Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Rabbit (East Portion) Lake Fishing guide
Rabbit (East Portion) Lake covers 670 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 337 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 16.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers4per gill net18"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 75 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 75 fish
2021Lengths measured · 46 fish
2015Lengths measured · 15 fish
2009Lengths measured · 77 fish
2009Largemouth bassOne of the best around113.7per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 122 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 122 fish
2021Lengths measured · 48 fish
2015Lengths measured · 64 fish
2009Lengths measured · 153 fish
2002No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few5.6per gill net21"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 60 fish
2021Lengths measured · 49 fish
2015Lengths measured · 67 fish
2009Lengths measured · 33 fish
2009BluegillJust a few13.8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 184 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 184 fish
2021Lengths measured · 292 fish
2015Lengths measured · 181 fish
2009Lengths measured · 309 fish
2002Rock bassGood numbers1.8per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 27 fish
2021Lengths measured · 19 fish
2015Lengths measured · 39 fish
2009Lengths measured · 48 fish
2002Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Rabbit (East Portion) Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 16.2 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 337 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 16.2 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 337 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17" | 27" | 31" |
| 2015 | 15" | 28" | 34" |
| 2009 | 17" | 27" | 33" |
| 2002 | 17" | 27" | 30" |
| 1997 | 15" | 24" | 33" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 231 fingerlings · 600 yearlings · 214 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 12,226 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 11,616 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 7,807 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 4,927 fingerlings · 717 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
East Rabbit Lake is a 638 acre lake located just north of Cuyuna in Crow Wing County. East Rabbit has an interesting history. It was diked off and drained in the 1950s in order to mine the iron ore located below the lake. In the 1960s and 70s the lake refilled, and in 1978 was reconnected to West Rabbit. A public access is located in the channel between the two lakes. Thanks to the old mine pit, the lake reaches depths of 337'. The remainder of the lake is shallower, with 31' being the maximum depth. Overall, 38% of the lake is 15' deep or less. Water clarity was good with a secchi disk reading of 15.5'.
Walleye fingerlings are stocked in alternate years (484 lbs). The walleye catch of 4.0/gill net was average compared to similar lakes. Size was nice, with an average length of 20.1"and 95% of the fish measuring 12" or larger.
Read the full DNR narrative
A 24"-36" protected slot regulation is in effect for Northern Pike in East Rabbit. The catch rate was average at 5.6/gill net. Average length was 22.2" and 35% of the fish were 24" or larger.
Largemouth Bass were sampled by a spring electrofishing survey at a rate of 112/hr. Average length was 12.2" and 61% measured at least 12" in length. Fish ranged in size from 6.9" to 17.8"
Bluegills were sampled in average numbers (13.8/trap net) although their size was small. Bluegills averaged 5.2" in length, with only 8% measuring at least 7" in length.
Black Crappies were captured in average numbers at 0.4/trap net for this type of lake. Size was good, with 71% of the fish being 8" or larger. Fish as large as 12.3" were caught.
No invasive species have been discovered in East Rabbit Lake, but they are located in the local area. Before and after launching lake users are required to inspect and remove any aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and trailers as well as pull the plug and drain all water from the watercraft, including bilges, livewells and baitwells.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Rabbit (East Portion) Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Rabbit (East Portion) Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- DNR access: West side of small bay between East & West Rabbit off of Co. Rd. 31.
DNR bathymetry
Rabbit (East Portion) Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Rabbit (West Portion) Lake · 536 ac · 1.2 mi
- Clinker Lake · 81 ac · 2 mi
- Manuel Mine Lake · 41 ac · 2.8 mi
- Black Lake · 106 ac · 3.1 mi
- Island Lake · 126 ac · 3.2 mi
- Serpent Lake · 1,116 ac · 3.7 mi
- Portsmouth Mine Lake · 149 ac · 3.8 mi
- Pennington Mine Lake · 62 ac · 4.6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Rabbit (East Portion) Lake?
Rabbit (East Portion) Lake reaches 337 ft at its deepest point; about 36% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Rabbit (East Portion) Lake?
Rabbit (East Portion) Lake covers 670 acres with about 6.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Rabbit (East Portion) Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Rabbit (East Portion) Lake average 16.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Rabbit (East Portion) Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Rabbit (East Portion) Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Rabbit (East Portion) Lake have a public access?
Yes. Rabbit (East Portion) Lake has one public access site: DNR access (West side of small bay between East & West Rabbit off of Co. Rd. 31.).
How big do largemouth bass get in Rabbit (East Portion) Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 17"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Rabbit (East Portion) Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Rabbit (East Portion) Lake in 2021, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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