Schmall Marsh, Minnesota: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Grant County entry here is Schmall Marsh, in Minnesota. The bank is 1,171 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 21 acres — small enough to read in one session. The bank runs about 1.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Grant County. Some 6.3 miles away sits Elbow Lake, the nearest settlement. Then Fergus Falls, 23 miles, and Alexandria, 24 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Schmall Marsh

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Grant County: common carp, largemouth bass, walleye, bluegill and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Schmall Marsh the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 8°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan around that when you fish Schmall Marsh.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lee Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Schmall Marsh carry more weight than any list.