Clear Lake, Colorado: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Clear Lake belongs to Mesa County, Colorado. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. The water measures roughly 4 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Mesa County. Start from Cedaredge, 9.9 miles down the road. Then Orchard City, 13 miles, and Palisade, 17 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Mesa County records list flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, green sunfish, white sucker and common carp among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Clear Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 20°F and July at about 62°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. At Clear Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Little Battlement Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. For Clear Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.