Rice Lake Fishing near Eagle River, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Rice Lake sits in Vilas County, out in Wisconsin. Land around it is mixed forest. Surface area is around 75 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Shoreline comes to about 1.3 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Start from Eagle River, 4.5 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 117 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Vilas County include bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and rock bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Rice Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 65°F, while January sits near 9°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Rice Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Frost Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Rice Lake for certain.