Fishing Lake Elsie in Richland County, North Dakota

• Overview

  In North Dakota, Lake Elsie falls inside Richland County. This is rolling bush country. About 360 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. You are looking at roughly 3.6 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It is low-lying compared with other North Dakota water we list. For a base, Wahpeton sits 22 miles out. Fargo is the closest city, 58 miles away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lake Elsie

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Richland County names bluegill, white sucker, common carp, Iowa darter and smallmouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Lake Elsie for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 71°F in July and bottoms out near 9°F in January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan around that when you fish Lake Elsie.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Round Lake is 0.8 miles distant. Check the position at Lake Elsie before loading the car.