Dumarce Lake in Marshall County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Dumarce Lake in the Marshall County part of South Dakota. Height above sea level is 1,877 feet. Surface area is around 196 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. About 2.5 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Sisseton lies 17 miles from the water. It is 81 miles to Fargo, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Dumarce Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. 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. Marshall County records list bluegill, common carp, northern pike and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Dumarce Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 9°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Dumarce Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Dollar Lake at 1.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Dumarce Lake are worth checking on the day.