Fishing George Lake in Rolette County, North Dakota

• Overview

  George Lake lies in Rolette County, North Dakota. Height above sea level is 2,247 feet. It runs to roughly 163 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 5.7 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. It is among the larger waters listed here for Rolette County. Boissevain sits 13 miles from here and is the nearest stop. It is 142 miles to Winnipeg, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on George Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Rolette County include bluegill, northern pike, white bass, yellow perch and johnny darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On George Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 1°F and July at about 65°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. George Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Horace Lake, 1.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about George Lake if anything is unclear.