Fishing Mill Pond in Scott County, Minnesota

• Overview

  The Scott County end of Minnesota holds Mill Pond. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. At 16 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Scott County. Jordan lies 0.3 miles from the water. After that come Carver at 7 miles and Belle Plaine at 7.3 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Mill Pond

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Scott County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Mill Pond rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 71°F in July and bottoms out near 11°F in January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early April until roughly late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Mill Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Ahlswede Lake, 2.6 miles out. Treat Mill Pond as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.