Sheep Lake

Sheep Lake is a lake in Benson County, North Dakota, and covers about 238.8 acres, reaches about 32.1 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 3,234.8 acre-feet.

Several patterns can work at once on Sheep Lake, especially when wind separates clear water from dirty water.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Sheep Lake include Northern Pike, Walleye, and Yellow Perch.

While checking this midsize, open lake in Benson County, try this for walleye: work a jig and minnow, a live-bait rig, or a small crankbait along points and the first drop.

Before leaving this midsize, open lake in Benson County, try this for yellow perch: keep a small jig tipped with a minnow or worm close to the bottom on a flat beside deeper water.

When testing depth on this midsize, open lake in Benson County, try this for northern pike: cover weed edges and shallow points with a spoon, spinnerbait, or minnow-shaped lure.

How to Read the Water

While learning this midsize, open lake in Benson County, use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket.

Season by Season

For the first look at this midsize, open lake in Benson County, early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again.

A Simple Tackle Plan

Across this open water in Benson County, a medium spinning rod with 8- to 10-pound line handles most jigs and small casting baits; add a stronger outfit and a proper leader when northern pike are the target.

For a quick check of this midsize, open lake in Benson County, record the wind, water color, productive depth, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.