← Lake Guide48.85° N · 102.14° W

North Dakota

Upper Des Lacs Lake

Upper Des Lacs Lake is roughly 4,273 acres in North Dakota's Burke County; largemouth fishing keys on cover, weather windows, and forage.

Surface
4,273acres
Primary species
Largemouth
§ 01Today on the water · Upper Des Lacs Lakevia Open-Meteo · 03:45 local
Air temp
72.7°F
Barometric
29.96″
↑rising 24h(+0.08)
Wind
5mph
from SSW
Moon
Waxing Crescent
day 4.0 · 17% lit

Air conditions sampled near the lake center, not measured on the water · refreshed ~15 min

§ 03Next 3 daysvia Open-Meteo · interpretation
  1. 17
    julFri

    Stable window

    hi 83° · lo 59°

    Anytime through the day. Quiet weather day; lean on seasonal pattern and structure.

    ── light nw wind · settled

  2. 18
    julSat

    Watch the wind

    hi 88° · lo 63°

    Lean into wind-fed shorelines, all day. Wind drives bait position today; pick the shoreline taking it.

    ── direction shift overnight

  3. 19
    julSun

    Stable window

    hi 91° · lo 64°

    Anytime through the day. Quiet weather day; lean on seasonal pattern and structure.

    ── light sw wind · settled

§ 04Field notesNorth Dakota

Where it is

Upper Des Lacs Lake sits in Burke County, North Dakota, covering about 4,273 acres. Productive zones shift through the year more than the lake outline suggests.

Seasonal pattern

Spring. Warming water pulls largemouth toward shallow, protected areas where they stage and spawn; the quickest-warming pockets lead.

Summer. Heat pushes fish off the shallows toward depth and shade; work the cooler ends of the day.

Fall. As water cools, forage and bass return toward shallower water; movement is wide, so covering water pays.

Winter. Cold water settles fish deep and slow; patience and a subtle presentation are the more dependable choice.

Key structure

  • Creek and cove mouths that funnel fish and bait
  • Weed edges and the clean lines along them
  • Inside turns where a bank changes angle
  • Submerged wood, brush, and laydown cover

The calendar decides which of these is worth time on a given day.

Forage

Largemouth on Upper Des Lacs Lake hunt baitfish and panfish along cover; forage and weather drive the day's bite.

Access

Public access points serve Upper Des Lacs Lake; verify ramp conditions and lake levels before setting out.

Regulations

Check current state and local regulations before fishing; limits and seasons can change.

§ 05Sources & field guides

Field guides

Data & references

  • Today's conditions — Open-Meteo, refreshed every ~15 min
  • Moon phase — local astronomical calculation, no external API
  • Lake area, depth, structure — Identity, surface area, coordinates and county/state are from the ProjectD canonical waterbody index (snapshot conus-20260518-v1, group gnis:01035894). Maximum depth and regulation links were not available from an acceptable source and are intentionally omitted.
  • Regulations — verify current state and local regulations before fishing

Last revised · Back to Lake Guide