Fishing in Martin County, Minnesota
Seat: Fairmont. Southern region.
- 20lakes
- 22accesses
- 4piers
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo, nearby stand in for Martin County: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Martin County fishing in brief
The Southern region takes in Martin County, governed from Fairmont. Census tables credit Martin County with 712 square miles of land and 17.2 of lakes and rivers.
Of the 20 lake pages in the county (8,998 acres), Okamanpeedan Lake is biggest. There are 22 public water accesses mapped here, 20 for trailers. Of the lakes here, 20 have survey catch posted and 16 held walleye. The county counts 4 DNR fishing piers and shore sites.
For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Every public access in Martin County
Minnesota DNR access and fishing site layers and LakeFinder, checked October 2026.
Lakes and ponds in Martin County
| Lake | Acres | Max depth ft | Accesses | Walleye per gill net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okamanpeedan Lake | 2,268 | 6.5 | 1 | 13.67 |
| Fox Lake, Martin County | 951 | 20 | 2 | 0.45 |
| Cedar Lake, Martin County | 707 | 7 | 1 | 3.67 |
| Iowa Lake, Martin County | 705 | 9.4 | 1 | 20.5 |
| Bright Lake, Martin County | 639 | 7 | 1 | |
| Hall Lake | 548 | 27 | 1 | 3.33 |
| East Chain Lake | 481 | 6 | 1 | 0.42 |
| Big Twin Lake | 461 | 18 | 1 | 25.33 |
| Willmert (Main Bay) | 335 | 8 | 0 | 9.5 |
| Clear Lake, Martin County | 267 | 7 | 1 | 10.67 |
| South Silver Lake | 252 | 22 | 1 | 0.67 |
| Budd Lake | 228 | 23 | 1 | 2.33 |
| Imogene Lake | 186 | 6 | 1 | 16 |
| Amber Lake, Martin County | 182 | 19 | 2 | 2.5 |
| Perch Lake, Martin County | 174 | 5 | 0 | |
| Temperance Lake | 166 | 5 | 1 | |
| Fish Lake, Martin County | 156 | 5 | 1 | 6.5 |
| Sisseton Lake | 138 | 19 | 1 | 7.5 |
| George Lake, Martin County | 83 | 11 | 1 | 3.5 |
| Clam Lake, Martin County | 71 | 8 | 1 |
DNR LakeFinder morphology, access layer and latest survey per lake.
Additional waters in Martin County
Another 2 lakes and ponds in Martin County sit in LakeFinder with sparse records.
| Water | Acres | Max depth ft | DNR number | Accesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce Lake | 46007600 | 1 | ||
| Willmert Lake | 9 | 46001400 | 1 |
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, checked October 2026.
Public accesses of Martin County
- Amber Lake AccessAmber, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- Amber Lake South AccessAmber, carry-in access, 1 dock
- Big Twin Lake AccessBig Twin, 1 ramp, 12 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Bright Lake Access near CeylonBright, 1 ramp, 15 trailer stalls
- Budd Lake AccessBudd, 2 ramps, 28 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- Cedar Lake Access near TrimontCedar, 1 ramp, 15 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- Clam Lake AccessClam, 1 ramp, 4 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Clear Lake Access near CeylonClear, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- East Chain Lake AccessEast Chain, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Fish Lake Access near OdinFish, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Fox Lake (NE) AccessFox, 2 ramps, 28 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Fox Lake (SE) AccessFox, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- George Lake Access near FairmontGeorge, 1 ramp, 1 dock
- Hall Lake AccessHall, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- Imogene Lake AccessImogene, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- Iowa Lake AccessIowa, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Okamanpeedan Lake AccessOkamanpeedan, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Pierce Lake AccessPierce, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls
- Sisseton Lake AccessSisseton, 1 ramp, 16 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- South Silver Lake AccessSouth Silver, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Temperance Lake AccessTemperance, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Wilmert Lake AccessWillmert, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, 1 dock
Piers and shore spots of Martin County (4)
- Budd Lake Fishing Pierfishing pier, Budd
- Cedar Lake Fishing Pier, Martin Countyfishing pier, Cedar
- Fox Lake Fishing Pier, Martin Countyfishing pier, Fox
- Sisseton Lake Fishing Pierfishing pier, Sisseton
Minnesota DNR Public Water Access Sites and Public Fishing Sites.
Keeping fish in Martin County
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye and sauger | 6 combined total (only 1 walleye over 20" in possession) | May 9, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Northern pike (Southern Zone) | 2 (minimum size 24") | May 9, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Northern pike (Southern Zone) | 2 (minimum size 24") | Nov. 15, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 except where prohibited |
| Largemouth bass | Catch-and-release only | March 1 – May 22, 2026 |
| Largemouth bass | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass (when smallmouth season is open) | May 23, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Smallmouth bass | Catch-and-release only | March 1 – May 22, 2026 |
| Smallmouth bass | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass | May 23 – Sept. 13, 2026 |
| Smallmouth bass | Catch-and-release only | Sept. 14, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Crappie | 10 combined total | Continuous |
| Sunfish | 20 combined total | Continuous |
| Yellow perch | 20 daily, 40 in possession | Continuous |
| Muskellunge | 1 (minimum size 54") | June 6 – Nov. 30, 2026 |
| Channel catfish | 5 (only 1 over 24") | Continuous |
| Rock bass | 30 | Continuous |
| Cisco (tullibee) | 15 (over 7") | Continuous |
| Burbot (eelpout) | 4 | Continuous |
The county seat lies in the Southern Zone for pike and bass; lakes near a zone line can fall in the other zone.
2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations; lake pages show any special regulation.
Permitted events in Martin County
| Date | Event | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-16 | 2026 Fairmont Lakes Foundation, Inc. Spring Fishing Tournament | Hall Lake |
| 2026-01-31 | 2026 Fairmont Lakes Foundation Ice Fishing Tournament | Hall Lake |
Shops serving Martin County
Minnow and tackle stores in Martin County
- Sommer Outdoorssporting goods store, Fairmont
Beyond the shore of Martin County
Communities across Martin County
- Fairmontpop. 10,487
- Trumanpop. 1,092
- Sherburnpop. 1,058
- Welcomepop. 710
- Trimontpop. 705
- Ceylonpop. 303
- Granadapop. 291
- Northroppop. 223
- Dunnellpop. 133
Counties bordering Martin County
- Watonwan County21 miles north
- Faribault County30 miles east
- Jackson County30 miles west
- Blue Earth County34 miles northeast
Pictures of water close to Martin County
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region, Public domain
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Photo: Iulus Ascanius at English Wikipedia, Public domain
What Minnesota anglers ask about Martin County
How many accesses does Martin County count?
22 public accesses on file, 20 for trailers.
Which lake should a first trip in Martin County try?
Okamanpeedan Lake, 2,268 acres.
Is there stream trout fishing in Martin County?
There is no trout stream designation here.
What northern pike rules apply in Martin County?
Map position of Fairmont puts the county in the Southern Zone.
Where can I buy minnows in Martin County?
Try Sommer Outdoors; there are 1 listed.
Are guides based in Martin County?
No guide is listed here.
How many surveyed lakes are in Martin County?
20 lakes with pages have survey catch; walleye turned up in 16.
Which town serves as the Martin County seat?
Fairmont, the seat.
Which Minnesota license does Martin County call for?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51.
Fish across Martin County
Lake pages list surveys, accesses and limits.