Little Rice Lake near Bemidji: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Set in Beltrami County, Little Rice Lake is a Minnesota water. The surface lies 1,289 feet up. Surface area is around 115 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Bemidji lies 16 miles from the water. After that come Redby at 31 miles and Red Lake at 34 miles. Not far off: Kitchi Lake at 1.2 miles, Big Rice Lake at about 1.3 miles, Little Pimushe Lake at 1.6 miles, Pug Hole Lake at about 2.3 miles and Bullhead Lake at 2.4 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little Rice Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Beltrami County: walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Little Rice Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 4°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Little Rice Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Kitchi Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Where Little Rice Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.