Lake Marion Fishing in McLeod County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lake Marion sits within McLeod County in Minnesota. The water sits 1,017 feet up. Surface area runs to roughly 431 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. With 5.9 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Few waters listed in McLeod County are bigger. The nearest town is Hutchinson, 7.3 miles away. For a city, Minneapolis is 57 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lake Marion

  Sounding records show water to about 17 feet. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across McLeod County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, common carp, walleye, northern pike and bluegill. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Lake Marion the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 11°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Lake Marion the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You can launch: the ramp is half a mile away. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Lake Mary at 2 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Lake Marion may have changed since it was mapped.