Stella Lake in Nelson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Nelson County, North Dakota. It sits at 1,516 feet above sea level. At about 82 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Larimore is the closest town at 20 miles. Fargo is the closest city, 96 miles away. Other water nearby: Deer Lake at 3.7 miles, Lake Pickard roughly 6.5 miles, Twin Lakes at 6.5 miles, Harrison Lake roughly 6.8 miles and Horseshoe Lake at 6.8 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Stella Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Nelson County include largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill and brown bullhead. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fish Stella Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 68°F at the top of summer and 3°F at the bottom of winter. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Anyone fishing Stella Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Deer Lake at 3.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Stella Lake carry more weight than any list.