Harrison Lake, North Dakota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Harrison Lake in Nelson County, North Dakota. Everything around it is mixed forest. With some 40 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Our Nelson County list holds plenty of bigger water. You are 19 miles from Larimore. It is 91 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Harrison Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Nelson County include largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill and brown bullhead. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Harrison Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 68°F in July and bottom out at 4°F in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Anyone fishing Harrison Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Horseshoe Lake at 4.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Harrison Lake carry more weight than any list.