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Walleye

Walleye

Walleye are North Dakota's premier gamefish, thriving in the state's numerous lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. North Dakota hosts some of the continent's best walleye populations.

Scientific Name: Sander vitreus

Physical Characteristics:
  • Olive-gold colored fish with distinctive white-tipped tail fins and large pearlescent eyes.
  • Have a reflective tapetum lucidum that gives them superior vision in low-light and turbid conditions.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Inhabit diverse waters from the Missouri River system to natural lakes and numerous prairie lakes.
  • Missouri River system supports naturally reproducing populations.

Key Locations

  • Devils Lake, Lake Sakakawea, Missouri River system, Lake Oahe, Lake Metigoshe, prairie lakes throughout Logan and McIntosh counties, Alkaline Lake, Marvin Miller Lake, Dr.y Lake, Four Bears Bridge, Van Hook Arm.

Specific Spots

  • Target warm, dark-bottom bays and areas with current from culverts or inlets, hard-bottom humps and weed edges, river channels and points, eddies and current breaks, points and rocky areas, submerged roadbeds, rock piles, weed edges, and drop-offs.

Walleye FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Walleye in North Dakota?

3-4 inch paddle tails in chartreuse/white, small crankbaits in perch patterns, Salmo Free Divers, Berkley Flicker Minnows, Rapala Taildancers in 9-12cm range, spinners with orange/gold/chartreuse blades rigged with nightcrawlers, glide baits like Rapala Jigging Raps, larger creek chubs on live bait rigs, live minnows.

What flies work for Walleye in North Dakota?

Woolly buggers, Clouser minnows, sculpin patterns in black/brown/olive, balanced leeches. Effective colors include white, black/red, chartreuse/pink, and orange combinations.

When is the best time to fish for Walleye in North Dakota?

Spring (May-early June) provides excellent shallow water casting opportunities. Summer (July-August) is ideal for consistent numbers using trolling. Fall brings trophy opportunities as cooling water triggers aggressive feeding. Ice fishing is productive March through ice-out.

How do you catch Walleye in North Dakota?

Shallow water casting in 3-8 feet, trolling with lead core line and crankbaits, bottom bouncers with spinners over hard-bottom humps and weed edges in 5-16 feet, live bait rigs, jigging spoons and small jigs for ice fishing, tip-ups with live minnows.

What do Walleye eat?

Voracious predators that feed primarily on yellow perch, minnows, emerald shiners, round gobies, gizzard shad, and crayfish. Young walleye start with invertebrates before becoming piscivorous at 40-60 days old.

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