Fishing at Powers Lake, Burke County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Powers Lake stands in Burke County, North Dakota. Around the bank it is lake country bush. Surface area runs to roughly 2.6 sq miles, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The edge covers about 14 miles, enough to hold several distinct areas. It is the biggest water on our Burke County list. Tioga is the closest town at 18 miles. Stanley is 19 miles and Kenmare 26 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Powers Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Burke County include bluegill, white sucker, yellow perch and Iowa darter. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Powers Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 5°F and July at about 67°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Powers Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Smishek Lake, 5.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Powers Lake as something to verify.