Fishing at Alkaline Lake, Stutsman County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Stutsman County in North Dakota is where Alkaline Lake sits. What surrounds it is lake country bush. At some 3.7 sq miles it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The perimeter is close to 19 miles, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. It is among the larger waters listed here for Stutsman County. Linton lies 42 miles from the water. It is 132 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Alkaline Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Stutsman County names Iowa darter, pikeperch and black bullhead. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Alkaline Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 7°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Alkaline Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lake George at 5.7 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Alkaline Lake is worth confirming on the day.