Live wading and fishing conditions for 28 North Dakota rivers
Every river below is monitored through its USGS streamflow gauges, refreshed every 15 minutes and rated in plain language for wading safety. Select a river for the live dashboard with current flow, trend, weather and community reports.
Missouri River
North Dakota's marquee river — the cold Garrison Dam tailrace running down through Bismarck to the headwaters of Lake Oahe. Deep hypolimnetic releases keep the upper tailwater cold enough for stocked rainbow trout and fall-staging chinook salmon, while the broad reach through Bismarck is a top-tier walleye, sauger, and smallmouth fishery. Everything here is generation-driven: level and clarity track how many turbines are spinning, not the last rain.
Region: Missouri Mainstem · Fish for: Walleye, Sauger, Chinook Salmon · USGS gauges: Missouri River At Bismarck, Nd
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Red River of the North
The border river between North Dakota and Minnesota, flowing north through Wahpeton, Fargo, and Grand Forks toward Canada. A big, turbid, slow prairie river, it is a nationally famous trophy channel-catfish fishery — some of the biggest channel cats in the country — plus strong walleye, northern pike, and carp. Everything here is bank-and-boat: it's deep, muddy, and not a wading river.
Region: Red River Valley · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Walleye · USGS gauges: Red River Of The North At Wahpeton, Nd, Red River Of The North At Fargo, Nd, Red River Of The North At Grand Forks, Nd, Red River Of The North At Drayton, Nd
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Little Missouri River
The wild, turbid river of the North Dakota Badlands, winding through Theodore Roosevelt National Park before dumping into Lake Sakakawea. Flashy and muddy, it runs high and floatable in spring snowmelt and drops to a trickle by late summer. Sauger, channel cats, goldeye, and northern pike hold in its holes and current breaks — a scenic float-and-bank fishery more than a numbers game.
Region: Badlands · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Sauger · USGS gauges: Little Missouri River At Marmarth, Nd, Little Missouri River At Medora, Nd, Little Missouri River Near Watford City, Nd
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Sheyenne River
North Dakota's longest in-state river, looping from the Devils Lake country down through Valley City and Lisbon to join the Red near Fargo. Below Baldhill Dam (Lake Ashtabula) it runs cleaner and cooler and holds a growing smallmouth fishery alongside northern pike, walleye, and channel cats. Scenic and canoe-friendly through the Sheyenne valley.
Region: Red River Valley · Fish for: Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Sheyenne River Near Warwick, Nd, Sheyenne River Below Baldhill Dam, Nd, Sheyenne River At Valley City, Nd, Sheyenne River At Lisbon, Nd
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James River
The long, slow 'Jim' meandering across eastern North Dakota through Jamestown and LaMoure toward South Dakota. One of the flattest rivers on the continent, it's a warm, turbid prairie fishery for northern pike, walleye, channel cats, and white bass, with the tailwater below Jamestown and Pipestem dams a reliable spring draw.
Region: James Basin · Fish for: Walleye, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: James River Nr Grace City, Nd, James River At Jamestown, Nd, James River At Lamoure, Nd, James River At Nd-Sd State Line
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Souris River
The 'Mouse' River, dipping down out of Saskatchewan through the Minot country and back into Canada in a big loop. Slow and turbid, it winds through the Upper Souris and J. Clark Salyer refuges and holds northern pike, walleye, and channel cats — a quiet bank-and-canoe prairie fishery best after the spring rise settles.
Region: Souris (Mouse) Basin · Fish for: Northern Pike, Walleye · USGS gauges: Souris River Near Sherwood, Nd, Souris River Near Foxholm, Nd, Souris River Above Minot, Nd, Souris River Near Verendrye, Nd
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Heart River
A central prairie river draining the Badlands fringe and Lake Tschida (Heart Butte Reservoir) past Dickinson and Mandan to the Missouri. Turbid and warm, it holds northern pike, walleye, channel cats, and smallmouth, with the tailwater below Lake Tschida a local hotspot. A bank-and-boat river best fished spring through early summer.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Walleye, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: Heart River Near Richardton, Nd, Heart River At Stark Bridge Near Judson, Nd, Heart River Near Mandan, Nd
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Knife River
A prairie river winding out of the Killdeer country past the Knife River Indian Villages to meet the Missouri at Stanton. Turbid and slow through most of its length, it holds northern pike, walleye, channel cats, and smallmouth in its deeper holes and near its mouth on the Missouri. Best in spring and early summer before it drops.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Knife River At Manning, Nd, Knife River Near Golden Valley, Nd, Knife River Near Beulah, Nd, Knife River At Hazen, Nd
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Pembina River
The northernmost North Dakota river, cutting the Pembina Gorge in the Walhalla country before meeting the Red at Pembina near the Canadian line. Its wooded gorge reach runs cleaner than most prairie rivers and holds northern pike, walleye, channel cats, and the odd smallmouth — a scenic bank-and-canoe fishery in the state's northeast corner.
Region: Northeast / Pembina · Fish for: Northern Pike, Walleye · USGS gauges: Pembina River At Walhalla, Nd, Pembina River At Neche, Nd
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Cannonball River
A long prairie river draining southwestern North Dakota past Regent and Mott to Lake Oahe on the Missouri at Breien. Turbid and slow, it holds channel cats, northern pike, walleye, and sauger, with the best fishing near its mouth on the Oahe headwaters. A quiet bank-and-float river.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: Cannonball River At Regent, Nd, Cannonball River Near Raleigh, Nd, Cannonball River At Breien, Nd, Cannonball River At Solen, Nd
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Wild Rice River
A southeastern Red-basin prairie river draining the Rutland and Cayuga country to the Red near Fargo. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike, channel cats, and walleye in its deeper holes — a lightly pressured bank fishery in the Red River Valley. (Distinct from Minnesota's Wild Rice River.)
Region: Red River Valley · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Wild Rice River Near Rutland, Nd, Wild Rice River Near Mantador, Nd, Wild Rice River Near Abercrombie, Nd, Wild Rice River Near St Benedict, Nd
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Pipestem Creek
A prairie creek draining the Buchanan country through Pipestem Dam to the James at Jamestown. The reservoir and its tailwater give it a legit northern pike and walleye fishery, and the creek holds cats and pike in its deeper holes. A handy local fishery beside I-94.
Region: James Basin · Fish for: Northern Pike, Walleye · USGS gauges: Pipestem Creek Near Pingree, Nd, Pipestem Creek Near Buchanan, Nd
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Turtle River
A small clear Red-basin stream flowing through Turtle River State Park near Arvilla toward the Red at Grand Forks. Unusually for the prairie, its upper reach is stocked with rainbow trout by ND Game and Fish, making it a rare local put-and-take trout spot; downstream it holds northern pike and the odd smallmouth.
Region: Northeast / Pembina · Fish for: Rainbow Trout, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: Turtle River At Turtle R State Park Nr Arvilla, Nd
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Des Lacs River
A northwestern Souris tributary flowing through the Des Lacs refuge chain past Kenmare to the Souris near Foxholm. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its lake-chain and deeper holes — a quiet refuge-country bank fishery.
Region: Souris (Mouse) Basin · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Des Lacs River Near Kenmare, Nd, Des Lacs River At Foxholm, Nd
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Goose River
A Red-basin prairie river draining the Portland and Hillsboro country to the Red north of Fargo. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike, channel cats, and walleye in its deeper holes — a quiet bank-and-canoe fishery in the Red River Valley.
Region: Red River Valley · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Goose River Near Portland, Nd, Goose River At Hillsboro, Nd
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Park River
A northeastern Red-basin prairie river draining the Grafton country to the Red. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike, channel cats, and walleye in its deeper holes — a quiet bank fishery in the northeast valley.
Region: Northeast / Pembina · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Park River At Grafton, Nd
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Maple River
A slow Red-basin prairie river draining the country west of Fargo through Enderlin and Mapleton to the Sheyenne. Warm and turbid, it holds northern pike, channel cats, and walleye in its deeper holes — a lightly pressured bank-and-canoe fishery in the Red River Valley.
Region: Red River Valley · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Maple River Near Hope, Nd, Maple River Near Enderlin, Nd, Maple River Near Mapleton, Nd, Maple River Below Mapleton, Nd
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Forest River
A northeastern Red-basin prairie river draining the Fordville and Minto country to the Red. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its deeper holes — a lightly pressured bank fishery in the northeast valley.
Region: Northeast / Pembina · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Forest River Near Fordville, Nd, Forest River At Minto, Nd
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Little Muddy River
A northwestern prairie river draining the Williston country to the Missouri near the Lake Sakakawea headwaters. Turbid and slow, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its deeper holes and near the Missouri confluence — a lightly pressured bank fishery in oil-country ND.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Little Muddy River Bl Cow Creek Nr Williston, Nd
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Baldhill Creek
A prairie creek draining the Dazey country into Lake Ashtabula on the Sheyenne. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its deeper holes and near the reservoir — a quiet bank fishery best after spring runoff settles.
Region: Red River Valley · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Baldhill Creek Near Dazey, Nd
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Cedar Creek
A sizeable prairie creek draining the southwest corner past Lemmon country to the Cannonball system. Turbid and slow, it holds channel cats and northern pike in its deeper holes — a lightly pressured bank fishery best after spring runoff settles.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: Cedar Creek Near Haynes, Nd, Cedar Creek Near Raleigh, Nd
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Apple Creek
A prairie creek draining the country east of Bismarck to the Missouri near Menoken. Slow and turbid, it holds channel cats and northern pike in its deeper holes and near the Missouri confluence — a handy local bank fishery close to the capital.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: Apple Creek Near Menoken, Nd
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White Earth River
A northwestern prairie river draining the Mountrail country to the White Earth Bay arm of Lake Sakakawea. Turbid and slow, it holds northern pike and walleye near its mouth on the reservoir — a quiet bank-and-boat fishery best in spring.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Northern Pike, Walleye · USGS gauges: White Earth River At White Earth, Nd, White Earth River Above Mouth Near Manitou, Nd
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Tongue River
A small northeastern Red-basin prairie river draining the Akra and Cavalier country to the Pembina/Red system. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its deeper holes — a lightly pressured bank fishery in the far northeast.
Region: Northeast / Pembina · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Tongue River At Akra, Nd
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Beaver Creek
A south-central prairie creek draining the Linton country to Lake Oahe on the Missouri. Turbid and slow, it holds channel cats, northern pike, and walleye near its mouth on the Oahe headwaters — a quiet bank fishery best after spring runoff.
Region: Missouri Tributaries · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: Beaver Creek Below Linton, Nd
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Deep River
A north-central Souris tributary draining the Upham country to the Souris. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its deeper holes — a lightly pressured bank fishery in the Mouse River lowlands.
Region: Souris (Mouse) Basin · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Deep River Near Upham, Nd
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Wintering River
A north-central Souris tributary draining the Karlsruhe country to the Souris. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its deeper holes — a quiet, lightly pressured bank fishery.
Region: Souris (Mouse) Basin · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Wintering River Near Karlsruhe, Nd
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Willow Creek
A north-central Souris-basin creek draining the Willow City country. Slow and turbid, it holds northern pike and channel cats in its deeper holes — a small, lightly pressured bank fishery in the Mouse River lowlands.
Region: Souris (Mouse) Basin · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Willow Creek Near Willow City, Nd
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