Fish Consumption Advisory
No fish consumption information is available for this lake. For more information, see the "Fish Consumption Advice" pages at the Minnesota Department of Health.
Status of the Fishery (as of 07/15/2002)
Rabideau Lake is a 577-acre lake with a maximum depth of 112 feet. There is two distinct basins on the lake. The eastern basin is mostly less than 10 feet deep. The western basin is much smaller but has the deepest water in the lake. The lake is located six miles south of Blackduck in Beltrami County. There is a DNR public access on the east end of the lake off of Forest Service road 2208. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Rabideau Lake is in lake class 35. Lakes in this lake class are typically small, irregularly shaped and with a high percentage of the lake area less than 15 feet deep. Other area lakes in the same lake class include Big Bass, Gull, Stump, Larson, Moose and Minnow Lakes. Rabideau Lake is managed for bluegill, black crappie and walleye.
Rabideau Lake is within the Chippewa National Forest. Most of the shoreline is under public ownership. Most of the private shoreline is on the south shore on both east and west basins. Periodic winter kills have been documented. The last documented winter kill occurred in 1995 - 96. Because of these periodic winter kills, bullheads are the most common species in Rabideau Lake since they are adapted to survive low levels of oxygen. A lot of the bullheads present are of a size that would be acceptable to anglers seeking these species.
Rabideau Lake is known for producing panfish such as black crappie and bluegill. These populations can be cyclic as they recover from winter kill events. Eighty-six percent of the bluegill aged in 2002 were 2 - 4 years old as the population rebuilds from the last winter kill. Bluegill grow fast in Rabideau Lake reaching seven inches by the time they are four years old. There were a lot of black crappie sampled that were 10.0 - 10.5 inches long. These crappie were from the 1998 year class. Four other year classes were also sampled. If this lake can avoid another winter kill event in the next couple of years, it should provide some very good panfish angling.
Anglers will have good success fishing for northern pike. Pike abundance is typical of other lake class 35 lakes and of past surveys. Ample spawning is the reason for this consistency in abundance. Most of the shoreline in the east basin has a marshy fringe and provides excellent habitat for spawning pike.
The DNR stocked walleye fry immediately after the last winter kill, then continued with fingerling stockings on alternate years. Walleye were sampled at relatively low abundance. Only walleye from the initial fry stocking in 1996 were sampled in substantial numbers. It would appear that fingerling stocking and natural reproduction are contributing very little to this fishery.
Yellow perch is the main food for northern pike and walleye. Yellow perch abundance is typical of other lake class 35 lakes but below what was found in past surveys. Perch ranged in length from 5 - 11 inches with 34% greater than eight inches.
Shoreline areas are important habitat for both fish and wildlife that live in or near our lakes. Overdeveloped shorelines degrade both the habitat and water quality that are associated with natural undeveloped lakes. The combined effects of all lakeshore owners "fixing up" their property can destroy a lake's valuable natural shorelines.
A shoreline consists of many parts such as aquatic plants, woody debris and natural lake bottom soils. Shrubs, trees and woody debris such as fallen trees or limbs provide good habitat both above and below the water and should be left in place. Natural lake bottom materials like silt or gravel is more ecologically productive than pure sand trucked in for a swimming beach. A tidy lawn and a sandy beach make great spots for sunbathing and swimming but do little to provide habitat for fish and wildlife. By leaving a buffer strip of natural vegetation along the shoreline, property owners can reduce erosion, help maintain water quality and provide habitat and travel corridors for wildlife.
Only if more lakeshore owners manage their shoreline in a natural condition can fish and wildlife populations on Minnesota lakes remain healthy and abundant. More specific information on protecting or restoring shorelines and watersheds is available at your area DNR Fisheries offices.