One North Dakota Lake Stays Warm & Open Year Round

Tired of ice fishing and all this snow this winter?  

In most cases, unless you have a track machine you are not getting around easily on our frozen lakes this winter in North Dakota.

Longing for days on the water in a boat instead of an ice house?

Did you know there's actually a lake in North Dakota where a good portion of it stays open year-round?  That's right, even in January.

Introducing Nelson Lake near Center, North Dakota.

This is a lake I've been going to for many, many years.  Not only is it a very popular place to go bass fishing (the state record Largemouth Bass was caught there in the 80s') but a very popular recreation area.  Waterskiing, jetskiing, camping, and a popular fishing destination.  Yep, even in January.

Find a nice January afternoon and not only will you see people fishing where the Minnkota Power Plant discharges warm water into the lake, but you might even see a few "die-hards" like me in a boat.

Nelsen Lake's water is used to cool Minnkota Power Plant. This is a really unique body of water.  You certainly won't find another lake like this in North Dakota and very few like Nelson in the upper Midwest.  Water temperatures vary greatly depending on where you are on the lake but in the winter months, it could range from 45 to 60 degrees.  The water temps in the summer get much warmer, where you could see temperatures in the 80s or higher. 

I've heard stories of people water skiing on Nelson Lake in January.  

That's a little cray-cray to me but to each his own.

Besides Largemouth Bass fishing, Nelson Lake is also a very good lake to catch Crappies and Bluegills.  If you're tired of using little rods and ice fishing, here's a very unique opportunity to fish an open body of water in North Dakota.  There's even a fishing pier near the warm water discharge.

Nelson Lake is about 30 minutes from Mandan right off highway 25. According to Lake-Link.com, the lake is 573 acres and the deepest point of the lake is about 35 feet deep. 

I know the first warm January weekend of 2023 you'll find my son and me working on our cabin fever, and having some fun on the open water.  Even in January.