Lake Ilo near Killdeer: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lake Ilo lies in Dunn County, North Dakota. Height above sea level is 2,178 feet. At 881 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The outline measures near 6.0 miles, so local knowledge counts. Killdeer sits 4.5 miles from the bank. Regina sits 232 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ilo

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Open biodiversity records for Dunn County list common carp. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Lake Ilo to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 70°F on average, January about 11°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Lake Ilo.

• 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. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. For the carp, bait a margin spot and sit on it; corn and bread still work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Le Paul Slough at 1.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Lake Ilo are worth checking on the day.