Blacktail Lake, North Dakota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Blacktail Lake is a Williams County water, in North Dakota. The bank gives way to lake country bush. It runs to roughly 144 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Williston lies 20 miles from the water. Tioga is 37 miles away, with Crosby at 39 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Blacktail Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Species logged across Williams County include northern pike, Iowa darter, black bullhead and bluegill. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of Blacktail Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 8°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Blacktail Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. Public data records a pier about 100 yards out. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Lake Zahl, 9.3 miles out. For Blacktail Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.