Fishing at Mirror Pool, Richland County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Richland County in North Dakota is where Mirror Pool sits. The bank is 978 feet above sea level. A splashy cast here empties the swim; a quiet one owns it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Richland County list. The nearest place of any size is Lisbon, 22 miles away. After that come Horace at 23 miles and Casselton at 26 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mirror Pool

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Richland County include bluegill, white sucker, common carp, Iowa darter and smallmouth bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Mirror Pool responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 7°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. At Mirror Pool the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Hultman Lake sits 21 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Mirror Pool.