Fishing at Cottonwood Lake, Marshall County, South Dakota

• Overview

  Cottonwood Lake lies in Marshall County, South Dakota. The bank gives way to lake country bush. The water covers some 63 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Our Marshall County list holds plenty of bigger water. Sisseton is the closest town at 17 miles. Fargo sits 80 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Cottonwood Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Marshall County include bluegill, common carp, northern pike and smallmouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Cottonwood Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 71°F for July and 9°F for January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Cottonwood Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Abraham Lake sits 1.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Cottonwood Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.