Overview
Large, irregular impoundment known for walleye, bass and panfish. Fluctuating water levels add to the challenge. Ample cover in the form of weeds, wood and rocks.
Rice River Flowage Map
Fishing Regulations
Special Fishing regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.
Special Waterbody Regulations
- Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the RICE RESERVOIR CHAIN including BRIDGE LAKE, LAKE NOKOMIS Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.
Special Species Regulations
- Shortnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25, 25 panfish may be kept, but only 10 of any one species
- Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
- Muskellunge and hybrids: May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 40” and the daily bag limit is 1
- Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
- Flathead catfish: See Catfish.
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- Channel catfish: See Catfish.
- Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
- Bluegill: See Panfish.
- White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
- Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Round goby: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Rough fish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Rock, Yellow, and White Bass: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Largemouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
- Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: June 21, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
- Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length is 15”, but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20” to 24” may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24” is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3
- Sauger and hybrids: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
Features
Forage
Seasonal Movements
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Fish Species
Rice River Flowage Bluegill abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 10 |
Rice River Flowage Crappie abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Rice River Flowage Largemouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Rice River Flowage Northern pike abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 39 |
Rice River Flowage Perch abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Rice River Flowage Pumpkinseed abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 9 |
Rice River Flowage Rock bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Rice River Flowage Smallmouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 19 |
Rice River Flowage Walleye abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.
