See every public fishing venue in North Dakota on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Sanborn Lake is a public lake in Barnes County, North Dakota, managed by North Dakota Game and Fish Department. It is public water managed for fishing by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Public access confirmed via NDGF Fishing Waters list.
Sanborn Lake covers about 234 acres in the South Central & James River Valley region. Anglers here mostly fish for northern pike, yellow perch. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Dry Lake (historical) and Sanborn WPA.
Species from PiscaMaps water-type profiles, NDGF trout designations and hand research.
Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in North Dakota. Snagging (for paddlefish, in season, on the Missouri River system only), bowfishing and setlines for carp, buffalo and catfish are legal on most waters with their own seasons and gear rules.
Boats: Lake Sakakawea, Lake Oahe and Devils Lake have no horsepower limit and take full-size boats; many smaller NDGF-managed lakes are shallower prairie waters better suited to a small boat or canoe. North Dakota requires boater education for operators born after 31 Dec 1985.
Bank & bivvy camping: Camp at the Corps of Engineers recreation areas around Sakakawea and Oahe, North Dakota state parks (several on the big reservoirs and at Devils Lake), and NDGF-managed public use areas at smaller lakes statewide.
Tackle: Statewide walleye/sauger limit is usually 5 in combination (a slot or reduced limit applies on some waters, including parts of Devils Lake); northern pike 5; smallmouth/largemouth bass 5; channel catfish generous; panfish (perch, crappie, bluegill) generous with a reduced limit on some lakes. Check the current NDGF fishing guide for this water.
Anyone 16 or older needs a North Dakota fishing licence — the resident annual is about $29 (with the required Fishing, Hunting & Furbearer Certificate), the non-resident annual about $73, with non-resident 3-day (~$53) and 10-day (~$63) licences also sold. North Dakota resident seniors (65+) can buy a discounted senior licence for about $12, and anyone under 16 fishes free. Licences run 1 April to 31 March. Buy from NDGF at gf.nd.gov. A North Dakota fishing licence covers this water — it is on NDGF's official Fishing Waters list.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
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