Today · full-day
Sunday, Oct 4
7.3/10
Partial
Sunny
63°44°
Wind8 mph NNWRain0%Clouds12%Moon42%
North Dakota · Lake fishing forecast
Devils Lake fishing forecast today
Current conditions plus a 7-day fishing outlook for Devils Lake, including Fishing Score, wind, pressure, clouds, rain chance and moon phase, with live USGS water observations, recent trends and long-term seasonal context where available.
7.3/10
Good
Current Fishing Score
Weather-based index from the inputs available right now. It is a conditions summary, not a catch prediction.
72% weather data coveragePartial · pressure missing
Air temperature
45°F
Wind
10 mph WNW
Pressure
Unavailable
Not supplied by NWS; Fishing Score is partial
Cloud cover
9%
Rain chance
0%
Moon
Last Quarter
Gusts
15 mph
Humidity
76%
Feels like
40°F
Weather data updated: Oct 4, 2026, 8:36 AM CDT
Live water data
Devils Lake USGS water conditions
Current observations with 24-hour, 7-day and recent 30-day context from the verified reference station.
Devils Lake near Devils Lake, NDUSGS-05056500 · about 1 mi from forecast point
Lake elevation1451.34 ftNAVD88
24hStable-0.03 ft7 daysStable-0.04 ft
Latest supported observation: Oct 4, 8:00 AM CDT30-day context is a recent median, not a long-term seasonal normal. Water readings remain display-only when a validated river-flow baseline is not available.
Plan the week
Devils Lake 7-day fishing forecast
Compare full-day forecast Fishing Scores with wind, rain risk, pressure and temperatures for the next seven days. These daily scores are separate from the live Current Fishing Score above.
Forecast data coverageDaily weather-score coverage is 72%. NWS forecast pressure is unavailable for these periods, so the daily scores are partial.
Best available weather score · partialThursday, Oct 8 · 8.3/10
Mon
Monday, Oct 5
7.2/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny
68°52°
Wind16 mph SSERain1%Clouds35%Moon32%
Tue
Tuesday, Oct 6
6.1/10
Partial
Sunny
69°49°
Wind17 mph WRain1%Clouds15%Moon22%
Wed
Wednesday, Oct 7
7.3/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny
65°47°
Wind14 mph WNWRain0%Clouds28%Moon14%
Thu
Thursday, Oct 8
8.3/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny
63°45°
Wind11 mph WNWRain4%Clouds47%Moon8%
Fri
Friday, Oct 9
7.9/10
Partial
Partly Sunny
62°50°
Wind15 mph ENERain4%Clouds58%Moon3%
Sat
Saturday, Oct 10
7.2/10
Partial
Partly Sunny
66°45°
Wind22 mph SRain9%Clouds60%Moon0%
The large Current Fishing Score above uses current conditions and, on eligible river pages, can include a conservative USGS streamflow penalty. The seven daily cards remain weather-only because this site does not predict future river flow. Cards marked “Partial” use less than 90% of the weighted weather inputs.
Devils Lake fishing conditions overview
The current weather inputs produce a good weather-based Fishing Score. Moderate wind should add useful surface movement.
Estimated activity windows: 6:55 AM–9:10 AM and 5:40 PM–7:55 PM local time. These are dawn/dusk windows, not guaranteed bite times.
Best fishing time today: estimated windows
The first estimated window runs from 6:55 AM–9:10 AM, around sunrise at 7:40 AM. The second runs from 5:40 PM–7:55 PM, around sunset at 7:10 PM. Lower light can change visibility and fish positioning, but actual feeding periods vary by species, season and water conditions.
Devils Lake fishing: structure, seasons and local conditions
Expansive prairie lake with flooded structure and strong walleye fishing. That physical setting is the starting point for reading today's forecast, because shoreline breaks, depth changes and wind-exposed water can react differently to wind, light and changing water conditions. Devils Lake is not uniform from bank to bank. Shoreline breaks, depth changes and wind-exposed water can place fish at different depths and levels of wind exposure even when the weather forecast is identical across the lake.
North Dakota has a pronounced warm-up and cool-down cycle. Spring can pull activity toward warming shallows or current edges; midsummer often increases the value of depth, shade, current or cooler water; and fall cooling can broaden the usable zone again. Those shifts matter differently to Walleye and Yellow perch, so recent conditions are more useful than assuming the same pattern all season. A lake-wide score is most useful as a filter for weather. The next decision is which of shoreline breaks, depth changes and wind-exposed water best matches the current season, light and wind direction.
Common targets at Devils Lake include Walleye, Yellow perch, and Northern pike. They do not use depth, current and cover in exactly the same way, so the Fishing Score remains a conditions index rather than a species-specific bite prediction. This page also has a manually mapped USGS reference station, so fresh water temperature, flow or level can be shown when that station reports a supported sensor.
What to watch in today's conditions
Wind
Current wind is about 10 mph from WNW, with gusts near 15 mph. Wind can improve surface movement on exposed banks while leaving coves and lee shorelines much calmer.
Barometric pressure
Current NWS pressure is missing, so pressure is excluded from this update and the Fishing Score is visibly marked as partial.
Moon phase and light
The moon is currently in the Last Quarter phase with approximately 44% illumination. Lunar illumination has a smaller weight than the main weather factors.
Target species
WalleyeYellow perchNorthern pike
Always verify current state fishing regulations, seasons, bag limits, licensing requirements and location-specific closures before fishing.
How this forecast is calculated
The Fishing Score starts with National Weather Service weather data: pressure 28%, wind 24%, cloud cover 18%, precipitation probability 18% and lunar illumination 12%. Missing weather factors are never treated as zero; partial weather results are pulled toward a neutral 5/10 according to the missing weight. On eligible river pages, a separate conservative USGS flow check can only reduce the current score when streamflow is unusually far from the long-term seasonal median or changing rapidly. It never increases the score.
Quick answers
Devils Lake fishing forecast FAQ
What is the Fishing Score for Devils Lake today?
The current Fishing Score is 7.3 out of 10 with 72% weighted data coverage. The score is partial and is pulled toward neutral conditions rather than assuming missing inputs are favorable.
What is the best fishing time at Devils Lake today?
The page highlights estimated low-light windows of 6:55 AM–9:10 AM and 5:40 PM–7:55 PM local time, centered around sunrise and sunset. They are planning windows, not guaranteed bite times.
What fish are commonly targeted at Devils Lake?
Common target species listed for Devils Lake include Walleye, Yellow perch, Northern pike. Seasons, legal limits and local closures can change, so always verify current regulations before fishing.
What weather factors are used for Devils Lake?
The Fishing Score uses barometric pressure and trend, wind, cloud cover, precipitation probability and moon illumination. Missing inputs are excluded rather than treated as zero.
Does this page include USGS water conditions for Devils Lake?
Yes. This page uses the manually mapped Devils Lake near Devils Lake, ND reference station when fresh supported observations are available. Water temperature, streamflow or water level can appear depending on the station sensors. When approved long-term statistics are available, the page can compare the current reading with the seasonal median for the same calendar day. On river pages with at least 20 approved observations contributing to that calendar day, unusually extreme or rapidly changing flow may conservatively reduce the Fishing Score; water data never adds bonus points.