Strawberry Lake Fishing near Velva, North Dakota

• Overview

  Strawberry Lake is one of the McLean County listings for North Dakota. The bank gives way to pine and birch. Roughly 141 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Head to Velva, 20 miles away, for anything you forgot. It is 201 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Strawberry Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Fish documented in McLean County include bluegill, rainbow smelt, smallmouth bass and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Strawberry Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 8°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Strawberry Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Camp Lake, 1 mile out. Where Strawberry Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.