Little Rice

Beltrami County

Near Pennington

DOW: 04001500

PumpkinseedExcellent · 80Yellow PerchGood · 69Rock BassGood · 68

A 123-acre lake near Pennington in Beltrami County — best known for panfish and walleye. Last surveyed 2019.

Fish Species (12)

Pumpkinseed

Excellent · 80

Typical numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.27 lbs

Catch rate: 9.8 per trap net · typical 2.8–10.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 18, 1990	1.00	-	0.03 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	9.75	-	0.27 lbs	Standard trap nets

Yellow Perch

Good · 69

Above-normal numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Sep 2019

Avg Size

7.1"

Avg Weight

0.20 lbs

Catch rate: 26.5 per gill net · typical 2–21.5 for a lake like this

Size of catchable yellow perch17% keeper-size (9"+)

5–8" · 83%Largest sampled 9"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Sep 5, 2019	26.50	7.1"	0.20 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	2.75	-	0.16 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jun 18, 1990	44.50	-	0.17 lbs	Standard gill nets

Rock Bass

Good · 68

Above-normal numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.42 lbs

Catch rate: 1.5 per trap net · typical 0.5–1.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 18, 1990	1.00	-	0.25 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	1.50	-	0.42 lbs	Standard trap nets

Black Crappie

Good · 65

Typical numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.70 lbs

Catch rate: 1.0 per trap net · typical 0.8–4.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Sep 5, 2019	0.50	11.0"	0.78 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	0.50	-	0.90 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	1.00	-	0.70 lbs	Standard trap nets

Bluegill

Good · 56

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.34 lbs

Catch rate: 5.5 per trap net · typical 8.3–50.1 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 18, 1990	5.50	-	0.34 lbs	Standard trap nets

Walleye

Stocked 2023

Good · 56

Typical numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Sep 2019

Avg Size

16.8"

Avg Weight

1.25 lbs

Catch rate: 2.5 per gill net · typical 0.5–3 for a lake like this

Stocked with fry every other year · 643,392 fish total

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Sep 5, 2019	2.50	16.8"	1.25 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	4.50	-	0.94 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	0.25	-	3.90 lbs	Standard trap nets

Stocking Details

Year	Size	Number	Pounds	Agency
2023	fry	121,592	1.0	Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
2021	fry	133,000	1.1	Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
2019	fry	220,800	1.8	Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
2017	fry	168,000	1.3	Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Largemouth Bass

Good · 50

Large fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

1.80 lbs

Catch rate: 0.25 per trap net · typical 0.3–1.4 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 18, 1990	0.25	-	1.80 lbs	Standard trap nets

Northern Pike

Poor · 21

Typical numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Sep 2019

Avg Size

17.3"

Avg Weight

1.15 lbs

Catch rate: 9.0 per gill net · typical 4.8–12.5 for a lake like this

Size of catchable northern pike0% keeper-size (24"+)

14–23" · 100%Largest sampled 23"

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Sep 5, 2019	9.00	17.3"	1.15 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	10.00	-	1.18 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	1.75	-	1.56 lbs	Standard trap nets

Other species in this lake (4)

Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.

White Sucker

Good · 59

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Sep 2019

Avg Size

14.5"

Avg Weight

1.70 lbs

Catch rate: 2.0 per gill net · typical 0.5–2.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Sep 5, 2019	2.00	14.5"	1.70 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	5.00	-	1.84 lbs	Standard gill nets

Yellow Bullhead

Good · 54

Typical numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.39 lbs

Catch rate: 7.8 per trap net · typical 2.1–10.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Sep 5, 2019	3.00	10.5"	0.80 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	0.50	-	0.02 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	7.75	-	0.39 lbs	Standard trap nets

Black Bullhead

Good · 51

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.60 lbs

Catch rate: 1.5 per trap net · typical 0.5–5.7 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Jun 18, 1990	1.50	-	0.60 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jun 18, 1990	5.00	-	0.30 lbs	Standard gill nets

Brown Bullhead

Average · 47

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Jun 1990

Last surveyed 1990 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.64 lbs

Catch rate: 1.3 per trap net · typical 0.5–3.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Sep 5, 2019	2.50	12.6"	1.10 lbs	Standard gill nets
Jun 18, 1990	1.25	-	0.64 lbs	Standard trap nets
Jun 18, 1990	2.50	-	0.34 lbs	Standard gill nets

Biologist Notes

September 5, 2019Little Rice Lake is a small 123 acre widening of the Turtle River in between Big Rice and Kitchi Lakes. With a maximum depth of 26 feet, Little Rice c…

Little Rice Lake is a small 123 acre widening of the Turtle River in between Big Rice and Kitchi Lakes. With a maximum depth of 26 feet, Little Rice can offer a unique and secluded fishing experience for anglers willing to navigate the river channel from Kitchi since there is no direct public access. A total of 5 Walleye were captured during the assessment which is typical for a lake of this size. They ranged in size from 15 to 20 inches with an average length of 17 inches. Northern Pike are the most abundant predatory fish found in Little Rice. A total of 18 were captured and measured during the 2019 survey with lengths from 11 to 23 inches and an average size of 18 inches. Yellow Perch are a very important prey species and were found in healthy numbers. Perch were measured up to 10 inches in length and averaged just over 7 inches.

June 18, 1990LITTLE RICE LAKE APPEARS TO BE DOMINATED BY DENSE POPULATION OF SMALL NORTHERN PIKE. WALLEYE NUMBER S AS WELL AS OTHER SPECIES PRESENT MAY BE INFLUENC…

LITTLE RICE LAKE APPEARS TO BE DOMINATED BY DENSE POPULATION OF SMALL NORTHERN PIKE. WALLEYE NUMBER S AS WELL AS OTHER SPECIES PRESENT MAY BE INFLUENC ED BY CONDITIONS UPSTREAM IN THE TURTLE RIVER AND BIG RICE LAKE OR DOWNSTREAM IN THE TURTLE RIVER, K ITCHI LAKE OR CASS LAKE. HABITAT FOR NATURAL REPRO DUCTION OF WALLEYE IS POOR. HOWEVER, FOR NORTHERN PIKE IT IS EXCELLENT AND FOR PANFISH GOOD. GILLN ET CATCHES OF YELLOW PERCH AND NORTHERN PIKE WERE ABOVE STATE AND REGIONAL MEANS. GILLNET CATCH OF WALLEYE WAS ABOVE THE STATEWIDE MEDIAN BUT BELOW THE 1988 LOCAL MEDIAN. TRAPNET CATCHES OF PUMPKIN SEED & YELLOW BULLHEAD WERE ABOVE STATE OR REGIOIN AL MEDIANS WHILE FOR BLUEGILL, CATCHES WERE LOWER THAN BOTH STATE AND REGIONAL MEDIANS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Little Rice?

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Pumpkinseed, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Black Crappie, and Bluegill in Little Rice. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.