Rat Root

Rat Root Lake is a 734 acre lake located approximately 9 miles southeast of International Falls, Minnesota. The lake is formed at the confluence of the Rat Root River and the East Branch Rat Root River. Rat Root Lake is accessible from Rainy Lake, as it is approximately 5 miles upstream of Black Bay. Rat Root Lake can also be accessed from boat ramps on the Rat Root River and the East Branch upstream of the lake. Rat Root Lake and Rat Root River are seasonally popular fishing destinations. There are a few seasonal cabins nearby, and Koochiching County maintains several campsites in the area, but the lake is otherwise undeveloped. A standard survey was completed in 2019 as part of a regular rotation of fisheries surveys in the International Falls Management Area. Black Crappie are a popular species to target for Rat Root Lake anglers. Abundance is average in comparison to similar lakes, and the size structure tends to be impressive. Crappies measuring over 14 inches in length were sampled in 2019, and the average size was over 11 inches. Growth of these fish is slightly faster than most other International Falls area lakes. Ages ranged from 2 to 11 years. The 2015 and 2014 year classes (age 4 and 5 at the time of this survey) made up over half of the Black Crappie sampled. Northern Pike abundance is average for this type of lake. Pike tend to be fairly small here. An average Northern Pike sampled in 2019 was about 19 inches. Growth is also slower than most other International Falls area lakes. The close proximity to Rainy Lake means that there could occasionally be a trophy fish roaming Rat Root Lake. Walleye in Rat Root Lake are low in abundance and large in size. The average Walleye in 2019 was over 20 inches, and the largest sampled were about 25 inches in length. The Rat Root River below Rat Root Lake was once the site of Walleye egg collection for hatchery production, which ceased in the 1970's. The river upstream and downstream of Rat Root Lake has been the site of many habitat improvement efforts in recent years. Yellow Perch are mostly small and in average abundance in Rat Root Lake. However, some do grow to sizes that anglers would target. Average size in 2019 was about 7 inches and the largest were about 11 inches. Strong 2015 and 2017 year classes made up the majority of the catch. Other species sampled in low abundance in 2019 included Golden Shiner, Redhorse, Sauger, and White Sucker.

While walleye and black crappie were both sampled in relatively low numbers in Rat Root Lake, the average size of individuals of both species was large. Average length of walleye sampled was 22 inches with an average weight of 3.87 pounds. Similarly, black crappies average 11.2 inches in length and 0.86 pounds. Northern pike abundance was below average when compared to similar lakes in the International Falls management area. Large size and low numbers of several of the primary game fish species encountered during the 2009 assessment (walleye, northern pike, and crappie) are indicative of a largely transient fish community. Though there are no doubt individuals of each species that over winter in Rat Root Lake it is likely that the majority of individuals of these species winter in deeper holes in the Rat Root River or Rainy Lake where they are less affected by water fluctuations associated with winter drawdown on Rainy Lake. Upon the arrival of spring these fish then move upstream to spawn in Rat Root Lake or the Rat Root River, and given suitable conditions they stay in Rat Root Lake for the summer.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Pumpkinseed in Rat Root. 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 Rat Root. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Rat Root has a maximum depth of 8 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Rat Root is from 2019.

No invasive species are on record for Rat Root in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.