Minnesota · Becker County
Marshall Lake Fishing guide
Marshall Lake covers 191 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 21 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Good numbers5.2per gill net17"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 31 fish
2025Lengths measured · 67 fish
2018Lengths measured · 91 fish
2013Lengths measured · 38 fish
2004Northern pikeElite fishery19.5per gill net24"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 123 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 123 fish
2025Lengths measured · 24 fish
2018Lengths measured · 54 fish
2013Lengths measured · 37 fish
2004BluegillJust a few16.6per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 164 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 164 fish
2025Lengths measured · 413 fish
2018Lengths measured · 29 fish
2013Lengths measured · 1 fish
2004Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net8"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 42 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 42 fish
2025Lengths measured · 11 fish
2018Yellow perchGood numbers11.3per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 69 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 69 fish
2025Lengths measured · 185 fish
2018Lengths measured · 102 fish
2013Lengths measured · 2 fish
2004Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates 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 Marshall 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.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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 | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34" | 26" | 18" |
| 2018 | 34" | 27" | 17" |
| 2013 | 32" | 27" | 18" |
| 2004 | 32" | 24" | 16" |
| 1995 | 34" | 26" | 6" |
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 · 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
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,166 fingerlings · 1,972 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 4,620 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 3,259 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 4,200 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,610 fingerlings · 316 yearlings · 23 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Marshall Lake was conducted June 27th and 30th, 2025, by Detroit Lakes Fisheries Staff. Data was collected from 9 sampling stations spaced around the lake. All stations were sampled with a backpack electrofishing unit, four were sampled with a 50-foot seine and five stations were sampled with a 15-foot seine. Nearshore sampling captured 10 species of native fish, which included two species that are intolerant of disturbance (Blacknose Shiner and Iowa Darter) and two species that are tolerant of disturbance (Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). The three most common species captured during the nearshore survey in order of abundance were Spottail Shiner, Bluegill, and Green Sunfish.
The nearshore fish survey data was combined with the standard survey data from June 2025 to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (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, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, 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.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to a watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. Marshall Lake is located in the Buffalo River Watershed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Marshall Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Marshall 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
- Marshall Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Marshall Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Boyer Lake · 438 ac · 2 mi
- Little Cormorant Lake · 1,067 ac · 2.3 mi
- Leif Lake · 521 ac · 3.1 mi
- Stakke Lake · 497 ac · 3.6 mi
- East LaBelle Lake · 229 ac · 4.1 mi
- Bijou Lake · 225 ac · 5.5 mi
- Big Cormorant Lake · 3,657 ac · 5.5 mi
- Upper Cormorant Lake · 974 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Marshall Lake?
Marshall Lake reaches 21 ft at its deepest point; about 55% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Marshall Lake?
Marshall Lake covers 191 acres with about 2.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Marshall Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Marshall Lake average 6.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Marshall Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Marshall Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Marshall Lake have a public access?
Yes. Marshall Lake has one public access site: Marshall Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Marshall 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 Marshall Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Marshall Lake in 2025, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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