Fishing at Harriet Lake, Burleigh County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Within Burleigh County, North Dakota, you have Harriet Lake. It stands 1,831 feet above sea level. Roughly 857 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. At about 7.3 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. 34 miles away sits Lincoln, the nearest town. The big place round here is Fargo, 161 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Harriet Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Burleigh County include bluegill, northern pike and common carp. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Harriet Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 69°F at the top of summer and 7°F at the bottom of winter. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Anyone fishing Harriet Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Cherry Lake is 15 miles distant. Check the position at Harriet Lake before loading the car.