Island Lake in Rolette County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Island Lake falls in Rolette County, part of North Dakota. The ground round it is lake country bush. Around 86 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Supplies mean a trip to Bottineau, 12 miles off. It is 153 miles to Winnipeg, the nearest city. More in the same country: Grass Lake just 0.9 miles, Juneau Lake at 1.1 miles, Cassidy Lake just 1.7 miles, Platte Lake at 2.1 miles and Hellick Lake just 2.4 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Rolette County: bluegill, northern pike and white bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Island Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 1°F and July at about 66°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Island Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Grass Lake, 0.9 miles out. Check the position on Island Lake before loading the car.