Miltona

Lake Miltona, located north of Alexandria between the towns of Miltona and Leaf Valley, is the largest (5,724 acres) recreational fishing lake in Douglas County. Maximum depth exceeds 100 feet. The lake supports a productive fishery since nearly half of the basin is less than 15 feet in depth and a well oxygenated thermal refuge area exists for coolwater fishes during summer months. Lake Miltona lies within the Long Prairie River watershed and is connected to Lake Ida to the south and Lake Irene to the east via non-navigable channels. Water quality and clarity are considered good. Water clarity has increased since establishment of zebra mussels and often exceeds 15 feet during summer months. Residential development surrounds much of the lake. This lake is a very popular destination for both anglers and recreational boaters. Recreational pressure can be high, especially on weekend days during summer months. Three public accesses are present. Parking is limited on the west access. Primary fish management efforts are focused on Walleye and Muskellunge with bass and sunfish being species of secondary management importance. A standard fisheries survey was completed in 2023 to assess the fish community and gain updated estimates of abundance and size structure of gamefish populations. Lake Miltona is well known as a quality Walleye fishery. Walleye abundance (10.8 fish/gill net) has increased since the record-low level that was documented in 2019. Current abundance is now considered high when compared to similar lakes across Minnesota. Higher abundance can be attributed to increased survival and recruitment of young fish in recent years. Almost 65% of the gill net sample was comprised of Walleyes age 3 or younger. Mean size of Walleye captured in 2023 was 15.2 inches and 1.4 pounds. Lake Miltona supports a popular Muskellunge fishery. It is one of three lakes within the Glenwood Management Area where Muskellunge fingerlings are stocked. The "trophy" potential of this lake is relatively high. Previous angler reports and survey findings indicate that fish exceeding 50 inches are not uncommon. The current statewide regulation is a 54-inch minimum length limit. All muskies less than 54 inches in total length (tip of closed mouth to tip of closed tail fin) must be released immediately. Lake Miltona supports both Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass populations. Largemouth Bass are more abundant but average size of Smallmouth Bass tends to be larger. The largest Smallmouth Bass sampled in 2023 was just shy of 19 inches. Black Crappie and Bluegill populations tend to exhibit moderate abundance and size structure. Average length of Black Crappie in 2023 was 9.2 inches in trap nets and 10.6 inches in gill nets. Average length of Bluegill in 2023 was 6.3 inches in trap nets and 5.3 inches in gill nets. Northern Pike are not abundant (2.1 fish/gill net) but size structure of this population has improved in recent years. Average size in 2023 was 23.2 inches and 3.1 pounds. The largest pike measured was almost 33 inches. Muskellunge likely aid in keeping the pike population from becoming overabundant. Northern Pike zone regulations were implemented in 2018 to help improve pike size structure. Lake Miltona is located in the North-Central Zone. Anglers can keep up to 10 pike but not more than two can be over 26 inches in length. All pike between 22-26 inches must be immediately released. Yellow Perch abundance (12.0 fish/gill net) continues to decline. Harvestable-size perch are present, but the majority of this population is comprised of smaller individuals. Other species collected during the 2023 survey include Black, Brown, and Yellow Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Tullibee (Cisco), and White Sucker. The next lake survey is tentatively scheduled for 2027. Lake Miltona is designated as an infested waterbody due to the presence of zebra mussels, which were first confirmed in 2012. For more information regarding aquatic invasive species in Minnesota see the following: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquatic/index.html.

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Miltona Lake was conducted on July 17-26, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at twenty-four sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due soft sediments and dense vegetation. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample nineteen stations, a 15-foot seine was used at four stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at one station. Nearshore sampling captured twenty-seven species of fish including ten species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, Mottled Sculpin, Muskellunge, Pugnose Shiner, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and two that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Fifteen trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured sixteen species of fish, including two that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass and Smallmouth Bass). Sunfish species such as bluegills, pumpkinseeds, and hybrids comprised a majority of the catch by number and biomass. The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a August 2023 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Least Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. Results from this survey indicate that the fish community in Miltona Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score that exceeds the exceptional use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Long Prairie River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

Muskellunge stockings into Lake Miltona began in 1982 to provide anglers with a unique fishing opportunity and spread fishing pressure across a greater area. Approximately 1,400 fingerlings are stocked every other year to provide a low density, but trophy Muskellunge fishery. A mark-recapture population estimate of Muskies began in spring of 2019 on Lake Miltona using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags (see 2019 targeted survey). Fish were sampled using both large frame trap nets and electrofishing in 2019. In spring of 2021, the recapture phase was completed using exclusively electrofishing with a total of 169 fish sampled. Between the two years of sampling, a total of 229 unique adult (30 inches or greater) Muskies were PIT tagged. An additional 28 juvenile Muskies were tagged for future age and growth information. Captured Muskies ranged from 17 to 53 inches. The average length of tagged fish was 41 inches. A total of 19 Muskies exceeded 50 inches, which is higher than all previous surveys combined on Lake Miltona. This is likely due to the addition of electrofishing, which was more effective at sampling larger fish, and likely not an actual change in the population. The 2021 population estimate was 757 adult Muskies. By sex the estimates were as follows: 295 females, 419 males and 43 unknown. This yields an estimate of 0.13 adult Muskies per surface acre, comparable to other low density, trophy Muskie populations.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Muskellunge, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, and Smallmouth Bass in Miltona. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Miltona. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Miltona has a maximum depth of 105 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Miltona is from 2023.

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