Fishing at Holmes Lake, Rolette County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Holmes Lake lies within the bounds of Rolette County, North Dakota. Land around it is lake country bush. With some 49 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 1.4 miles on foot. It sits higher than most water we list in North Dakota. 14 miles away sits Deloraine, the nearest town. Boissevain is 15 miles and Bottineau 19 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Holmes Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Rolette County, recorded fish include bluegill, northern pike, white bass, yellow perch and johnny darter. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Holmes Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 65°F and January near 1°F on the long-run figures. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Expect Holmes Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Mud Lake is 0.4 miles off. Confirm before you fish Holmes Lake.