Minnesota · Blue Earth County
Mills Lake Fishing guide
Mills Lake covers 237 acres in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, reaching 7 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 0.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2007, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 19 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeJust a few0.8per gill net19"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2007Lengths measured · 10 fish
2007Lengths measured · 11 fish
2004Lengths measured · 18 fish
2003CrappieOne of the best around39.6per trap net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 400 fish
Recent · 2007Lengths measured · 400 fish
2007Lengths measured · 120 fish
2004Lengths measured · 34 fish
2003Yellow perchGood numbers11.8per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2007Lengths measured · 57 fish
2007Lengths measured · 3 fish
2004Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2003Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Mills Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 0.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 7-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 0.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 7-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Largemouth bass | Northern pike | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 15" | 31" | — |
| 2004 | 13" | 32" | — |
| 2003 | 8" | 30" | — |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 572,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 572,500 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 572,500 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 572,500 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,097,500 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,145,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,145,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,144,877 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 226,435 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2007 survey
Mills Lake is located southeast of Lake Crystal and off highway 169. This small (230 acre) lake has a maximum depth of 7 feet. Mills Lake has a good population of 7 - 8.5 inch black crappie and low abundance of northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill and largemouth bass. There is a good population of 8.5 - 10 inch black bullhead that average a half pound.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Mills Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Mills Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Mills Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Mills Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Loon Lake · 809 ac · 1.7 mi
- Crystal Lake · 379 ac · 3.2 mi
- Red Jacket Valley Park Pond · 38 ac · 5.7 mi
- Lions Lake · 6 ac · 9.5 mi
- Hiniker Pond · 18 ac · 9.7 mi
- Ida Lake · 138 ac · 11.5 mi
- Fedji Lake · 172 ac · 11.6 mi
- Eagle Lake · 898 ac · 14.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Mills Lake?
Mills Lake reaches 7 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 6 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Mills Lake?
Mills Lake covers 237 acres with about 2.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Mills Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Mills Lake average 0.5 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Mills Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2007) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Mills Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Mills Lake have a public access?
Yes. Mills Lake has one public access site: Mills Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Mills Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 15"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2003.
When was Mills Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Mills Lake in 2007, the most recent of 5 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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