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Pickerel Lake

Marathon, Iowa — Buena Vista County.

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165Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 137043740).

Location & fast facts

Where Pickerel Lake is in Iowa

The red circle marks Pickerel Lake.

Fast facts

About Pickerel Lake

  • Counties: Buena Vista, Clay
  • Nearest city: Marathon (about 3.1 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 80 mi from Sioux City and 113 mi from Des Moines, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Iowa: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Iowa

Official Iowa DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Lake map

Pickerel Lake shoreline

¼ mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 137043740), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Pickerel Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Compare car rentals near this lake

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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (42.9063, -94.9215). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Pickerel Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Pickerel Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Pickerel Lake

    How big is Pickerel Lake?

    Pickerel Lake covers about 165 acres in Marathon, Iowa (Buena Vista County).

    What towns are on Pickerel Lake?

    Pickerel Lake touches Marathon in Buena Vista County and Clay County, Iowa.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Pickerel Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Iowa lakes & ponds · All waters in Marathon