Lake Dana, North Dakota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Lake Dana in Bottineau County, North Dakota. The bank is 2,106 feet above sea level. Around 46 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. For a base, Bottineau sits 5.5 miles out. Beyond it, Deloraine at 20 miles and Shell Valley at 26 miles. Neighbouring water: Lake Harman at about 1.2 miles, Duck Lake (1.7 miles), Lake Klingenberg at about 2.7 miles, Smithsrund Lake (3 miles) and Grigg Lake at about 3.2 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lake Dana

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Bottineau County: bluegill, brown bullhead and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Lake Dana is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 66°F; by January the average is down near 2°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Climate figures give an open season running late April to mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lake Dana.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Lake Harman is 1.2 miles distant. Confirm before you fish Lake Dana.