Rice Lake in Crow Wing County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Minnesota, Rice Lake falls inside Crow Wing County. The bank is 1,240 feet above sea level. At about 157 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The closest town, Crosby, is 2 miles away. Minneapolis sits 107 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Not far off: Olander Lake 0.7 miles away, Serpent Lake lies 1.2 miles on, Reno Lake 1.5 miles away, Rose Lake lies 1.5 miles on and Rice Lake 1.7 miles away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Crow Wing County names largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to Rice Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 69°F and January reads 8°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to Rice Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Olander Lake is 0.7 miles off. Treat access at Rice Lake as something to verify.