Gordon Lake, North Dakota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Gordon Lake lies in Rolette County, in North Dakota. The water sits 2,060 feet up. It measures about 28 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Most waters listed here for Rolette County are larger. Bottineau sits 16 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Winnipeg, 150 miles distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Gordon Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Rolette County, recorded fish include bluegill, northern pike and white bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Gordon Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 65°F and January about 1°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. The season between ice runs from about late April to mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Gordon Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Willow Lake Wildlife Management Area takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Willow Lake is 1.1 miles off. Treat Gordon Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.