Fishing Rush Lake (historical) in Barnes County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Rush Lake (historical) is a Barnes County water, North Dakota side. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. The water covers some 77 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our North Dakota listings. For a base, Valley City sits 9.4 miles out. Fargo sits 51 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Rush Lake (historical)

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Barnes County records list yellow perch, blackside darter and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Anyone new to Rush Lake (historical) should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 6°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That is the shape of the year on Rush Lake (historical).

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Crystal Lake (historical), 2 miles away. For Rush Lake (historical) in particular, ask before you travel.