Laird Lake Fishing near Belcourt, North Dakota

• Overview

  In North Dakota, Laird Lake belongs to Rolette County. The bank is 2,100 feet above sea level. At 23 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Rolette County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Belcourt, is 9.7 miles distant. The big place round here is Winnipeg, 139 miles distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Laird Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Rolette County include bluegill, northern pike and white bass. The county list is broader than any single water. Laird Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 1°F at the bottom of winter. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Laird Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Olson Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Ask locally about Laird Lake if anything is unclear.