Minnesota · Beltrami County
Marquette Lake Fishing guide
Marquette Lake covers 528 acres in Beltrami County, Minnesota, reaching 51 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers6.4per gill net15"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 58 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 58 fish
2022Lengths measured · 84 fish
2012Lengths measured · 94 fish
2001Northern pikeGood numbers14.1per gill net19"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 136 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 136 fish
2022Lengths measured · 107 fish
2012Lengths measured · 100 fish
2001Last recorded in the 2012 survey and not seen since.
BluegillJust a few1.3per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 17 fish
2022Lengths measured · 45 fish
2012Lengths measured · 15 fish
2001CrappieJust a few0.3per trap net8"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2012Lengths measured · 8 fish
2001Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchOne of the best around32.1per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 291 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 291 fish
2022Lengths measured · 327 fish
2012Lengths measured · 894 fish
2001Rock bassExcellent numbers2.8per seine haul9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 16 fish
2022Lengths measured · 36 fish
2012Lengths measured · 22 fish
2001Rates 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 Marquette Lake through the year
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. On a lake that drops to 51 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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. On a lake that drops to 51 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Walleye | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 23" | 28" | 17" |
| 2012 | 27" | 34" | 18" |
| 2001 | 28" | 38" | 4" |
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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Marquette Lake on August 5th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer, Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 49.2 feet), the water temperature decreased below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 19.2 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 19.1 feet at the time of sampling. Therefore, the water column did not contain a layer of water with sufficient temperature and dissolved oxygen for Cisco.
Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 21.3 degrees C (70.3 degrees F). TDO3 values warmer than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were unsuitable for Cisco at the time of the survey.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2023 indicated marginal oxythermal habitat with a layer of 2.0 feet. Subsequently, the 2024 survey indicated unsuitable oxythermal habitat with no layer of habitat present. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Marquette Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Marquette 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.
DNR bathymetry
Marquette Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Irving Lake · 662 ac · 2.4 mi
- Plantagenet Lake · 2,531 ac · 3 mi
- Newman Lake · 45 ac · 3.9 mi
- Spearhead Lake · 194 ac · 4.7 mi
- Bemidji (main lake) · 6,596 ac · 5.6 mi
- Grant Lake · 214 ac · 6.5 mi
- Frontenac Lake · 210 ac · 7 mi
- Grace Lake · 860 ac · 7.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Marquette Lake?
Marquette Lake reaches 51 ft at its deepest point; about 54% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Marquette Lake?
Marquette Lake covers 528 acres with about 5.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Marquette Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Marquette Lake average 6.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Marquette Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Marquette Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Marquette Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
How big do walleye get in Marquette Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Marquette Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Marquette Lake in 2025, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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