Fishing at Lone Tree Lake, Steele County, North Dakota

• Overview

  North Dakota holds Lone Tree Lake, in Steele County. It lies 1,398 feet above sea level. It measures about 74 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our North Dakota listings. Valley City lies 26 miles from the water. Beyond it, Mayville at 30 miles and Hillsboro at 40 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Lone Tree Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Steele County: bluegill and brown bullhead. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Anyone new to Lone Tree Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 69°F, while January sits near 6°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It holds true on Lone Tree Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Stony Lake, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Lone Tree Lake.