Round Lake in Benson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Round Lake lies within the bounds of Benson County, North Dakota. What surrounds it is lake country bush. Roughly 144 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Fort Totten sits 11 miles from the bank. For a city, Fargo is 139 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Round Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Benson County names black bullhead, white bass and northern pike. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Read Round Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 6°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Round Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Stony Lake is 4.6 miles distant. Check the position at Round Lake before loading the car.