Red Willow Lake Fishing Guide, Griggs County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Red Willow Lake falls in Griggs County, part of North Dakota. The bank gives way to pine and birch. With some 149 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 2.2 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The nearest town is New Rockford, 36 miles away. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 91 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Red Willow Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Griggs County include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. The county list is broader than any single water. Work Red Willow Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 69°F; by January the average is down near 4°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about mid November in an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Red Willow Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Basswood Lake at 2.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Red Willow Lake are worth checking on the day.