Minnesota · St. Louis County
Marion Lake Fishing guide
Marion Lake is a 183-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota, reaching 13 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2023Good numbers4per gill net16"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 16 fish
2025Lengths measured · 2 fish
2018Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2012Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 36 fish
2005No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeOne of the best around17.3per gill net22"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 69 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 69 fish
2025Lengths measured · 68 fish
2018Lengths measured · 57 fish
2012Lengths measured · 44 fish
2005No recent survey rating.
Yellow perchExcellent numbers15.5per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 62 fish
2025Lengths measured · 14 fish
2018Lengths measured · 54 fish
2012Lengths measured · 38 fish
2005Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Marion Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 13-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 13-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Northern pike | Walleye | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34" | 18" | 10" |
| 2018 | 35" | 26" | 7" |
| 2012 | 31" | 25" | 7" |
| 2005 | 34" | 26" | 8" |
| 2000 | 32" | 27" | 11" |
| 1995 | 40" | 24" | 13" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Weighted-EWG Weedless Swimbait
5" paddletail swimbait
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | 183,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 91,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 91,500 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 101,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 91,500 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Marion Lake is located approximately nine miles west of Crane Lake, Minnesota. This 182.9-acre lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet and dark tannin-stained water. A fisheries survey was completed in Ban Lake during the 2025 field season as part of a regular rotation of surveys in the International Falls Management Area.
Marion Lake fishing regulations follow statewide regulations for inland waters. Northern Pike regulations follow the North-East zone regulation. Previous management plans identify several long-range goals and midrange objectives, including providing a balanced abundance of the management species Walleye and Northern Pike along with a healthy abundance of Yellow Perch.
Read the full DNR narrative
Walleye gill net catch rate was 4.0 fish per net, which was average compared to similar lakes. Total length ranged from 15.6 to 18.2 inches with an average length of 16.8 inches. Average weight was 1.6 pounds, which was above average compared to similar lakes. Only one year-class was present, all Walleye sampled were age-3. Good fishing opportunity exists in Marion Lake, for 15-to-18-inch Walleye.
Northern Pike gill net catch rate was 17.25 per net, well above average for similar lakes. Total length ranged from 12.9 to 34.5 inches with an average length of 21.4 inches. Average weight was 2.5 pounds and was well above average compared to similar lakes. A total of eight year-classes were present and ages ranged from 2 to 10 years. With an above average catch rate and a large size structure, Marion Lake provides a good fishing opportunity for anglers targeting Northern Pike.
Yellow Perch gill net catch rate was 15.5 fish per net, which was above average compared to similar lakes, but below historical average for Marion Lake. Total length ranged from 5.4 to 10.2 inches with an average length of 7.0 inches. Average weight was 0.15 pounds, which was slightly above average compared to similar lakes. With above average catch rates and a good size structure, Marion Lake provides an excellent opportunity for anglers targeting Yellow Perch.
Black Bullhead was the only other species sampled during this survey.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Marion Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Marion Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- US Forest Service access: Need to pass 2 FS gates, access is approximitely one mile from FR 203.
DNR bathymetry
Marion Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Moose Lake · 228 ac · 2.2 mi
- Long Lake · 478 ac · 2.6 mi
- Franklin Lake · 156 ac · 2.9 mi
- Gannon Lake · 88 ac · 4.4 mi
- Johnson Lake · 1,737 ac · 5 mi
- Chub Lake · 126 ac · 5.2 mi
- Little Johnson Lake · 566 ac · 5.6 mi
- Silver Lake · 129 ac · 5.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Marion Lake?
Marion Lake reaches 13 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Marion Lake?
Marion Lake covers 183 acres with about 3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Marion Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Marion Lake average 8.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Marion Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch.
Is Marion Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2023; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Marion Lake have a public access?
Yes. Marion Lake has one public access site: US Forest Service access (Need to pass 2 FS gates, access is approximitely one mile from FR 203.).
How big do northern pike get in Marion Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Marion Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Marion Lake in 2025, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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