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Rice Lake
Enhanced dataInteractive depth contours
Rice LakeBarron County, WI
Contours load with map Access
Interactive depth contours5-foot typical interval · Sonar-derived depth (C-MAP Genesis) · Gaps interpolated · Not for navigation
Source: C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived)high confidence · QA passed · Select a contour to inspect its mapped depthDepths decoded from C-MAP Genesis Social Map community sonar recordings (used with permission), covering 52% of the lake. Small gaps between recordings are smoothly connected; larger unrecorded areas follow the lake's depth model calibrated to the DNR-documented 19-ft maximum depth. More accurate than a pure model, but still an estimate. Not for navigation.LakeList assistant
Plan your lake day
Fishing spots, food, lodging, marinas, and rentals around Rice Lake.
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Fishing forecast
Best windows for Rice Lake
Weather-based planning built from the National Weather Service hourly forecast near this lake.
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Checking wind, precipitation, and near-term weather windows.
Water temperature
Rice Lake water temperature today
Modeled surface-temperature estimate built from seasonal climate, lake depth, and live National Weather Service air temperatures near this lake.
74°FWarm
Seasonal estimate. Checking current National Weather Service air temperatures…
Comfortable summer pattern. Bass and panfish are active; early and late hours beat the midday heat.
Estimates are modeled, not measured. Actual temperatures vary with depth, wind mixing, and recent weather — verify conditions before swimming, boating, or heading onto ice.
DNR water check
Water quality quick take
From Wisconsin DNR / Citizen Lake Monitoring readings at Rice Lake - Site B/Central Basin.
Sampled Jun 2026Volunteer monitoring since 1995
Somewhat hazy, algae-prone water — summer clarity of 4.2 ft is lower than most monitored Wisconsin lakes.
Based on July–August volunteer averages from 2024–2025; each value shows its own year.Water claritySecchi disk depth
4.2 ftJul–Aug 2025 avg (3 readings)
HazyStable since 2018
Clearer than 23% of 596 monitored Wisconsin lakes with current readings.
AlgaeChlorophyll-a
51 µg/LJul–Aug 2024 avg (2 readings)
HighWorsening — up ~26% vs earlier years
NutrientsTotal phosphorus — fuels plant & algae growth
47 µg/LLatest single sample · 2025-06-18
Elevated2018–2024
Elevated phosphorus supports strong plant/algae growth pressure.
All readings by year · station details · methodology
Summer averages (July/August)
July/August means; counts in parentheses show how many samples went into each average.
| Year | Secchi | Chlorophyll-a | Total phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.2 ft (3) | 30.0 µg/L (1) | — |
| 2024 | 2.6 ft (2) | 51.0 µg/L (2) | 57.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2023 | 3.0 ft (2) | 38.5 µg/L (2) | 48.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2022 | 3.0 ft (5) | 52.3 µg/L (3) | — |
| 2021 | 3.3 ft (2) | 19.0 µg/L (2) | 43.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2020 | 4.0 ft (2) | 23.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2019 | 4.6 ft (4) | 19.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2018 | 3.6 ft (6) | 34.5 µg/L (2) | 48.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2017 | 4.4 ft (8) | 29.0 µg/L (1) | — |
| 2016 | 5.3 ft (7) | 14.0 µg/L (1) | — |
Latest individual samples: Secchi 5 ft (2025-09-02), chlorophyll-a 41 µg/L (2026-06-23), and total phosphorus 47 µg/L (2025-06-18).
Secchi clarity is how deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface — more feet means clearer water.
Chlorophyll-a is an algae pigment; higher values signal more algae in the water column.
Total phosphorus is a nutrient that feeds algae and aquatic plants. It is not a weed survey — depth, bottom type, water movement, and management change the actual lake experience.
Rice Lake - Site B/Central BasinStation 033180
Modeled from DNR/CLMN monitoring — not a safety or swim-condition report. Verify current conditions locally. LakeList verified 2026-07-12.Official Wisconsin information
Plan with DNR sources
LakeList links to the authoritative record so you can verify maps, rules, and current notices before leaving.
Historical DNR depth maps2 converted map sheetsView DNR depth mapHistorical map · not for navigationFishing regulationsVerify current seasons, limits, and restrictionsOfficial DNR lake pageFacts, advisories, boating, and water qualityWater quality reportsMonitoring stations, clarity, and DNR reportsInvasive speciesVerified, observed, and historical AIS recordsBoating ordinancesLocal slow-no-wake and water-use restrictionsFish consumption advisoriesStatewide and waterbody-specific health guidance
Historical depth maps are not for navigation. Verify regulations and access at the official source before your trip.
Historical Wisconsin DNR maps
Rice Lake depth maps
2 converted map sheets. These historical surveys are not for navigation.
Navigable depth map
Rice Lake · sheet 1
Pan, zoom, and inspect the converted Wisconsin DNR historical map image in the browser. Historical survey — not for navigation.
Source: Wisconsin DNR · WBIC 2103900 · image navigation only; spatial alignment pending · Historical lake maps are not for navigation.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Converted for browser access with source URLs, checksums, and retrieval dates retained. Historical lake maps are not for navigation.
Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey
Fish population survey
Structured LakeList extraction from the 2023 DNR fisheries survey. Population estimates, density, and catch-rate indices use different units, methods, and scopes, so each value is presented in its original form rather than normalized against a different measure.
Survey indicatorsValues keep their source unit and method; unlike measures are not scaled or compared.
Management contextRice Lake adult-muskellunge mark-recapture population and demographic results from 2022 marking and 2023 recapture fyke-net surveys. Metric scopes preserve the report's 2022 population-estimate year and two-year sample period.
Wisconsin DNR estimated 203 adult muskellunge, or 0.22 adult fish per acre, in Rice Lake during 2022. The stocking-dependent population had good size structure, average condition, above-average growth and a high share of fish from stocked year classes.
- Manage adult muskellunge density between 0.2 and 0.3 fish per acre and maintain PSD-42 at or above 17.
- Maintain alternate-year stocking at 1.5 large fingerlings per acre because natural recruitment remains low and stocked cohorts dominate the population.
- Continue PIT tagging and anal-fin-ray aging; the report schedules the next rotation for 2028, subject to sampling-plan changes.
Muskellunge
0.6 fish/net-nightTwo-year fyke-net CPUE · p. 561 fishAdults marked in 2022 · p. 547 fishAdults collected in 2023 · p. 513 fishSub-adults collected across both years · p. 6
Survey
84 net-nights2022 marking effort · p. 5130 net-nights2023 recapture effort · p. 5
Muskellunge Survey Report for Rice Lake, Barron County, Wisconsin 2022-2023Matched by exact wbic and name county · WBICs 2103900 · verified 2026-07-18Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey report; LakeList operator documented permission to leverage this report with source attribution.
Fishbrain community activity
Recent catch activity
Aggregated public catch activity matched to Rice Lake. Exact catch locations and angler details are not shown.
Most reported species in this extract
Largemouth bass76Northern pike41Smallmouth bass23Muskellunge20Bluegill18Rock bass11Walleye10
Catch analytics
Seasonal fish catch patterns
Pick a species to see when anglers reported it, compare against all fish by month, then scan year-by-year catch volume.
Largemouth bass by monthMonthly reports tagged as Largemouth bass.
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All fish by monthTotal public catch reports across every listed species.
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Yearly catch viewYear-by-year public catch volume.
No yearly catch aggregates yet.
Catch counts are community reports, not a population survey or a guarantee of current fishing conditions.
View source on Fishbrain859surface acres
19max depth feet
7public access points
45.5081, -91.7264latitude, longitude
Access
Public access points
Boat launchAccess45.51515, -91.73525Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Boat launchAccess at East Side Of Lake Near 20 1/4 Ave45.49799, -91.70837Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Boat launchAccess at E Side Of Lake Off Zabel Rd45.50882, -91.72177Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Boat launchAccess at S Side Of Lake Off E Orchard Beach Ln45.48333, -91.71568Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Boat launchAccess at Stein Avenue45.49895, -91.73189Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Boat launchAccess at W Side Of Lake At End Of 20 1/2 20 1/4 St45.52674, -91.73201Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Shore fishingRICE LAKE FISHING PIER45.48417, -91.71325Managed by Wisconsin DNR verifiedRICE LAKEVerified 2026-07-12
Nearby
Trip-planning places
No nearby trip-planning places yet
Fishery
Notable species
Largemouth BassMuskyNorthern PikePanfishWalleye
Wisconsin DNR stocking
Fish stocking history
The latest published year is 2024, when 1,233 fish were recorded across 1 entry.
2024
MuskellungeUpper Chippewa River · Large Fingerling
1,23313.4 in average
2021
MuskellungeUpper Chippewa River · Large Fingerling
42313.3 in average
2019
MuskellungeUpper Chippewa River · Large Fingerling
1,14912.6 in average
2017
MuskellungeUpper Chippewa River · Large Fingerling
28212.8 in average
2015
MuskellungeUpper Chippewa River · Large Fingerling
1,47512.3 in average
2013
MuskellungeUpper Chippewa River · Large Fingerling
1,40811.3 in average
2011
MuskellungeUpper Chippewa River · Large Fingerling
1,40910.1 in average
Depth FAQ
How deep is Rice Lake?
Rice Lake is 19 feet deep at its deepest point and averages about 9 feet, according to Wisconsin DNR records.
Is there a free depth map of Rice Lake?
Yes. LakeList publishes a free interactive depth contour map of Rice Lake at a typical 5-foot interval, with an optional 3D underwater view, derived from C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived) survey data.
Where does the Rice Lake depth map come from?
The interactive depth contours are derived from C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived). Each contour set passes a visual QA review against the source document before it is published. The depths are derived from community sonar recordings (C-MAP Genesis Social Map, used with permission), with gaps between recordings interpolated; not for navigation.
Trust and freshness
Where this lake data comes from
Wisconsin DNR Lake Mapsname, coordinates, county, source identifiers
LakeList record updated 2026-07-14
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