Hartley Lake, North Dakota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Hartley Lake belongs to Rolette County, North Dakota. The water sits 2,211 feet up. Roughly 218 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. At about 5.6 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Rolette County list. Bottineau lies 17 miles from the water. After that come Boissevain at 17 miles and Deloraine at 19 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hartley Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Rolette County include bluegill, northern pike, white bass and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Hartley Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 65°F and January near 1°F on the long-run figures. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing Hartley Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Boundary Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Hartley Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.