Fishing at Little Rabideau Lake, Beltrami County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Look for Little Rabideau Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Land around it is lake country bush. About 11 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. On size it sits at the modest end of our Beltrami County list. Nearest place of any size is Bemidji, 19 miles away. After that come Redby at 24 miles and Red Lake at 27 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Little Rabideau Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name walleye, yellow perch, northern pike and largemouth bass. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Little Rabideau Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 3°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Little Rabideau Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Benjamin Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Little Rabideau Lake for certain.