Des lacs lake by north gate?

[amberdpierce]

Driving home from North Gate, (where the fishing was GREAT!) We pass over Des Lacs lake.....is there any fish in there? Is it off limits? Seen some jumpers on the still water but it is beautiful and EMPTY....any input?

 

[eyexer]

I don't think you can fish it. There is a little park south of the crossing about four or five miles. It used to be open to recreation in a very small area. But I don't remember if fishing was allowed. Way back in the mid 70's we had so much snow that the water was running over the highway. This was long before they raised that road up. I remember as a kid walking down there and watching big northers swimming by in two or three feet of water. But it got so low for quite a few years I bet they pretty much died out. Just rough fish in it now I'd suspect.

 

[RustyTackleBox]

Des lacs river and the souris river meet up in Burlington, it should have walleye, trout and pike in it. I used to catch a pile of bullheads in the river portion as a kid

 

[Magpie]

It is a National Wildlife refuge. No fishing. It is a shallow lake. Fish can't get in from the Souris, as there is a water control structure on the south end they would have to jump. There are fish in it as Northgate Dam drains into it via Stoney Run creek. Every spring fish go over the spillway and down the creek to the lake. It was open for ice fishing a couple winters in the early 80s. We tried it and didn't have a whiff. It dried up in the late 80s. It is a beautiful 30 mile long lake. The middle section is open for canoeing and kayaking. No motors. Water skiing was allowed on the middle section in the 70s. A recreational resource that will never be utilized, as it is a national wildlife refuge.

 

[Labz4me]

Lots of dead suckers at that crossing last spring. Didn't see any other fish, but I bet there is other fish in there. I wonder what max depth would be in the Des Lacs? Too bad there wasn't a dam near Kenmare. Flood control?? Hehe

 

[AR-15]

It's just a toxic slough hole, wait till the end of Aug. the crossing east of Bowbells we call lake shore will have a real nice smell, if not all ready

 

[amberdpierce]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated!