Nelson Lake in Oliver County is distinct. It has long been labeled the best largemouth bass lake in a state where walleye rule and northern pike have, since 1969, unknowingly shouldered the renown of being the state fish.
An onboard generator produces electricity that runs to the front of the boat. The electrical field produced goes down about 6 feet into the water. Fish are attracted to the electrical field and are temporarily stunned, allowing fisheries personnel to capture them with long-handled dip nets.
Nelson’s unique stature is a byproduct of the Milton R. Young Station, a coal-fired power plant in Oliver County that has produced electricity for a half-century. Even during the leanest months here on the Northern Plains, warm water released from the facility creates a year-round open water environment, which allows largemouth bass a longer growing season than anywhere else in the state.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department manages the fishery, which means on an annual basis from about mid- to late May, fisheries biologists conduct an electrofishing survey to determine, among other things, the predator/prey balance in the lake.
The photographs that follow document the nighttime electrofishing operation that has long played a significant role in managing this popular largemouth bass fishery.
Ron Wilson is editor of North Dakota OUTDOORS. Story and photos reprinted with permission from North Dakota OUTDOORS.
