Jones Lake Fishing Guide, Sheridan County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Jones Lake belongs to Sheridan County, North Dakota. What surrounds it is mixed forest. With some 84 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. About 1.3 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Harvey at 21 miles is the nearest place to stop. Washburn lies 41 miles off, Velva another 48 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Jones Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Sheridan County records list largemouth bass, muskellunge and northern pike among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Jones Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 7°F and July at about 68°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Jones Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Kindschi Lake, 6.5 miles out. Nothing on Jones Lake should be assumed from this page alone.