Fishing Rabideau Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Beltrami County, Minnesota, is where Rabideau Lake sits. Around the bank it is pine and birch. At 654 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The perimeter runs near 5.0 miles, so plan the walk before you start. On our Beltrami County list it sits near the top for size. Start from Bemidji, 20 miles down the road. Redby is 25 miles away, with Red Lake at 29 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Rabideau Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Beltrami County include walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Rabideau Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 67°F and January near 3°F on the long-run figures. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about mid November in an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Rabideau Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Murk Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. For Rabideau Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.