Marion (Dakota)

Lake Marion in Dakota County, Minnesota

This lake has 8 Layers or 15 Layers for HD Version

Lake Marion is a 530-acre natural lake in western Dakota County, Minnesota, located in the rapidly growing city of Lakeville, approximately 20 miles south of downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. The lake features 10 miles of shoreline winding through three distinct sections: the East Bay covering approximately 302 acres, the Middle Bay spanning 187 acres, and the West Bay encompassing 126 acres, with a maximum depth of 21 feet located in the East Bay. Classified by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as a Class 35 lake, Marion is characteristically deep with very clear water, hard water chemistry, and an irregularly shaped shoreline with a high percentage of littoral area less than 15 feet deep, creating diverse aquatic habitat throughout the basin. Named by Marion W. Savage, proprietor of the Dan Patch Air Rail and owner of the famous racehorse Dan Patch, the lake holds historic significance as the site of Antler's Park, an early 20th-century amusement park created as the final destination of the Dan Patch Air Rail, featuring swimming, dancing, and picnics that drew crowds from across the Twin Cities region. Today, Lake Marion is actively managed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources primarily for Walleye with secondary management for Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Bluegill, with recent electrofishing surveys showing above-average Walleye reproduction and the largest historical yearling mean length on record at 13.4 inches. The City of Lakeville owns and maintains two park areas on the lake, Antler's Park on the southeast corner and Casperson Park on the west side, plus operates a winter aeration system and fishing pier to maintain water quality and year-round fishing access, while the Minnesota Department of Transportation has developed a small parking area along the east frontage road of Interstate 35 that has proved to be a popular shore fishing spot for anglers seeking convenient access.

Lake Marion supports excellent multi-species fishing opportunities with diverse populations including Walleye averaging 22.5 inches with trophy specimens available, Northern Pike averaging 22.8 inches with catches ranging from 14 to 34 inches under special Southern Zone management requiring a harvest limit of two fish with a minimum size of 24 inches, Largemouth Bass commonly around 15 inches with specimens ranging from 14.5 to 18.8 inches, plus abundant panfish including Black Crappie, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, Yellow Perch, and White Crappie providing excellent action for families and light tackle enthusiasts throughout open water and ice fishing seasons. Other species present include Channel Catfish, Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, Carp, plus forage species like Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, and White Sucker that support the healthy predator populations. Two public boat launches and two city parks provide excellent access for powerboats, sailboats, kayakers, canoeists, and paddleboarders, though powerboaters should be courteous to smaller craft and anglers along the shoreline. The lake's cooler, deeper waters maintain excellent clarity even during summer heat waves, creating ideal conditions for swimming at designated beaches in both city parks, while the serpentine shoreline with numerous small inlets makes paddling along the shore particularly interesting for kayakers seeking exploration-worthy twists and turns away from the main open water sections where wind and powerboat traffic can be challenging. Winter transforms the lake into opportunities for ice fishing targeting Walleye, Northern Pike, and panfish through the frozen surface, with the city-operated aeration system maintaining safe oxygen levels for fish populations throughout the coldest months. Beyond water activities, the city of Lakeville provides exceptional amenities and attractions including the Lakeville Area Art Center featuring theater productions, art galleries, and classes, Applewood Orchard offering apple picking with 20 varieties plus hayrides and corn mazes, Hot Sam's Antiques featuring a unique 10-acre outdoor display with the famous 24-foot guitar sculpture, numerous parks and walking trails throughout the community, plus easy access to world-class Twin Cities attractions just 20 minutes north including the Mall of America with Nickelodeon Universe indoor amusement park, Minnesota Zoo with over 500 animal species, Valleyfair Amusement Park, Target Field and U.S. Bank Stadium for professional sports, and countless shopping, dining, and entertainment options in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Dimensions:

Small: 8"x12"

Medium: 12"x18"

Large: 16"x24"

Extra Large: 20"x30"

XX Large: 24"x36"

Gigantic 30"x45"

HD Extra Large: 20"x30" - 15 Layers

HD XX Large: 24"x36" - 15 Layers

HD Gigantic 30"x45" - 15 Layers

The difference between standard and HD maps is the number of layers. Standard maps have 1 land layer and 7 water layers. " The HD lake maps have 1 land layer and 14 water layers. So twice the detail. The HD Maps are limited to Extra Large, " XX Large, and Gigantic sizes only. On the smaller sizes the depth change of the wood is too extreme and you end up losing detail."