Marion Lake (McLeod County)
McLeod County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 43008400
DNR records show 3 stocking entries at Marion Lake (McLeod County) since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2019 (520,000 fish).
- Marion Lake (McLeod County) has 3 DNR stocking records across 3 years (2016-2019): walleye (3).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 1,559,008 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 15 ft, mean depth 10 ft; surface area 520 acres, 520 littoral acres, 6.7 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 2.4 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, sunfish, walleye, yellow bullhead, and 1 more.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- McLeod County, nearest town Brownton; DNR lake number (DOW) 43008400.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 6/23/1995 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 520,000 | 4.2 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 520,000 | 4.9 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 519,008 | 4.9 |
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | county | A large access, with paved parking, on the northeast shore. |
| earthen ramp | Minnesota DNR |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Fall electrofishing | 109.00 | 109 | 0.07 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
A targeted survey (fall nighttime electrofishing) was conducted on Marion Lake on September 10th, 2025, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. A total of 101 YOY were sampled for a catch rate of 101.0 fish/hr., which was above the lake's historical (1994 to 2025) median (30.0 fish/hr.). This indicated that a substantial YOY year class was present. In 2025, the average length for YOY was 7.5 inches, which was above Marion's historical mean (6.9 inches). Walleye fry were not stocked in 2025, so those fish were the result of natural reproduction. In 2025, a total of 0 yearlings were sampled for a catch rate of 0.0 fish/hr., which was tied with Marion's lowest historical (2017 to 2025) yearling catch rate on record. Of interest, high numbers of yearling Walleye were sampled in the 2025 gill net assessment, indicating that fall electrofishing yearling catch rates are not always a reliable indicator of year class strength at Marion Lake. Due to the significant natural reproduction of Walleye at Marion, the lake will only be stocked with Walleye fry if two consecutive fall electrofishing catch rates drop below 20 YOY/hr. Walleye fry were last stocked in 2019. Marion Lake is electrofished annually.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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