Fishing at Dry Lake, McIntosh County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Dry Lake sits within McIntosh County in North Dakota. The bank gives way to pine and birch. At roughly 6.0 sq miles it ranks among the larger waters in the region. The outline measures near 13 miles, so local knowledge counts. By surface area it heads our McIntosh County listings. 41 miles away sits Linton, the nearest town. It is 137 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Dry Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across McIntosh County include largemouth bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Dry Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 70°F on average, January about 9°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to Dry Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Goose Lake is 2.9 miles distant. Signs at Dry Lake carry more weight than any list.