Lee Lake Fishing near Bottineau, North Dakota

• Overview

  Lee Lake stands in Bottineau County, North Dakota. The surroundings are lake country bush. It measures about 69 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 1.4 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Bottineau is the closest place, 9.1 miles off. Then Shell Valley, 20 miles, and Deloraine, 23 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lee Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Bottineau County cover bluegill, brown bullhead, northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Take Lee Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 66°F and January about 2°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On average, late April opens the water and mid November closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Lee Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Cassidy Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Lee Lake.