Cooper and rice lakes
Cooper Lake Fishery
Cooper Lake (DNR #11-0163) has 147.1 surface acres and 97.4 littoral acres. Maximum depth is 70 feet and shoreline length is 2.9 miles. The lake was mapped in March, 1941. There is no public access. Because there is no public access, the DNR does not normally do any in-depth analysis of the fishery. A DNR fisheries lake survey was completed in July, 1987 (also surveyed in 1973). There were good numbers of panfish, northerns, and perch in that survey. There was also one longear sunfish caught (endangered species).
The DNR Fisheries Management Plan for Cooper Lake: Cooper Fisheries Mgmt Plan - 1994
Cooper Lake DNR Stocking Summary
Rice Lake Fishery
Rice Lake (DNR #11-0162) has 248.0 surface acres and 193.0 littoral acres. Rice Lake has two almost equal size basins. Maximum depth is 30 feet in one basin and 6 feet in the other basin and shoreline length is 4.24 miles. The lake was mapped in 1969. There is no public access but there is a navigable channel from Inguadona Lake. The DNR has classified Rice Lake as Lake Class 29. A DNR fisheries lake survey was completed in 1990.
Special Panfish Regulation
A special population assessment targeting crappie was completed in 2008 to support the proposed special regulation for panfish. This regulation will limit crappie and bluegill daily limits to 5 crappie and 10 sunfish. The new rules will maintain or improve the average size of crappies and sunfish available for anglers by preventing over-harvest of larger fish. This special regulation will be in efffect for Inguadona and Rice Lakes beginning in 2009.
The DNR Fisheries Management Plan for Rice Lake: DNR Fishery Mgmt Rice 1992