Marion Lake

[Maximum12]

Was out on Marion Lake last week - man, is that some shanty town right out from the boat access. Couldn't believe how many perms there are in the northern basin.

Are all those folks fishing for pannies? Or pike? That basin tops out around 8-10' & I've seen the millions of little sunnies on the camera, so hopefully they're being thinned out a bit. Any one have any recent reports (or considering the number of perms, anyone willing to report in?)?

Was out last week & caught one bitty walleye in 15' of water - had a bunch of sniffers & one other good hit after sundown, but without the camera I suspect they were little perch or sunnies pecking at my minnow. Hoping the shiners last another couple of days so I can dunk them again!

[reelemin]

most likely sunnies. That use to be a great lake, not so much any more. There is still some decent fish, but few and far in-between.

[MnSportsman]

Lots of folks out there spearfish. So, a lot of them are most likely are spearing shacks. At least they have been in the past. It's one of my favorite lakes to fish for "jacks" with tipups. The sunnies have been small there for years. If ya like LM Bass , there are some nice ones in there. I pulled a 5#+ LM out of there last year on my tipup, just off the lauch towards the Jetty where the old road used to cross the lake.There used to be a nice crappie hole across from the launch & just south of the submerged road, but I haven't seen many shacks there in past years.

Good fishing to ya!

[crappiefisher26]

Marion's fishing has declined a lot the past few years. Used to be a great panfish, bass and pike lake. But now it gets over fished. And a lot of those permanent shacks you seen were prlly darkhouses or just party shacks.

[work sucks]

I have been on Marion 4 or 5 times this year and only had 1 flag go up (among 6000 little sunnies)...in years past you would have a couple flags in an average outing. But I haven't done any better on any south metro lakes this year. I must be saving all my luck for Lake of the Woods trip in March.

[Maximum12]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll go out & try again tomorrow. I've had more luck out there in the summer than on the ice, but hope spring eternal & all that!

[crappiefisher26]

Well go try it out and let me know how ya do. And, ya mentioned ya had better luck there in the summer. Same here, Ive had good luck with bass and a few nice panfish.

[jwhjr]

Max - what time are you going out? I may be able to swing it if it's in the afternoon.

[pigdogger]

well on december 15th me and my buddy put are perm out to the left of the landing in 8ft of water and caight a limit and a half of crappies acouple were 12+ now i am only tiup up fishing out there on occasion and there is pike there ive had several come up to swedish pimples on the camera but overall i think the lake is done for the year

[Maximum12]

jwhjr, I'm headed out in a few minutes. I'm probably going to plant the Frabill just on the other side of the narrows between the two basins. The shiners somehow have survived my neglecting them in the basement for almost two weeks, so I figure that's a sign to hie my hinie out onto the lake.