Horseshoe Lake Fishing near Fort Totten, North Dakota

• Overview

  Horseshoe Lake is a Benson County water, North Dakota side. Everything around it is rolling bush. It measures some 490 acres, and wind has room to build across it. The edge covers about 6.8 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. Nearest town is Fort Totten, 13 miles off. Devils Lake lies 19 miles off, New Rockford another 20 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Benson County include black bullhead, white bass, northern pike and striped bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Horseshoe Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 69°F and January reads 5°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Horseshoe Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Mallard Lake is 3 miles off. Where Horseshoe Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.