Rice Lake Fishing near Circle Pines, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Anoka County, Rice Lake is a Minnesota water. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. The water covers around 356 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The outline measures near 4.6 miles, so local knowledge counts. It is among the larger waters listed here for Anoka County. You are 1.6 miles from Circle Pines. The big place round here is Minneapolis, 14 miles distant. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Anoka County names bluegill, common carp, black crappie, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Rice Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 72°F at the top of summer and 12°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Rice Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Reshanau Lake, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Rice Lake.