Buttke Lake Fishing in Sargent County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Buttke Lake is one of the Sargent County listings for North Dakota. Elevation runs to 1,257 feet. At 9 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Sargent County list. The town to know is Britton, 15 miles out. For a city, Fargo is 74 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Buttke Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Sargent County names bluegill and white crappie. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Buttke Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 8°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Buttke Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Lake Dell is 0.9 miles off. Rules at Buttke Lake are worth checking on the day.