Lake Tschida · Heart River, Grant County
Heart Butte Reservoir
Heart Butte Reservoir — everyone calls it Lake Tschida — is a Bureau of Reclamation reservoir on the Heart River, about 15 minutes south of Glen Ullin. At roughly 3,300 acres surrounded by some 7,500 acres of public land, it is the largest lake in southwest North Dakota and Bismarck’s closest full-featured lake weekend.
Tschida runs on camping: ten recreation areas ring the shore, seasonal cabin and trailer communities go back decades, and summer weekends blend fishing mornings with tubing afternoons.
The Fishing
Walleye and northern pike lead the fishery, with walleye to the eight-pound class and pike into double digits. Crappie, yellow perch, white bass, smallmouth, and catfish fill out a genuinely mixed bag, fed by a gizzard-shad forage base. In winter, Tschida is southwest ND’s established ice-fishing destination.
The Right Boat for Heart Butte Reservoir
- Lund — the reservoir workhorse. Shop Lund boats →
- Bennington tritoon — the campground boat. Shop pontoons →
- Glacier ice house — the southwest ND winter play. Shop ice houses →
Boat shopping for Heart Butte Reservoir? Visit Vallely Sport & Marine — Bismarck or call (701) 299-0172. We handle delivery, service, winterization, and storage across the region.
