Little Rice Lake Fishing Guide, Stearns County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Little Rice Lake is one of the Stearns County listings for Minnesota. The water sits 1,148 feet up. The water covers some 54 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 1.2 miles keeps the choices simple. Nearest town is Avon, 5.3 miles off. Albany lies 5.9 miles off, Richmond another 6.7 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Little Rice Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Stearns County include largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, walleye and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Little Rice Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 71°F and January near 10°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Little Rice Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Koop Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Little Rice Lake should be assumed from this page alone.