Goldie Lake Fishing in Bottineau County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Bottineau County, North Dakota, is where Goldie Lake sits. It sits in pine and birch country. With some 41 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 1.5 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Supplies mean a trip to Deloraine, 9.8 miles off. Bottineau lies 15 miles off, Boissevain another 23 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Goldie Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bottineau County records list bluegill, brown bullhead, northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Goldie Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 65°F and January near 2°F on the long-run figures. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. At Goldie Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Flossie Lake at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Goldie Lake before loading the car.