Martens Lake

General Information

Amenities

• Boat Access
• Hard Surface Boat Ramp

Fishing Report

Fishing Forecast

Martens Lake is a 255 acre marsh primarily managed for waterfowl but also provides fish angling opportunities as well. The lake contains largemouth bass, bluegill, crappies, northern pike and bullheads. During the summer of 1997 Eurasian Watermillfoil (EWM), and Brittle Naiad years later, were discovered throughout most of the Sweet Marsh complex. Extensive efforts have been taken over many years to control the spread of these aquatic invasive species but control has been difficult. During the summer of 2011 and 2012 fisheries, wildlife and aquatic invasive species (AIS) staff implemented drawdowns in Martens Lake. These invasive plants remain within the system but are supressed due to water level manipulations versus high cost of chemical treatment applications.(2013)

Lake Maps

You can zoom in on the map for bathymetric information for some lakes

Popular Fish Species at this Lake

• Black bullhead
• Black crappie
• Bluegill
• Largemouth Bass

Regulations

• Fishing Regulations

Fish Surveys

Lake Fish Survey Data Data from the most recent fisheries survey of this lake is provided on this external web site. This data may include information from various netting surveys and/or electroshocking surveys. Data includes numbers of fish sampled, and fish size ranges. Not all lakes are sampled every year.

Lake Mini-report

Lake Reports Summary report information about selected (~130) lakes regarding water quality, upstream land use, usage, economic value and more. Reports are customizable by the user to include only that information which the user desires to include.

Water Quality

• Water Quality Reports
• Iowa Water Web

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

The vast majority of Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if consumed. Some limitations may apply for young children and pregnant women. Here’s a Fish Consumption Fact Sheet from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for more information. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.