When it gets cold enough, for long enough, many of us from the area venture out to walk on water and try to catch some fish. Ice fishing is my personal favorite winter pastime because it offers tons of variety. Locations, fish species, techniques, and weather all vary from trip to trip making each outing its own unique experience. Bring some friends and family along and enjoy some of North Dakota’s winter fun. Below I’ve put together a few of my favorite local ice fishing spots in Grand Forks to go explore.

1. Larimore Dam

This spot outside of Larimore, ND is only 25 miles west of the City of Grand Forks and offers a variety of species including perch, crappie, walleye, and northern. It is not an overly large body of water, so it is a great spot for beginners and experienced anglers alike.

2. English Coulee Pond/Thompson Diversion

This area consists of 10 smaller ponds that are only 15 miles southwest of the City of Grand Forks. These ponds are a great close option to try to find some northern pike or perch. This spot is an opportunity to try your hand at ice fishing with tip-ups, set lines with flags that spring up when a fish bites. “Chasing flags” all day is a ton of fun!

3. North & South Golden Lake

These lakes are two mid-sized connected lakes that are 48 miles southwest of the City of Grand Forks. North Golden Lake has great perch and walleye opportunities, which can be fun constant action all day. South Golden Lake also offers mainly walleye and perch with some northern pike mixed in.

4. Stump Lake

This is one of the larger lakes included in my top five. It’s 62 miles west of Grand Forks and is connected to Devil’s Lake. Great walleye, perch, and northern pike fishing can be found on Stump Lake. Being a larger body of water, it can take a little bit of research to determine where the best access and spots to try will be. Your best bet for access is an old section of state highway 1 that is flooded out on the east end of the lake. I’ve had many good days of fishing out on this lake and highly recommend it!

5. Lake of the Woods

If you’re up for more of an adventure I’d highly recommend checking out Lake of the Woods. 170 miles northeast of Grand Forks on the Canadian border makes for a bit of a drive but you will be hard-pressed to find better walleye fishing. This is the largest lake on the list and from that size it produces amazing numbers of walleye, northern pike, perch, and crappie. While fishing on your own is possible if you have the right equipment, I’d recommend utilizing a resort or guide and renting a fish house that’s already set up and ready to fish. It’s a great place to spend a weekend or two every year.

There are so many more great ice fishing spots in the Grand Forks region and I hope you get out to explore them all, drop a line and catch your limit. Enjoy!