Fishing at Loon Lake, Bottineau County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Loon Lake is one of the Bottineau County waters in North Dakota. It lies 2,221 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 338 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 4.0 miles, so plan the walk before you start. It is among the larger waters listed here for Bottineau County. For a base, Bottineau sits 9.7 miles out. Deloraine is 20 miles and Shell Valley 22 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Loon Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Bottineau County, recorded fish include bluegill, brown bullhead, northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Loon Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 65°F and January reads 1°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Loon Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. South Loon Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Loon Lake.