Basswood Lake Fishing in Griggs County, North Dakota

• Overview

  You will find Basswood Lake in Griggs County, North Dakota. What surrounds it is lake country bush. It runs to roughly 30 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Our Griggs County list holds plenty of bigger water. Fort Totten is the closest place, 35 miles off. For a city, Fargo is 93 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Basswood Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Public occurrence data for Griggs County names bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of Basswood Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 4°F to 68°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. From about mid April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Basswood Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Mannie Lake, 1.4 miles out. What applies at Basswood Lake may have changed since it was mapped.