Rice Lake Fishing Guide, Hubbard County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Hubbard County in Minnesota is where Rice Lake sits. What surrounds it is lake country bush. With some 153 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 2.2 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Park Rapids lies 7.8 miles from the water. After that come Menahga at 20 miles and Bemidji at 31 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name walleye, northern pike, black crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Rice Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 67°F, the coldest about 4°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on Rice Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Little Rice Lake is 0.6 miles off. Confirm access to Rice Lake locally before you travel.