Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Rice Lake Fishing guide
Rice Lake covers 418 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 25 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers2.6per gill net12"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 22 fish
2021Lengths measured · 27 fish
2014Lengths measured · 35 fish
2007Lengths measured · 25 fish
2004Largemouth bassFair numbers36.7per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 45 fish
2021Lengths measured · 22 fish
2014Lengths measured · 9 fish
2007Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2004Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Smallmouth bassJust a few0.9per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 13 fish
2021Lengths measured · 7 fish
2014Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 20 fish
2007Lengths measured · 18 fish
2004Northern pikeJust a few1.3per gill net22"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 17 fish
2021Lengths measured · 34 fish
2014Lengths measured · 41 fish
2007Lengths measured · 64 fish
2004Last recorded in the 2017 survey and not seen since.
BluegillJust a few4.7per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 144 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 144 fish
2021Lengths measured · 138 fish
2014Lengths measured · 217 fish
2007Lengths measured · 85 fish
2004CrappieJust a few0.2per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 49 fish
2021Lengths measured · 58 fish
2014Lengths measured · 98 fish
2007Lengths measured · 94 fish
2004Yellow perchFair numbers3.6per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 34 fish
2021Lengths measured · 152 fish
2014Lengths measured · 143 fish
2007Lengths measured · 114 fish
2004Channel catfishOne of the best around32.7per gill net16"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 296 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 296 fish
2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2014Lengths measured · 3 fish
2007Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates 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 Rice Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19" | 17" | 17" |
| 2014 | 25" | 17" | 18" |
| 2007 | 25" | 11" | 19" |
| 2004 | 22" | 19" | 18" |
| 1994 | 25" | 3" | 17" |
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:
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Rice Lake is a 322 acre impoundment of the Mississippi River created by a dam owned by the City of Brainerd. Because of this, not only will anglers find typical lake species, but there are also riverine species present as well. One of those species that has really taken off is Channel Catfish. The catch rate in 2021 of 32.7/net was up considerably from the previous survey in 2014 (1.1/gill net). Average size was 16.8", with fish ranging from 9.5" to 24.5".
Another fish species that you won't find a lot of places in the Brainerd Area is Smallmouth Bass. They were caught in above average numbers (1.3/gill net) for this type of lake. Average length was 12.9" and 58% were 12" or larger. Fish up to 17.8" were caught. Night electrofishing was done for both Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. While only one Smallmouth Bass was captured, Largemouth were captured at the rate of 36.4/hour. This was up from the previous survey in 2014 (15.5/hour). Average length was 13.6" and 85% were 12" or larger.
Read the full DNR narrative
Panfish are popular on Rice in both the winter and open water seasons. In 2021, new regulations were adopted for the Mississippi River from the Brainerd Dam upstream to Highway 6, including Rice Reservoir, that reduces the daily possession limit to 5 for crappie and sunfish. This new regulation is intended to protect and improve panfish sizes on this stretch of water. The average size of Black Crappies in this survey was 8.2", with 59% measuring 8" or larger. Bluegill average size was 7.5", with 28% of the fish 7" or larger.
Walleye were caught in average numbers (2.6/gill net) for this type of lake. Average length was 13.0" and 64% of the fish were 12" or larger.
Northern Pike numbers were low at 1.3/gill net. Average size was 23.4", with 33% of the fish within the 22-26" protected slot and 33% over 26". Muskellunge offer another unique fish that anglers may try for. Although none were sampled during the survey, there are angler reports of fisherman catching them in Rice Lake as well as the Mississippi River. Seven fish were caught in a special Muskellunge assessment in the spring of 2017 on this stretch of the reservoir.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Rice Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Rice 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
- Rice Lake , Lum Park (trailer launch)
- Rice Lake Reservoir Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Rice Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Gilbert Lake · 357 ac · 1.3 mi
- North Long Lake · 6,190 ac · 5.2 mi
- Perch Lake · 266 ac · 5.7 mi
- Red Sand Lake · 521 ac · 5.9 mi
- White Sand Lake · 415 ac · 6.3 mi
- Whipple Lake · 301 ac · 7 mi
- Sagamore Mine Lake · 119 ac · 7.2 mi
- Gladstone Lake · 437 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Rice Lake?
Rice Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point; about 48% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Rice Lake?
Rice Lake covers 418 acres with about 8.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Rice Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Rice Lake average 6.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Rice Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish.
Is Rice Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Rice Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Rice Lake have a public access?
Yes. Rice Lake has 2 public access sites, including Rice Lake , Lum Park (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Rice Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Rice Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Rice Lake in 2021, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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