Fishing Coal Lake in McLean County, North Dakota

• Overview

  In North Dakota, Coal Lake falls inside McLean County. The surface lies 1,913 feet up. At about 99 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The shoreline runs about 3.1 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Most waters listed here for McLean County are larger. Supplies mean a trip to Washburn, 11 miles off. It is 205 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Coal Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for McLean County names bluegill, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Work Coal Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 9°F and July at about 69°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. On Coal Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Lake Ordway at 7.5 miles is the nearest alternative. For Coal Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.