Fishing at Rat Lake, Chisago County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Rat Lake lies in Chisago County, Minnesota. The country here is pine and birch. At roughly 3 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Chisago County. The town to know is Harris, 2.2 miles out. North Branch follows at 4.5 miles, then Branch at 6.5 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Rat Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Chisago County include largemouth bass, common carp and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Rat Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 70°F and January near 10°F on the long-run figures. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Rat Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Fish Lake, 1.1 miles away. Treat access at Rat Lake as something to verify.