Lake Sakakawea
A giant Missouri River reservoir behind Garrison Dam. It's known for walleye, sauger, northern pike and chinook salmon.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Walleye
Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.
Sauger
River current and deep holes. Jigs and minnows in cold water.
Northern Pike
Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.
Chinook Salmon
Stocked. Deep water near the dam in summer and fall.
When they bite
Month-by-month activity for each target species.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | ||||||||||||
| Sauger | ||||||||||||
| Northern Pike | ||||||||||||
| Chinook Salmon |
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicSee the ND Game & Fish or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Lake Sakakawea are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: North Dakota Game and Fish Department ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Six Mile Corner Bait Shop1.8 miGarrisonDirections ↗
- Sportsman's Warehouse9.8 miWillistonDirections ↗
Local tips
- Huge water. Wind builds big waves quickly.
- Levels can change greatly between years.
- The Garrison Dam tailrace is a walleye hot spot.
Angler reports
Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Lake Sakakawea.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.