Rabour

In May 2016, spring trap netting was conducted to assess Bluegill and Black Crappie populations and night electrofishing was used to assess that of Largemouth Bass. Both Bluegill and Black Crappie catch rates were higher in Rabour than in connected Mandall and Goose Lakes to the north. Black Crappie catch rates were higher than typical summer rates for the lake type. Black Crappie ranged in length from 2.6 to 14.0 inches with a 9.4 inch average. Seventy three percent of crappies sampled were 4 years old. This year class averaged 9.2 inches in length, a good growth rate given their abundance. Bluegill averaged 7.3 inches and ranged from 3.4 to 8.8 inches, very similar to both Goose and Rabour. Largemouth Bass were sampled at 34.4 per hour of electrofishing, an increase from the 2011 sample and very similar to the rate in Mandall Lake. Bass ranged from 7.2 to 18.9 inches with a 13.2 inch, 1.5 pound average.

Rabour lake is a 48 acre basin with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Minnesota lakes managed for fishing are grouped into classes based on physical, chemical, and biological similarities. Rabour is assigned to lake class 30. In order to compare the fish population present in Rabour to other lakes in class 30, a lake survey was conducted in July of 2001.Black bullhead were the most abundant species in the gillnets with a catch rate of 35 per set. Black bullheads averaged 8.7 inches and 0.4 pounds. Compared to other class 30 lakes black bullheads were normal in both numbers and size. The 1991 catch was lower at 15.5 per set.Although walleye have never been stocked in Rabour, four were sampled by both the gillnets and the trapnets. Walleye were normal in numbers and size with a 2.9 pound and 20 inch average. Rabour's walleye population is likely the result of emigration as most year classes could be associated with Goose Lake stockings. Growth was similar to the statewide norm. Northern pike were sampled below the lake class normal range at a rate of 2 per gillnet. Northerns were on the small side, averaging 18.2 inches and 1.4 pounds. The 1991 catch was higher in both numbers and weight at 5 per net and 2.5 pounds. The 1998 and 1999 year classes represented nearly the entire catch. Northern size structure should therefore soon increase. Growth was normal based on the statewide average. The yellow perch catch rebounded from 16 per gillnet in 1991 to 24 in 2001. This catch is high compared to other catches in the lake class. All sampled perch were less than 7 inches in length. However, perch exhibited good growth. Two year olds accounted for 79% of the sample and averaged 5.6 inches. The black crappie catch was normal for the lake class in both the trapnets and the gillnets. Sampled crappies were small overall averaging only 5.4 inches. This size structure can be attributed to the 2000 year class which accounted for 78% of the catch. Good growth rates assure that these yearlings should contribute to the creel in just a few years.Bluegill were the bright spot of the survey. The trapnet catch was normal compared the the lake class and nearly identical to the 1991 catch. However, 55% of the catch was greater than 7 inches in length. Bluegill averaged a third of a pound which is above the lake class norm and double the size from the 1991 survey. The catch was well distributed from the 1994 through the 2000 year classes with normal growth.Largemouth bass were electrofished for the first time in 2001. Fifty three minutes of electrofishing encompassed the entire shoreline and sampled 35 bass for a catch rate of 39.2/hour. Bass averaged 12.6 inches and 1.3 pounds. Year classes ranged from 1993 to 1999 with six year olds dominating the catch. Growth was normal but appeared to be slowing as fish aged.Other fish sampled during the survey included bowfin, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, white sucker, and yellow bullhead.

IT WAS NOTED EARLIER IN THIS SURVEY REPORT THAT RABOUR LAKE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL WINTERKILL DURING MARCH 1991. THE FREQUENCY OF WINTERKILLS FOR THIS LAKE HAS NOT BEEN DOCUMENTED IN MN DNR RECORDS. IF PARTIAL WINTERKILLS HAD OCCURRED IN THE PAST, IT WAS NOTED OR EVALUATED. IT IS EVIDENT THAT FISH MIGRATION FROM GOOSE LAKE CAN GREATLY DETERMINE FISH ABUNDANCE IN RABOUR LAKE. IN JULY, 1991, A LAKE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON RABOUR LAKE. TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE FISH POPULATIONS, TWO GILLNETS AND FOUR TRAPNETS WERE SET AND TWO SHORELINE STATIONS WERE SEINED. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THESE EFFORTS THE STATUS OF THE FISH POPULATIONS COMPARED TO LAKES OF THE SAME LAKE CLASSIFICATION STATEWIDE ARE DESCRIBED. POPULATION COMPARISONS TO THE PREVIOUS LAKE SURVEY (1974) WILL NOT BE INCLUDED DUE TO THE LATEST WINTERKILL. THE NOP NET CATCH (5.00/SET) WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE STATEWIDE MEDIAN CATCH (4.50/SET) AND FALLS WITHIN THE FIRST AND THIRD QUARTILES, 2.58/SET AND 6.75/SET, RESPECTIVELY. THE NOP RANGED FROM 19.0-27.9 INCHES WITH A MEDIAN LENGTH GROUP OF 20.0-20.9 INCHES. THE MEAN WEIGHT WAS 2.47 POUNDS WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE STATEWIDE MEDIAN WEIGHT FOR NOP OF THIS LAKE TYPE (2.50 POUNDS). AGE ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT CAPTURED FISH WERE FROM TWO TO SIX YEARS OLD. AVERAGE BACK-CALCULATED LENGTHS FOR EACH AGE CLASS WERE TYPICAL OF NORMAL GROWTH RATES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THE BLG NET CATCH (21.50/SET) WAS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THE STATEWIDE MEDIAN CATCH (25.00/SET). THE 1991 CATCH FALLS WITHIN THE FIRST AND THIRD QUARTILE RANGE, 9.60/SET AND 65.80/SET, RESPECTIVELY. THE BLGS CAPTURED RANGED FROM 3.5- 7.4 INCHES WITH A MEDIAN LENGTH GROUP OF 5.0-5.4 INCHES. THE MEAN WEIGHT WAS 0.15 POUNDS WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE STATEWIDE MEDIAN WEIGHT FOR BLGS OF THIS LAKE TYPE (0.14 POUNDS). AGE ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT CAPTURED FISH WERE FROM AGE CLASSES II, III, IV, AND VI. AVERAGE BACK- CALCULATED LENGTHS FOR EACH AGE CLASS WERE TYPICAL OF NORMAL GROWTH RATES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SEINE HAULS CAPTURED 60 YOUNG-OF-YEAR BLGS. THE BLC NET CATCH (23.25/SET) WAS ABOVE THE STATEWIDE MEDIAN (5.25/SET) AND THIRD QUARTILE (12.00/SET). THE BLC RANGED FROM 6.0-9.4 INCHES WITH A MEDIAN LENGTH GROUP OF 7.0-7.4 INCHES. THE MEAN WEIGHT WAS 0.22 POUNDS WHICH IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE STATEWIDE MEDIAN WEIGHT FOR BLC OF THIS LAKE TYPE (0.20 POUNDS). AGE ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT CAPTURED FISH WERE FROM THREE TO FIVE YEARS OLD. AVERAGE BACK-CALCULATED LENGTHS FOR EACH AGE CLASS WERE LOWER THAN NORMAL GROWTH RATES THROUGHOUT THE STATE. FISH FROM AGE CLASS III INDICATED VERY SLOW GROWTH. SEINE HAULS FAILED TO CAPTURE YOUNG- OF-YEAR BLCS.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, and Walleye in Rabour. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Rabour. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Rabour has a maximum depth of 43 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Rabour is from 2016. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

Yes — Rabour has confirmed Eurasian watermilfoil. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.