Rice Lake Fishing near Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Look for Rice Lake in the Iron County part of Wisconsin. The surface lies 1,562 feet up. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Most waters listed here for Iron County are larger. 9.8 miles away sits Lac du Flambeau, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 144 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Iron County records list walleye, northern pike, yellow perch and muskellunge among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Rice Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 66°F on average, January about 9°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Rice Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Ferry Lake, 1.1 miles out. Confirm access to Rice Lake locally before you travel.