Clear Lake Fishing Guide, Mason County, Illinois

• Overview

  Look for Clear Lake in Mason County, Illinois. The bank is 440 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 2 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Mason County list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest town is Manito, 7.8 miles away. For a city, Peoria is 25 miles off. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Clear Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name common carp, goldfish, white perch and channel catfish. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Treat Clear Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 76°F and January near 24°F on the long-run figures. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid March. Climate averages put the opening at about mid March and the closing near late December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Clear Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Woodyard Slough at 1 mile is the sensible second choice. Signs at Clear Lake carry more weight than any list.