Overview
Minnesota's walleye factory and second largest inland lake. Add to that a trophy muskie and smallmouth bass fishery. In winter the frozen water resembles a small town, complete with a road system. 132,516 acres
Mille Lacs Lake Map
Fishing Regulations
Special Fishing regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.
Location: including all tributaries from the mouth upstream to posted boundaries
- Burbot (Eelpout): All burbot must be immediately released.
- Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass: Beginning May 10, 2025, through May 23, 2025, all bass must be immediately released. Beginning May 24, 2025, all bass greater than 17 inches must be immediately released. Limit of three in combination. Smallmouth harvest ends Sunday, Sept. 7. Largemouth harvest ends Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.
- Northern Pike: Beginning May 10, 2025, through March 31, 2026, all northern pike greater than 30 inches must be immediately released. Limit of three. Same regulations for spearing, which concludes Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.
- Tullibee (Cisco): Possession limit is five.
- Walleye: Beginning May 10, 2025, and continuing through Aug. 22, 2025, the daily and possession limit for walleye is two fish, which must be greater than 17 inches in length and only one of which may be greater than 20 inches in length. Beginning Aug. 23 and continuing through Nov. 30, size limits remain in place but the daily and possession limit is three.
- Yellow Perch: Daily and possession limit five.
- Night Closure:
- May 12 - Aug. 31: No fishing for any species from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. except for below exemptions
- Exceptions:
- Beginning June 7 muskellunge and northern pike may be targeted with artificial lures longer than 8 inches or sucker minnows longer than 8 inches. While fishing during the night closure, you may not possess or target any species other than muskellunge or northern pike.
- Beginning June 1, 2025, bowfishing is allowed but you may not possess angling equipment while bowfishing, and only non-game fish may be in possession.
- Sept. 1: All night restrictions removed.
- No culling or live-well sorting: Fish taken into possession are considered part of an angler’s bag limit and cannot be exchanged with another fish. However, when the season for bass is open, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass may be culled following statewide culling rules.
Features
Forage
Seasonal Movements
Get Your Line in the Right Water
Quickly find the best places to fish and plan your day right.
Fish Species
Mille Lacs Lake Bluegill abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2016 | 9 |
Mille Lacs Lake Crappie abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 14 |
Mille Lacs Lake Largemouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Mille Lacs Lake Muskellunge abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 50 |
| 2020 | 50 |
Mille Lacs Lake Northern pike abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 45 |
| 2023 | 39 |
| 2022 | 42 |
| 2021 | 41 |
| 2020 | 40 |
Mille Lacs Lake Perch abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2020 | 13 |
Mille Lacs Lake Pumpkinseed abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Mille Lacs Lake Rock bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Mille Lacs Lake Smallmouth bass abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 21 |
| 2023 | 20 |
| 2022 | 20 |
| 2021 | 21 |
| 2020 | 20 |
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Mille Lacs Lake Walleye abundance
Average range for similar lakes
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.| Survey Year | Largest Fish (in) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 29 |
| 2018 | 28 |
| 2017 | 28 |
