North Dakota Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many North Dakota charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Walleye14 charters · May to July and September to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Northern Pike8 charters · April to June and October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Yellow Perch5 charters · January to February and September to October | January: peak | February: peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Catfish4 charters · May to July | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Salmon3 charters · June to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Smallmouth Bass3 charters · May to July | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 White Bass3 charters · April to May | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
North Dakota fishing, month by month
- January
- Yellow Perch
- February
- Yellow Perch
- March
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- April
- Northern Pike, White Bass
- June
- Walleye, Northern Pike, Catfish, Salmon, Smallmouth Bass
- July
- Walleye, Catfish, Salmon, Smallmouth Bass
- August
- Salmon
- September
- Walleye, Yellow Perch, Salmon
- October
- Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Salmon
- November
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- December
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a North Dakota charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for the Northern Plains, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check North Dakota's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.