Mikkelson Pool Fishing in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Mikkelson Pool lies within the bounds of Mille Lacs County, Minnesota. It stands 1,240 feet above sea level. Vineland sits 14 miles from the bank. For a city, Minneapolis is 71 miles off. Other water within reach: Cranberry Lake a shade over 2.4 miles, Lake Onamia about 7.5 miles, Ernst Pool a shade over 7.6 miles, Dewitt Pool about 7.8 miles and Warren Lake a shade over 8.9 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Mikkelson Pool

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Across Mille Lacs County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill and black crappie. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The near bank of Mikkelson Pool is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 8°F for January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. At Mikkelson Pool the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Cranberry Lake, 2.4 miles away. Treat Mikkelson Pool as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.