Marsh Lake Fishing Guide, Polk County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Out in Polk County, Wisconsin, sits Marsh Lake. What surrounds it is pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Polk County list. Clear Lake sits 5.3 miles from the bank. It is 50 miles to Saint Paul, the nearest city. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Marsh Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Polk County: brown trout, rainbow trout, northern pike, largemouth bass and bluegill. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Marsh Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 70°F in July and bottoms out near 10°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Climate figures give an open season running early April to late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Marsh Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Mud Lake is 0.6 miles off. Check the position at Marsh Lake before loading the car.