Girard Lake Fishing in Pierce County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Girard Lake is listed under Pierce County, North Dakota. The setting is mixed forest on every side. At 1,462 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. At about 7.7 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It is among the larger waters listed here for Pierce County. The nearest place of any size is Rugby, 21 miles away. Further out sit Harvey (21 miles) and Velva (43 miles). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Girard Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The near bank of Girard Lake is often the one people ignore. Give a promising spot half an hour before moving on.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 6°F to 69°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. At Girard Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Petrified Lake at 2.3 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Girard Lake carry more weight than any list.