Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 12, 1982
Stocking at Big Rice Lake
No stocking record for Big Rice Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Big Rice Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 1982 caught 11.50 northern pike per gill net at Big Rice Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1982-06-12 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1982-06-12 (Standard Survey)
44 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 79.00 | 0.44 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 11.50 | 1.78 lb | |
| White Sucker | 5.50 | 2.36 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
From the 1982-06-12 survey
Big Rice Lake contains above average populations of northern pike, yellow perch and suckers.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Rice Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big RiceFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Rice (0275)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big RicePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Big Rice Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 1982 caught 11.50 northern pike per gill net at Big Rice Lake. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Big Rice Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Big Rice Lake is dated June 12, 1982. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Big Rice Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Big Rice Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Big Rice Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class: a lake with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Big Rice Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Big Rice Lake
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