Lake Etta in Kidder County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Etta is set in Kidder County, North Dakota. Around the bank it is mixed forest. At 782 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. Some 15 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Lincoln is the closest place, 44 miles off. For a city, Fargo is 141 miles off. Within a short drive: Lake Isabel 1.3 miles away, Harker Lake at about 2.5 miles, Upper Harker Lake 3 miles away, Alkali Lake at about 4.9 miles and Big Muddy Lake 7 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lake Etta

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Kidder County, recorded fish include bluegill and northern pike. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Lake Etta the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 7°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lake Etta.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Lake Isabel at 1.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Lake Etta for certain.