Rice Lake in Sherburne County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Sherburne County, Minnesota, is where Rice Lake sits. The bank is 935 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 246 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. At about 4.0 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. On our Sherburne County list it sits near the top for size. Zimmerman sits 5 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Princeton is 7.3 miles away, with Big Lake at 11 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Sherburne County include bluegill, northern pike, largemouth bass and black crappie. The county list is broader than any single water. Anyone new to Rice Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 10°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Rice Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Pool 14 at 1.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Rice Lake.