Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 27, 2005
Mill Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mill Lake average 6.94 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 27, 2005. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–26 inches. In Becker County, Minnesota, Mill Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 8.5 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Mill Lake
14 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Mill Lake
No stocking record for Mill 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mill Lake average 6.94 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 27, 2005. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mill Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2005-06-27 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 25.38 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 15.78 | 0.45 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.58 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.94 | 1.28 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.81 | 0.32 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.44 | 0.55 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
Pumpkinseed
Northern Pike
From the 2005-06-27 survey
Mill Lake has no designated public boat ramp but boat access can be obtained from Lake Melissa via the Pelican River. Shore fishing is popular through much of the summer near the outlet dam (Buck's Mill). Technically, the lake is a reservoir since the dam maintains the water level about six feet higher than would…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mill Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MillFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Mill Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Mill Lake average 6.94 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 27, 2005. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–26 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 14 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Mill Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Mill Lake is dated June 27, 2005. 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 Mill Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Mill 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.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Mill Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mill Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is 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 can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Mill Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Mill Lake
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