Rice Lake Fishing near Spooner, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Within Burnett County, Wisconsin, you have Rice Lake. It sits at 961 feet above sea level. At some 327 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The perimeter runs near 4.8 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Few waters listed in Burnett County are bigger. Head to Spooner, 9.4 miles away, for anything you forgot. Shell Lake lies 11 miles off, Cumberland another 22 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Rice Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Burnett County include brown trout, northern pike, largemouth bass and bluegill. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Rice Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 69°F and January about 9°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan any trip to Rice Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. This falls in or next to protected ground, so rules will be tighter than usual. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Bass Lake at 1.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Signs at Rice Lake carry more weight than any list.