNow until tomorrow 1 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. North Dakota: nongame fish, carp included, have no daily or possession limit. Live nongame fish other than legal baitfish may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · North Dakota non-tidal

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
Barometer30.63 inHg

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunrise today7:20 am
Sunset today5:38 pm
MoonFull, 100% lit
Major solunarSunday 11:30 pm–1:30 am
Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
Major solunarToday 11:40 am–1:40 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. North Dakota Game & Fish has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: North Dakota Game & Fish · trout stocking · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A 178-mile Missouri River reservoir behind Garrison Dam — one of the largest man-made lakes in the U.S. and North Dakota’s flagship walleye fishery. Walleye and sauger fill the points and flats, smallmouth bass hold on the rock, northern pike prowl the bays, and a landlocked chinook salmon run draws fall anglers. Many state-park and access-area ramps ring the lake.

North Dakota: 5 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day with no minimum; 5 northern pike and 5 salmon a day. Salmon snagging is allowed Sep 25–Oct 31 from Garrison Dam up to the Highway 23 bridge near New Town.

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesNorth Dakota non-tidal
WhereMcLean County · 47.5930, -101.4220

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Lake Audubon8 mi · North DakotaBest now until tomorrow 1 pm

68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park)?

Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Chinook Salmon, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) have?

Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. North Dakota: 5 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day with no minimum; 5 northern pike and 5 salmon a day. Salmon snagging is allowed Sep 25–Oct 31 from Garrison Dam up to the Highway 23 bridge near New Town.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park)?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) tidal water?

No. Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.