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Fishing Rat Root: what the data says
731-acre lake near Koochiching County. The lake tops out around 8 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Walleye fishing at Rat Root
Spring walleye on Rat Root hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Sauger fishing at Rat Root
Spring sauger on Rat Root hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for winter sauger. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Yellow Perch fishing at Rat Root
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at Rat Root
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Crappie fishing at Rat Root
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 7 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Pumpkinseed fishing at Rat Root
Spring pumpkinseed on Rat Root hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 7 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Rat Root?
Rat Root is about 8 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Rat Root?
Anglers target walleye, sauger, northern pike, crappie, yellow perch, pumpkinseed on Rat Root.
Where is the best fishing spot on Rat Root?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Rat Root?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Moose · Locator · Rainy Lake · War Club · Lake Kabetogama · Quill
See how Rat Root stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best sauger lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
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