Mille Lacs County Profile

Minnesota became an independent territory in 1849 after which nine original counties were established, Benton, Dakotah, Itasca, Mahkahta, Pembina, Ramsey, Wabashaw, Wahnahta, and Washington. Seven other counties, Aitken, Anoka, Crow Wing, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Morrison, and Sherburne were partly formed from the original Benton County land.

Mille Lacs County is a medium-sized county located in east central Minnesota. The county also includes the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. In 1997, Mille Lacs had a per capita personal income of $17,893. This ranked 74th in the State, and was 68 percent of the State average, $26,243, and 71 percent of the national average, $25,288. The average annual growth rate of per capita personal income for the past 10 years was 3.9 percent. The average annual growth rate for the State was 4.8 percent and for the nation was 4.7 percent. In 2002, the per capita personal income in Mille Lacs County was $22,570. This was an increase of 16.9% from 1997. The 2002 figure was 73% of the national per capita income, which was $30,906.

The largest industries in 1995 were services, durable goods manufacturing, and state and local government. The service industry was also the fastest growing.

Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota's second-largest lake, spans 132,000 surface acres or slightly more than 200 square miles. Maximum depths barely exceed 40 feet, which much of the main lake falls into the 20 to 38 foot depth ranges. While the north half of Mille Lacs contains most of the lake's mud flats, the southern portion of the lake offers more gravel and rock bars. All sides of the lake offer some shallow reef-top fishing. Deep-water angling takes place on the southern deep gravel and rocks as well as on dozens of mud flats in the north half of the lake. Shoreline break fishing on varied bottom types occurs all around the lake. The weed line is at 9 to 10 feet.

Mille Lacs Lake offers the angler acres of multi-species action in a genuine "big lake" setting. Walleye, Northern Pike, Muskie, Jumbo Perch, Small Mouth Bass and Tullibee share the limelight at Minnesota's most popular fishing lake - on open water and on ice. Mille Lacs' fame as one of the world's most prolific "natural" walleye lakes rests on the ability to produce billions of walleye eggs and fry. Walleyes and other fish species comfortably use the entire well oxygenated lake. The main reason for the health of the Mille Lacs fishery is an abundant supply of forage.

Mille Lacs freezes "all the way," with ice reaching thicknesses of 2 to 4 feet. In most years anglers can find safe walkout ice by early December. Large fish houses (rentals and private) and safe driving nearly always are in full swing by the week before Christmas.

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Last Updated June 12, 2005