Fishing at Lake Ibsen, Benson County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Out in Benson County, North Dakota, sits Lake Ibsen. The ground round it is pine and birch. At 1,082 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. With 10 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It ranks high for size among our Benson County listings. For supplies, Cando is 18 miles out. Further out sit Devils Lake (27 miles) and Fort Totten (27 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ibsen

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Benson County cover black bullhead, white bass, northern pike and striped bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Lake Ibsen a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 68°F, the coldest about 4°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Lake Ibsen fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. This sits inside Nesvig Wildlife Management Area, so read the reserve notices first. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Stink Lake, 7.3 miles out. Ask locally about Lake Ibsen if anything is unclear.