Dry Lake Fishing near Devils Lake, North Dakota

• Overview

  Dry Lake sits in Ramsey County, out in North Dakota. Height above sea level is 1,434 feet. At roughly 6.9 sq miles it ranks among the larger waters in the region. Some 19 miles of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. Across our North Dakota listings, few waters are bigger. The town to know is Devils Lake, 13 miles out. The nearest city of size is Winnipeg, 138 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Dry Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Ramsey County, recorded fish include white bass, striped bass, walleye, muskellunge and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Dry Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 68°F, the coldest about 5°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Dry Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Stone Lake is 2.4 miles off. The position on Dry Lake is worth confirming on the day.