Miller

Miller Lake (10-0029) is a 140-acre, class 43 lake, located near Dahlgren in Carver County. Carver Creek connects Miller Lake with the Minnesota River. The sportfish community consists of black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, and yellow perch. Additionally, Miller Lake is surrounded by private land and no public access exists. Winterkill is common during hard winters. Largemouth bass and northern pike were sampled in low to average numbers. Northern pike gill net catches (2.3/gill net) were normal for class 43 lakes. Trap net caught pike (N=15) averaged 30.6 inches while gill net caught pike (N=7) averaged 22.5 inches. Five largemouth bass ranging from 6.3 to 10.8 inches were sampled by gill and trap nets. Black crappies and bluegills were caught in average numbers when compared to west metro class 43 lakes. Bluegill relative abundance (16.0/trap net) was within normal ranges for class 43 lakes. Of the 96 bluegills sampled, only one fish was above 7.0 inches. Black crappies were sampled in average numbers for both gill net abundance (8.7/net) and trap net abundance (5.2/net). Of the 57 black crappies sampled, only 2 fish were above 8.0 inches. One yellow perch measuring 8.6 inches was sampled by gill net. No perch were sampled in previous assessment (1991). Black and yellow bullheads were sampled in varying numbers. Black bullheads were sampled in below average numbers (28.0/gill net) while yellow bullheads were sampled within normal ranges for both gill nets (2.7/net) and trap nets (0.8/net) when compared to regional class 43 lakes. The largest black bullhead measured 9.5 inches while the largest yellow bullhead measured 11.8 inches. Additionally, ten white suckers ranging from 11.1 to 16.8 inches were sampled by both gill and trap nets. Bigmouth buffalo, common carp, and freshwater drum were sampled in varying numbers. A trap net sampled one bigmouth buffalo measuring 21.7 inches. Trap nets sampled six common carp while gill nets caught 86 (28.7/gill net) carp that averaged 14.8 inches. Carp gill net catch rates were above average for class 43 lakes. Lastly, ten freshwater drum were sampled by trap nets while 38 drum were sampled by gill nets.

THE CURRENT POPULATION IS DOMINATED BY BLC, BLB, BIB, AND CARP. BLC WERE CAPTURED IN NUMBERS GREATER THAN 24 TIMES THE LOCAL MEDIAN FOR GILL NETS AND 9 TIMES THE LOCAL TRAP NET MEDIAN. FISH WERE MEASURED IN THE 4.4-10.9 INCH LENGTH RANGE, WITH A MEDIAN SIZE CAPTURED OF 6.0-6.4 INCHES. TWO YEAR CLASSES OF BLC DOMINATE THE PRESENT POPULATION STRUCTURE FOR THIS SPECIES. THE YOUNGER FISH RANGED FROM 4.5-4.9 INCHES, AND THE OLDER ONES RANGED 6.5-6.9 INCHES TOTAL LENGTH. ONLY 4% OF THE BLC SAMPLED WERE IN EXCESS OF 8.4 INCHES IN LENGTH. BLB WERE SAMPLED IN NUMBERS OVER 8 TIMES THE LOCAL MEDIAN FOR GILL NETS AND 5 TIMES THE LOCAL TRAP NET MEDIAN. INDIVIDUALS RANGED IN SIZE FROM 3.5-11.4 INCHES TOTAL LENGTH, WITH A BIMODAL DISTRIBUTION. A LARGE MODE CENTERED AT 6.0 INCHES AND A SMALLER MODE IS AT 9.0 INCHES. MOST OF THE FISH WERE SMALL, RESULTING IN AN AVERAGE RATE OF 5.3 FISH PER POUND. BIB WERE SAMPLED AT 3 TIMES THE STATE MEDIAN FOR TRAP NETS AND 129 TIMES THE STATE GILL NET MEDIAN. NO LOCAL MEDIAN EXISTS FOR TRAP OR GILL NET SAMPLED BIB. THE FISH WERE SMALL, WITH 73.9% OF THE FISH MEASURING 12.0-13.9 INCHES TOTAL LENGTH. THE LARGEST INDIVIDUALS OF THIS SPECIES WERE IN THE 15.0-15.9 INCH RANGE. CARP WERE SAMPLED AT TWICE THE LOCAL MEDIAN FOR TRAP NETS AND 11 TIMES THE LOCAL GILL NET MEDIAN. SIZE WAS SMALL, WITH THE FISH AVERAGING 0.75 POUNDS EACH. MOST FISH RANGED IN LENGTH FROM 5.0-14.9 INCHES, WITH ONLY TWO LARGER INDIVIDUALS CAPTURED. BLG WERE SAMPLED AT 1.6 TIMES THE LOCAL MEDIAN FOR TRAP NETS AND ONLY 1/3 THE LOCAL MEDIAN FOR GILL NETS. BLG PSD=15.8%, WITH FISH RANGING FROM 3.0-8.4 INCHES TOTAL LENGTH. WTS WERE CAPTURED IN NUMBERS GREATLY EXCEEDING THE STATE AND LOCAL MEDIANS FOR BOTH GEAR TYPES. OTHER SPECIES SAMPLED INCLUDED YEB, BRB, WHC, GOS, AND CRC. TWO SEINE HAULS PRODUCED VERY FEW FISH. BLG AND BLC WERE THE ONLY SPECIES FOR WHICH YOY INDIVIDUALS WERE CAPTURED. OTHER SPECIES IN THE SEINE SAMPLE INCLUDED FHM, SPO, AND JOHNNY DARTER.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, White Crappie, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, and Bluegill in Miller. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Miller. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Miller has a maximum depth of 14 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Miller is from 2006. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

Yes — Miller has confirmed zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.